Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
Volume 15, Issue 9, Pages 1011-1020Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/00042737-200309000-00012
Keywords
inflammatory bowel disease; health; health-related quality of life; quality of life
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Objective The aims of this study were to analyse the health-related quality of life of patients with ulcerative colitis and to assess in what way demographic and disease-related factors influence patients' experiences of this, in order to interpret the results of health-related quality of life assessment more correctly. Patients and methods We carried out a cross-sectional evaluation of 300 consecutive patients with ulcerative colitis from the catchment areas of Linkoping University Hospital and Orebro University Hospital in Sweden. Health-related quality of life was measured using four questionnaires: the IBDQ the RFIPC, the SF-36 and the PGWB. Disease activity was evaluated using a one-week symptom diary, blood tests and rigid sigmoidoscopy. Demographic factors (gender, age, civil status, educational level), disease-related factors (disease duration, disease extent, disease activity) and presence of co-morbidity were obtained. Results Health-related quality of life was mainly impaired in the psychological and social areas and to a much lesser degree in physical areas. Patients with relapse had significantly more disease-related worries and concerns (the RFIPC), more impaired social functioning (the IBDQ and SF-36), and a lower feeling of well being (the IBDQ, the SF-36 and the PGWB). However, their physical function (SF-36) was no worse than patients in remission. Besides the symptom burden of the current disease, co-morbidity and female gender were associated with a lower health-related quality of life. Conclusion To correctly interpret health-related quality of life assessments, it is necessary to consider co-morbidity and gender distribution in addition to the symptom burden of the disease studied. (C) 2003 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.
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