title: Health-related quality of life changes following major and minor hepatic resection: the impact of complications and postoperative anemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have evaluated the health-related quality-of-life (QOL) changes in patients following major liver resection for malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  QOL parameters were recorded prospectively at baseline (preoperative), and through 6 months of follow-up using various instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major complications occurred in 10 of 41 patients. At the initial outpatient visit, patients reported decreased global QOL with increased fatigue compared with baseline, which normalized at 6 weeks' follow-up and remained stable at 6 months. Those with major complications reported increased severity of pain over baseline at initial follow-up and at 6 months. Patients anemic at the time of discharge had worse physical QOL at 6 weeks, but levels similar to nonanemic patients at 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Major complications are associated with increased reporting of pain persisting at 6 months. Attention to pain control, especially among patients with major complications, may improve QOL after major hepatic resection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Louisville, 315 East Broadway, Room 313, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: St Hill
authors.forename: Susan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Robert C G
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Anemia; Complications; Quality of life metrics