Biopsychosocial predictors of health-related quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To assess biopsychosocial predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
In 94 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C attending a liver center, HRQOL was assessed by the Medical Outcome Study Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) and by the German version of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire. The predictive effect on HRQOL of disease-related worries measured by the worry subscale of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire, psychiatric comorbidity (defined by at least one Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale German Version Score > or =11), the Child-Pugh score in case of cirrhosis, interferon therapy, and active medical comorbidities was assessed by a multiple regression analysis.


RESULTS
From 88 patients (age, 48.6 +/- 14.6 years; 50% female), 62 (70%) had no cirrhosis, 15 (17%) Child A, 5 (6%) Child B, and 6 patients (7%) Child C cirrhosis. The mental summary score of SF-36 was predicted by the amount of disease-related worries (corrected R2 = 0.33; beta = 3.2; p < .001) and psychiatric comorbidity (corrected R2 = 0.42; beta = -9.0; p < .001), by the physical summary score of SF-36 by the amount of disease related worries (corrected R2 = 0.33; beta = 4.0; p < .001), and by the number of active medical comorbidities (corrected R2 = 0.39; beta = -2.0; p = .006).


CONCLUSIONS
The HRQOL in chronic hepatitis C is not determined by the severity of the liver disease but by psychiatric and medical comorbidities and disease-related worries.
Häuser
Winfried
W
Department of Internal Medicine I, Klinikum Saarbrücken gGmbH, Winterberg 1,D-66119 Saarbruecken, Germany. whaeuser@klinikum-saarbruecken.de
Zimmer
Christoph
C
Schiedermaier
Peter
P
Grandt
Daniel
D
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires