title: The measurement of chronic pain and health-related quality of life following inguinal hernia repair: a review of the literature.
abstract: METHODS
  This study reviews the existing literature examining chronic pain and health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes in hernia repair studies. A PubMed/Medline and Embase search was carried out to identify relevant papers. Studies meeting pre-specified inclusion/exclusion criteria were included and fully reviewed. Reference lists were scanned for additional studies. Only studies examining chronic (>3 months) post-operative inguinal hernia repair (IHR)-related pain were included in this review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Twenty-three studies were identified. The majority of studies used the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain measurement and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) for the measurement of HRQL. A reasonably consistent picture emerged from the literature, with the HRQL domains most often affected by pain (social functioning/mental health). Estimates of the prevalence of chronic pain and discomfort following IHR vary widely between studies. This is probably a reflection of the range of methods used for measuring pain, many of which do not have established psychometric properties. Our review suggests that a proportion of patients experience chronic pain and discomfort, which has a significant impact on HRQL. However, the current instruments used in the evaluation of chronic pain after IHR are not comparable and standardisation is required.
authors: United BioSource Corporation, 20 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2NS, UK.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: van Hanswijck de Jonge
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Lloyd
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Horsfall
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Tan
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: O'Dwyer
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D011788:Quality of Life