Hanger: Amputees meaningful prosthetic mobility not prevented by comorbidities

Published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MAAT II evaluates largest lower limb prosthetic data set to date

Hanger, Inc. today announced results of the second part of its landmark study of lower limb amputees known as the Mobility Analysis of Amputees (MAAT II). The largest analysis of its kind, the MAAT II study investigated the impact of those comorbidities comprising the Functional Comorbidities Index (FCI) and other notable comorbidities, and their influence on mobility among people living with lower limb loss. MAAT II findings demonstrated a person’s overall comorbid health has little impact on mobility with a lower limb prosthesis as patients with multiple co-morbidities still benefit from a prosthetic device which provides meaningful mobility. The clinical research was peer reviewed and published in a Medline indexed journal, the respected American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

‘The continued rise in lower limb amputations is creating a need for improved means of identifying patients who will benefit from prosthetic rehabilitation and technology,’ stated James Campbell, PhD, CO, FAAOP, chief clinical officer, Hanger Clinic. ‘In the absence of strong research support to guide prosthetic rehabilitation, decision makers have been restricted in their options for identifying prosthetic candidates. Historically, comorbid health has been among the factors utilized, despite a lack of strong evidence to support this application, which necessitated further research.’

Colleagues in the clinical and scientific affairs department of Hanger Clinic, including James Campbell, PhD, CO, FAAOP, Shane R. Wurdeman, PhD, CP, FAAOP, and Phil M. Stevens, MEd, CPO, FAAOP, performed a retrospective review of outcomes data collected within multiple clinics. The primary endpoint included within the analysis was the Prosthetic Limb Users Survey of Mobility (PLUS-M). Analysis included 596 current prosthetic users, aged 18 or older, with varying amputation levels, including both unilateral and bilateral lower limb amputation.

The results of the MAAT II study found only four factors to be significant predictors of mobility: age, history of stroke, presence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and anxiety/panic disorders (R=0.388). With compounding comorbid health conditions, mobility declines.

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