Retrospective analysis of leg ulcers cases at the university hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (1991-2001)

Introduction: Leg ulcers are a syndrome characterized by loss of tegument that affect the lower extremities usually caused by vascular system dysfunction, representing a high morbidity chronic disease especially among the aged. This study determined the epidemiological characteristics of leg ulcer patients seen at Clinical Hospital Ribeirão Preto from 1991 to 2001, and their main etiologies and the resolving nature of the treatments applied were investigated. Method: This was a descriptive retrospective study (case series) analyzing 199 medical records of leg ulcer patients, coded by the Medical Records from 1991 to 2001. Results: 51% of the patients were women and 49% men, with respective median ages of 65 and 66 years, and 81% were white. Etiologically, 49% were classified as venous ulcers, 15% arterial, 9% neuropathic, 2% anemic, and 20% were not classified. Approximately 40% of the patients had been wounded for more than 1 year, 13% died, 40% discharged, and 45% evolved with chronic disease. Among the discharged patients, 64% of those with arterial ulcers and 80% of those with neurotrophic ulcers underwent amputation of the segment involved. Regarding venous ulcers, only 37% of the patients were discharged, after local dressing in 56% of cases and after skin graft in only one. Comment: Leg ulcer disease was found to be an important chronic disease among the patients seen at the Clinical Hospital Ribeirão Preto from 1991 to 2001, with severe consequences regarding the arterial and neurotrophic ulcers, although the etiologic diagnosis was unknown or neglected in 20.1% of the cases.