Comparison of health-related quality of life between patients with different metatarsalgia types and matched healthy controls: a cross-sectional analysis

Comparison of health-related quality of life between patients with different metatarsalgia types and matched healthy controls: a cross-sectional analysis

Sao Paulo Medical Journal, October 2018

30570098

Natalia Tovaruela-Carrión, Daniel López-López, Marta Elena Losa-Iglesias, Verónica Álvarez-Ruíz, Gemma Melero-González, César Calvo-Lobo, Ricardo Becerro-de Bengoa-Vallejo

Metatarsalgia can be considered to be a common complaint in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to compare quality of life (QoL) between participants with different metatarsalgia types and matched-paired healthy controls. A cross-sectional analysis on a sample of 124 participants of median age ± interquartile range of 55 ± 22 years was carried out in the University Clinic of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, Ferrol, Spain. They presented primary (n = 31), secondary (n = 31) or iatrogenic (n = 31) metatarsalgia, or were matched-paired healthy controls (n = 31). Self-reported domain scores were obtained using the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) and were compared between the participants with metatarsalgia and between these and the healthy controls. Statistically significant differences were shown in all FHSQ domains (P ≤ 0.001). Post-hoc analyses showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) between the metatarsalgia types in relation to the matched healthy control group, such that the participants with metatarsalgia presented impaired foot-specific and general health-related QoL (lower FHSQ scores). This study demonstrated that presence of metatarsalgia had a negative impact on foot health-related QoL. Foot-specific health and general health were poorer among patients with metatarsalgia, especially among those with secondary and iatrogenic metatarsalgia, in comparison with matched healthy controls.