title: Does thyroid surgery for Graves' disease improve health-related quality of life?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Graves' disease can induce alterations of the psychosocial well-being that negatively influence the overall well-being of patients. Among the current treatments, surgery has limited indications, and its impact on the health-related quality of life has not been well clarified. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of surgery on the quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for Graves' disease in our surgical unit between April 2002 and December 2009 were administered a questionnaire concerning four issues: organic alterations and clinical manifestations, neurovegetative system disturbances, impairment of daily activities, psychosocial problems. Patients were retrospectively questioned after thyroidectomy about the presence of these symptoms in both the pre and postoperative periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement after surgery in all four areas. Organic manifestations and psychosocial problems had higher average improvements, as did some aspects of the neurovegetative system and difficulties in undertaking daily activities. There were no reports of a worsening of symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgery resolved the hyperthyroidism in 100 % of cases, and was associated with a quality of life improvement of about 70 % in the patients. Surgery can therefore provide an immediate and effective resolution of Graves' disease, with benefits in health-related quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Unit of General and Emergency Surgery, Department of General, Emergency and Transplant Surgery (GENURTO), University of Palermo, Via Alcide De Gasperi 53, 90146, Palermo, Italy, gregorio.scerrino@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scerrino
authors.forename: Giuditta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morfino
authors.forename: Nunzia Cinzia
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Paladino
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Paola
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amodio
authors.forename: Gaspare
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gulotta
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonventre
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000523:psychology*