Anxiety and/or depression: which symptoms contribute to adverse clinical outcomes after amputation?

Background: One of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) is a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), with lower extremity amputation (LEA).

Aims: This study aims to explore the role of anxiety and depression on mortality, reamputation and healing, after a LEA due to DFU.

Methods: A sample of 149 patients with DFU who underwent LEA answered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire. This is a longitudinal and multicenter study with four assessment moments that used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographic and clinical variables.

Results: Rate of mortality, reamputation and healing, 10 months after LEA were 9.4%, 27.5% and 61.7%, respectively. Anxiety, at baseline, was negatively associated with healing. However, depression was not an independent predictor of mortality. None of the psychological factors was associated with reamputation.

Conclusion: Results highlight the significant contribution of anxiety symptoms at pre-surgery, to healing after a LEA. Suggestions for psychological interventions are made.