Improvement the quality of life of patients with trophic ulcers of venous etiology in the application of photodynamic therapy

Purpose. To analyze quality of life dynamics of patients with trophic venous ulcers of the lower limbs after the treatment with the use of photodynamic therapy. Materials and methods. Quality of life research was conducted in 57 patients with trophic ulcers of venous etiology. The first group included 30 patients who received standard treatment, the second group — 27 patients, in which standard treatment was combined with a course of photodynamic therapy. To assess the quality of life of the patients in both groups, a questionnaire was conducted using the EuroQol-5D-5L survey system and the visual analogue scale EQ-VAS. The quality of life assessment was carried out at the beginning of treatment, 10 days and 6 weeks after starting treatment. Results. The results indicate a significant improvement in the quality of life in both groups, but the degree of improvement in this indicator in group 2 was 20.7 % higher.An analysis of the dynamics of improvement in quality of life showed an increase in the mean of the indicator 10 days after the beginning of treatment in patients in the first group of 26.7 %, the second group by 43 %, and in 6 weeks, its increase was achieved in patients in the first group by 32.7 %, in the second group — by 53.4 %. Conclusions. The use of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of venous trophic ulcers significantly affects the quality of life, which is manifested in the anti-inflammatory effect and reduction of pain syndrome in the shorter term (by 76.2 %), compared with patients in the first group.