Avaliação da funcionalidade de idosos com osteoartrite utilizando o Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS)

Introducao: A osteoartrite e uma doenca cronico-degenerativa muito prevalente em idosos, a qual desencadeia limitacoes funcionais e pior qualidade de vida. Embora existam questionarios para avaliacao da funcionalidade destes pacientes, a busca por instrumentos especifi cos para avaliacao de membros inferiores apresenta relevância na pratica fi sioterapeutica. Objetivos: Avaliar a correlacao do Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) com a funcionalidade e componentes fisicos e mentais da qualidade de vida em idosos com osteoartrite. Metodo: Estudo transversal, no qual a funcionalidade foi avaliada pelos questionarios WOMAC, Lequesne e LEFS e a qualidade de vida foi avaliada pelo questionario SF-36. Resultados: Participaram do estudo 105 idosos (Idade: 68,80± 6,3 anos) com osteoartrite de joelho ou quadril, sendo 31homens e 74 mulheres. Nao foi observada associacao entre a idade (p>0,05) e o comprometimento funcional avaliado tanto pelo indice WOMAC quanto Lequesne (p>0,05) na populacao estudada. Foi observada correlacao negativa entre o indice WOMAC e o LEFS (rS=-0,81) e o Lequesne e o LEFS (rS=-0,86). Alem disso, foi verifi cada associacao entre os escores do LEFS e a capacidade funcional (rS=0,80), limitacao por aspectos fisicos (rS=0,44), dor (rS=0,55) e estado geral de saude (rS=0,44). Ainda, foi verifi cada correlacao entre o escore do LEFS e a vitalidade (rS=0,60), aspectos sociais (rS=0,38), limitacao por aspectos emocionais (rS=0,38) e saude mental (rS=0,41). Conclusao: Concluise que o LEFS apresenta boa correlacao com os indices WOMAC e Lequesne e com os componentes fisicos e mentais da qualidade de vida, podendo constituir um instrumento clinico para avaliacao do impacto funcional da osteoartrite em idosos. Introduction: Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease very prevalent in the elderly, which triggers functional limitations and poorer quality of life. Although there are already established instruments to evaluate the functional status of these patients, the search for specific instruments for assessment of lower limbs has relevance in physical therapy practice. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between LEFS with functional status and physical and mental components of quality of life of older adults with osteoarthritis. Methods: At this cross-sectional study, the functional status was assessed by WOMAC, Lequesne and LEFS indexes and the quality of life was assessed by SF-36. Results: This study included 105 elderly (age: 68.80 ± 6.3 years) with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip, being 31 men and 74 women. It was not observed a correlation between age and functional status (p>0.05) analyzed by WOMAC and Lequesne indexes. However, negative correlations between WOMAC and LEFS(rS=- 0.81) as well as Lequesne and LEFS(rS= -0.86) were observed according to Spearman’s correlation. Moreover, there was a correlation between the LEFS’ score and functional capacity (rS = 0.80), limitation by physical aspects (rS= 0.44), pain (rS= 0.55) and general health (rS = 0.44). Moreover, it was also observed a positive correlation between the LEFS’ score and vitality (rS=0.60), social status (rS= 0.38), limitation for emotional aspects (rS=0.38) and mental health (rS= 0.41). Conclusion: LEFS correlates well with the WOMAC and Lequesne indexes as well as the physical and mental components of quality of life and it may be an alternative clinical tool for assessing the functional impact of osteoarthritis in the elderly.