Quality of life after total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis or proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for familial adenomatous polyposis.
BACKGROUND
Knowledge of postoperative health status is important in decision-making about the type of operation necessary in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). This study compared the quality of life (QoL) between patients with an ileorectal anastomosis (group 1) and those with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (group 2).


METHODS
QoL was assessed with both a generic questionnaire (Short Form-36 Health Survey; SF-36) and a disease-specific questionnaire (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Colorectal QoL Questionnaire; EORTC QLQ-CR38). The SF-36 consists of 36 items representing eight generic health domains, and the EORTC QLQ-CR38 comprises 38 items representing disease-specific health domains. Both questionnaires were distributed among 323 patients with FAP known at the Dutch Polyposis Registry who had previously undergone either operation. The results of the SF-36 were compared with the scores of age- and sex-matched respondents from the general population.


RESULTS
Some 279 patients (86 per cent), 161 in group 1 and 118 in group 2, completed the questionnaire. Generic and disease-specific QoL was the same for groups 1 and 2. The SF-36 scores of both groups were significantly lower than those of the general population.


CONCLUSIONS
There were no differences with respect to health status between patients in groups 1 and 2, and preference for either procedure cannot be based on QoL.
Van Duijvendijk
P
P
Departments of Surgery and Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Slors
J F
JF
Taat
C W
CW
Oosterveld
P
P
Sprangers
M A
MA
Obertop
H
H
Vasen
H F
HF
D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016737:Proctocolectomy, Restorative / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires