Health-related quality of life is impaired in active collagenous colitis.
OBJECTIVE
The characteristic clinical symptoms of collagenous colitis are non-bloody diarrhoea, urgency and abdominal pain. Treatment is aimed at reducing the symptom burden and the disease impact on patients' health-related quality of life. The objective of this study was to analyse health-related quality of life in patients with collagenous colitis.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional, postal HRQL survey, 116 patients with collagenous colitis at four Swedish hospitals completed four health-related quality of life questionnaires, two disease-specific (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire and Rating Form of IBD Patient Concerns), and two generic (Short Form 36, SF-36, and Psychological General Well-Being, PGWB), and a one-week symptom diary. Demographic and disease-related data were collected. Results for the collagenous colitis population were compared with a background population controlled for age and gender (n = 8931).


RESULTS
Compared with a Swedish background population, patients with collagenous colitis scored significantly worse in all Short Form 36 dimensions (p < 0.01), except physical function. Patients with active disease scored worse health-related quality of life than patients in remission. Co-existing disease had an impact on health-related quality of life measured with the generic measures. Lower education level and shorter disease duration were associated with decreased well-being.


CONCLUSIONS
Health-related quality of life was impaired in patients with collagenous colitis compared with a background population. Disease activity is the most important factor associated with impairment of health-related quality of life. Patients in remission have a health-related quality of life similar to a background population.
Hjortswang
Henrik
H
Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping University, Sweden. Henrik.Hjortswang@lio.se
Tysk
Curt
C
Bohr
Johan
J
Benoni
Cecilia
C
Vigren
Lina
L
Kilander
Anders
A
Larsson
Lasse
L
Taha
Yesuf
Y
Ström
Magnus
M
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D046729:Colitis, Collagenous / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden