title: Evaluation of quality of life over time among 453 patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Current data do not provide enough information on how quality of life (QoL) evolves over time in cases of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS). The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the immediate improvement in QoL after the surgery was sustained until the fifth postoperative year.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, nonrandomized and uncontrolled study. From March 2001 to December 2003, 475 consecutive patients with hyperhidrosis submitted to ETS were included. A QoL questionnaire was applied at the preoperative day, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After excluding 22 patients who did not answer all the questions, we analyzed 453 patients. Their ages ranged from 11 to 57 years old, with a mean of 25.3 + 7.9 years, including 297 female patients (65.6%). All patients were assessed on three occasions: before surgery, around the 30th postoperative day, and after the fifth postoperative year. The QoL before surgery was considered to be poor or very poor for all patients. The QoL around 30 days after surgery was better in 412 patients (90.9%), the same in 27 patients (6.0%), and worse in 14 patients (3.1%). After 5 years, 409 patients (90.3%) were better, 27 (6.0%) were the same, and 14 (3.1%) were worse. There were no differences between these postoperative times according to the McNemar statistical test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients had an immediate improvement in QoL after ETS, and this improvement was sustained until the fifth postoperative year.
authors: Discipline of Vascular Surgery, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Nelson
authors: N
authors: Wolosker
authors: José Ribas Milanes
authors: JR
authors: de Campos
authors: Paulo
authors: P
authors: Kauffman
authors: Laert Andrade
authors: LA
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Marco Antonio Soares
authors: MA
authors: Munia
authors: Fábio Biscegli
authors: FB
authors: Jatene
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013546:Sweating; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult