title: Association of health-related quality of life with gender in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This analysis examined associations between gender and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as they initiate therapy for CLL outside the clinical trial setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data were collected as part of Connect® CLL Registry, a prospective observational study initiated in community, academic, and government centers. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were provided by clinicians. Patients reported HRQOL using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), EQ-5D, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu). Mean scores were analyzed, with statistical significance of differences determined by ANOVA. Multivariate analysis also considered age and line of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline HRQOL data were available for 1,140 patients: 710 (62 %) men and 430 (38 %) women from 161 centers. Patients were predominantly white (89 %) with mean age 69 ± 11 years. Women reported significantly worse global fatigue (P <0.0001), fatigue severity (P <0.0001), and fatigue-related interference (P = 0.0005) versus men (BFI). Pain/discomfort (P = 0.0077), usual activities (P = 0.0015), and anxiety/depression (P = 0.0117) were significantly worse in women than in men (EQ-5D). With women reporting a better social/family score (P = 0.0238) and men reporting a better physical score (P = 0.0002), the mean FACT-G total score did not differ by gender. However, the mean FACT-Leu total score was better among men versus women (P = 0.0223), primarily because the mean leukemia subscale score was significantly better among men (P <0.0001). Multivariate analysis qualitatively confirmed these findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Connect® CLL Registry results indicate that significant differences exist in certain HRQOL domains, as women reported greater levels of fatigue and worse functioning in physical domains.
authors.affiliation: United BioSource Corporation, 430 Bedford Street, Suite 300, Lexington, MA, 02420, USA, chris.pashos@unitedbiosource.com.
authors.forename: Chris L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Pashos
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Flowers
authors.forename: Neil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lamanna
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farber
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lerner
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sharman
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grinblatt
authors.forename: Ian W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Flinn
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozloff
authors.forename: Arlene S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Swern
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Street
authors.forename: Kristen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Gale
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Zeba M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors