Health-related quality of life in patients before and after surgery for a herniated lumbar disc.
We investigated the pre-operative and one-year post-operative health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcome by using a Euroqol (EQ-5D) questionnaire in 263 patients who had undergone surgery for herniation of a lumbar disc. Data from the National Swedish Register for lumbar spinal surgery between 2001 and 2002 were used and, in addition, a comparison between our cohort and a Swedish EQ-5D population survey was performed. We analysed the pre- and post-operative quality of life data, age, gender, smoking habits, pain and walking capacity. The mean age of the patients was 42 years (20 to 66); 155 (59%) were men and 69 (26%) smoked. Pre-operatively, 72 (17%) could walk at least 1 km compared with 200 (76%) postoperatively. The mean EQ-5D score improved from 0.29 to 0.70, and the HRQOL improved in 195 (74%) of the patients. The pre-operative score did not influence the post-operative score. In most patients, all five EQ-5D dimensions improved, but did not reach the level reported by an age- and gender-matched population sample (mean difference 0.17). Predictors for poor outcome were smoking, a short pre-operative walking distance, and a long history of back pain.
Department of Orthopaedics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. karl-ake.jansson@karolinska.se
K-A
KA
Jansson
G
G
Németh
F
F
Granath
B
B
Jönsson
P
P
Blomqvist
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology