title: Longitudinal study on quality of life in 102 survivors of childhood craniopharyngioma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We longitudinally analysed functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) in 102 patients with a childhood craniopharyngioma during follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Fertigkeitenskala Münster-Heidelberg (FMH) ability scale was used for QoL assessment. Multivariate analysis evaluated FMH scores at various time points, examining hypothalamus involvement (HI), body mass index (BMI), degree of resection, tumour progression, relapse and irradiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients without HI (n=60) self-assessed higher QoL at baseline (p=0.001) and follow-up (p<0.001) than patients with HI (n=42). Only patients without HI evaluated at baseline >12 months after diagnosis showed longitudinal improvement in FMH scores (p=0.040). Rates of incomplete resection and irradiation were higher (p=0.070 and p=0.002 respectively) in patients with HI. In multivariate analysis, only HI, tumour relapse, progression, baseline FMH score, and time between diagnosis and baseline evaluation had independent impact on QoL. HI, tumour progression, and relapse had long-term QoL affects-most notably, severe obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Klinikum Oldenburg GmbH, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruhnken
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emser
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faldum
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Etavard-Gorris
authors.forename: Ursel
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kolb
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sörensen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D010910:Pituitary Irradiation; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*