The effect of superficial venous surgery on generic health-related quality of life.
BACKGROUND
Superficial venous surgery (SVS) is associated with a significant improvement in disease-specific health related quality of life (HR-QoL) but the effect on generic HR-QoL remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of SVS on responses to the Short Form [SF]-36, the most widely used generic HR-QoL instrument.


METHODS
Two hundred and three patients undergoing SVS completed the SF-36 pre-operatively and 24 months post-operatively. Scores for the 8 SF-36 domains [physical (PF) and social functioning (SF), role limitation due to physical (RP) and emotional (RE) problems, mental health (MH), vitality (V), pain (P), and general health perception (HP)] were calculated and normalised using UK standard data.


RESULTS
Pre-operatively, patients scored significantly lower (worse) than the general UK population in PF, RP and P. Surgery was associated with a significant improvement in PF and P (45.3 vs. 42.5 and 48.9 vs. 43.8 postop vs. preop, p<0.001, WSR) at 2 years.


CONCLUSIONS
SVS leads to a statistically and clinically significant improvement in the physical components of the SF-36. These data will allow the clinical benefits of SVS to be compared with other interventions so helping informing decisions about how venous surgery should be prioritised appropriately within the NHS.
Sam
R C
RC
University Department of Vascular Surgery, Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust (Teaching), Lincoln House, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham B9 5SS, UK.
MacKenzie
R K
RK
Paisley
A M
AM
Ruckley
C V
CV
Bradbury
A W
AW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery*