Functional outcome and quality of life in anorectal malformations.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the early functional outcome and quality of life (QOL) in children with anorectal malformations.


METHODS
Children treated for anorectal malformations (ARMs) from 1994 to 2000 were evaluated if 4 years or older. Primary outcome measures were bowel function score, assessed by functional outcome questionnaire, and QOL using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4). The secondary outcome measure was age at potty training. Twenty healthy children were used as controls for functional outcome and age at potty training. Data are reported as mean (SD) unless otherwise stated.


RESULTS
Eighty children were evaluated during the study period. The mean age at follow-up was 82 months (18.7). The response rate was 76.3% (58/76) for bowel function and 77.5% (62/80) for QOL questionnaires. Functional outcome score (maximum 20) decreased significantly with increasing severity of the ARM (male perineal fistula, 16 [3]; female perineal fistula, 15 [3]; rectourethral fistula, 12 [4]; vestibular fistula, 13 [3.5]; bladder neck fistula, 6 [2]; analysis of variance, P = .001). However, there was no difference in QOL between patients with ARM and controls. There was no correlation between age and either bowel function score (Pearson r2 = 0.06) or QOL (Pearson r(2) = 0.12). Affected children took significantly longer to achieve potty training for bladder (35 [13.8] months vs 26 [8.7] months for controls [t test, P = .005]) and bowels (38 [16] months vs 25 [7] months [t test, P = .001]).


CONCLUSIONS
Children with ARMs have significantly worse bowel function than their peers, depending on the type of lesion. Despite these findings, QOL was not significantly impaired. No correlation was demonstrated between age and either functional outcome or QOL.
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust, L12 2AP Liverpool, UK.
Anju
A
Goyal
Janice M
JM
Williams
Simon E
SE
Kenny
Rebecca
R
Lwin
Colin T
CT
Baillie
Graham L
GL
Lamont
Richard R
RR
Turnock
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012007:Rectum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome