title: Health-related quality of life in patients undergoing cholecystectomy.
abstract: This large-scale prospective cohort study of a Taiwan population applied generalized estimating equations to evaluate predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after open cholecystectomy (OC) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) procedures performed between February 2007 and November 2008. The Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index and Short Form-36 were used in a preoperative assessment and in 3(rd) month and 6(th) month postoperative assessments of 38 OC and 259 LC patients. The HRQOL of the cholecystectomy patients were significantly improved at 3 months and 6 months postsurgery (p<0.05). At 3 months postsurgery, HRQOL improvement was significantly larger in LC patients than in OC patients. Patient characteristics, clinical characteristics, and health care quality were also significantly related to HRQOL improvement (p<0.05). Additionally, after controlling for related variables, preoperative health status was significantly and positively associated with each subscale of the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index and Short Form-36 throughout the 6 months (p<0.05). Patients should be advised that their postoperative HRQOL may depend not only on their postoperative health care but also on their preoperative functional status.
authors.affiliation: Division of Operation Room, Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Hon-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Tsai-Fan
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chiung-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: King-Teh
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan