Changes in body weight in men after lower limb amputation.

Summary.

Lower limb amputation, which leads to a decrease in body weight, vascular bed, the influence of hypokinesia, stress, pronounced disorders of the statodynamic function of the musculoskeletal system have a significant impact on the homeostasis of the body. The functional reserves of the cardiorespiratory system are reduced, metabolic processes are disrupted, and tolerance to physical activity is reduced. A number of studies were analyzed that showed that during the first 2 years of observation, the average calculated percentage weight gain in men with amputation was significantly greater than in men without amputation. Weight gain in men with amputation peaked in the second year, followed by weight loss from the peak, but not a return to the original weight. More than 45 percent of men who had undergone transtibial (TTA) or transfemoral (TFA) amputations had gained 10 percent of their weight by the end of the second year of follow-up, compared with 9.2 percent of men without amputation and 22.7 percent of men with partial foot amputation (PFA). By the end of the third year, there was a small increase in the proportion of men who had lost 5 percent of their weight from baseline (18.5 percent among men without amputation and 19.7 percent, 13.0 percent, and 22.5 percent among men with PFA, TTA, and TFA, respectively). Men with bilateral amputations and those with higher baseline weight were more likely to be in the weight loss group (12%, n=20 of 166) (P<.01), those with amputations due to nonblast trauma were more likely to be in the weight stable group (67%, n=101 of 706) (P=.03), and those with delayed amputations were more likely to be in the weight stable group (79%, n=170 of 216, P<.01). Men younger than 20 years were more likely to be in the weight gain group (44%, n=17 of 39), whereas those older than 20 years were more likely to be in the weight stable group (P=.01). When determining body fat mass in men with lower limb amputations, a consistent increase in body fat mass was observed in direct proportion to the level of amputation.