Relevance of the phenotypic characteristics of Crohn's disease in patient perception of health-related quality of life.
BACKGROUND
Crohn's disease (CD) has a negative impact on patients' perception of health. Several factors, such as disease activity, influence HRQOL impairment. However, the effect of the phenotypic CD characteristics recognized in the Vienna classification on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) remains unknown.


METHODS
HRQOL was measured in CD patients using three questionnaires: the Spanish version of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ-36), the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI), and the EuroQol.


RESULTS
One hundred ninety-eight CD patients were included. Scores for the IBDQ-36, PGWBI, and EuroQol dimensions did not differ according to age at diagnosis (177 patients under 40 yr and 21 over 40 yr), disease location (53 in terminal ileum, 62 in colon, 72 in ileocolon, and 11 in upper gastrointestinal tract) or disease behavior (99 nonstricturing-nonpenetrating, 32 stricturing, and 67 penetrating). Multivariate analysis identified as significant independent variables for worse HRQoL: female sex (t: -3.70), higher number of relapses per year (t: -2.71), and worse clinical disease activity (t: -7.82). None of the three Vienna variables reached statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
HRQoL impairment in CD patients is independent of the clinical variables established in the Vienna classification for phenotypic type of disease.
Casellas
Francesc
F
Unitat d'Atenció Crohn-Colitis, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
Vivancos
Josefa López
JL
Sampedro
Manuela
M
Malagelada
Juan-Ramon
JR
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D005819:Genetic Markers