Comorbidity Screening and Referral by Prosthetists

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Limb Ischemia, Low Back Pain, Depression, Neuropathy;Peripheral, Amputation

In brief

Lower-limb amputation is associated with life-altering and life-limiting comorbidities. Currently, onus is on primary care providers to diagnose, educate, and refer patients for appropriate management. Recently our laboratory has found, however, that of adults post-amputation seen in an outpatient Limb Loss Clinic presenting with comorbidities, \>50% are unaware they have signs of peripheral arterial disease and/or neuropathy. Lack of patient awareness and thus, inadequate comorbidity management, may contribute to suboptimal patient outcomes post-amputation. As a first step in this research line, the proposed project will help determine if comorbidity screening by prosthetists during routine care visits for patients post-amputation may enhance comorbidity awareness, increase patient satisfaction in prosthetic services, and reduce gratuitous prosthetic service utilization. During a follow-up visit, seventy patients following a unilateral lower-limb amputation will be randomized into either a standard-of-care group or a standard of-care plus group. The standard-of-care plus group will receive clinical screenings by a certified prosthetist for peripheral arterial disease, peripheral neuropathy, depression, and high-risk for persistent back pain; patient education on findings; and each participant's primary care provider will receive screening results. The long-term goal of this research is to determine if prosthetists can maximize their utility in an interdisciplinary care team, while enhancing patient outcomes post-amputation.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT05410548
Run by
University of Delaware
People needed
70
Starts
2022-06-09
Expected to finish
2023-01-30
Last updated by the study team
2025-12-31

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

You may not qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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