title: A 5-year prospective quality of life analysis following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for morbid obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In addition to actual weight loss and the possible resolution of obesity-related co-morbidities following bariatric surgery, another widely recognized important outcome measure is the improvement of quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Disease-specific quality of life (DSQOL) and general health-related quality of life (HRQOL) were measured preoperatively and at 1 and 5 years postoperatively following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) for morbid obesity. The Moorehead-Ardelt questionnaire was used for DSQOL assessments and a generic 15-dimensional questionnaire (15D) was used for HRQOL measurements. In addition, HRQOL was compared with that of the age- and gender-standardized general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DSQOL scores were significantly improved on all domains after 1 year from the operation and this improvement was maintained at 5 years. This improvement was also seen in the total HRQOL scores. Despite this improvement, the HRQOL after LAGB remained worse compared to the age- and gender-standardized general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DSQOL and HRQOL improve both significantly after LAGB. This QOL improvement is maintained at 5-year follow-up although QOL does not reach the level of the general population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Turku University Hospital, PL 52, Turku, 20521, Finland. mika.helmio@tyks.fi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helmiö
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sintonen
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ovaska
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Victorzon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult