title: Quality of life of patients with nephrolithiasis and recurrent painful renal colic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quality of life (QoL) has not been a priority goal for patients with recurrent painful colic of renal lithiasis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate QoL in patients with recurrent painful symptoms due to renal colic.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case-control study, 194 subjects (97 cases/97 controls) were matched according to age and gender. Cases were patients at an outpatient clinic with a confirmed diagnosis of nephrolithiasis with recurrent painful renal colic. The control group consisted of patients seen at an ophthalmology outpatient clinic for refraction symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  QoL was measured using the SF-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average SF-36 dimension scores for cases and controls, respectively, were: physical function 70/95, role-emotional function 33.3/100, role limitations due to physical problems 25/100, bodily pain 41/84, general health status 52/82, vitality 45/80, social function 62.5/100 and mental health 52/84. All values were statistically different (p < 0.001). Using multiple linear regression, there was a statistically significant QoL drop in subjects with lithiasis. Low social and economic levels were associated with the following SF-36 domains: physical function, general health status, vitality and mental health. The influence of the diagnosis on role-physical and role-emotional domains. Analysis of the physical and mental components of the SF-36 Scale showed significantly lower averages between cases and controls: PCS (p < 0.001) and MCS (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QoL of patients with painful recurrent symptoms due to renal colic was substantially impaired.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Division, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil. denise@nefro.epm.br
authors.forename: Denise H M P
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Sérgio Luís
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Blay
authors.forename: Nestor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schor
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003085:Colic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D053040:Nephrolithiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis