title: Quality of life in ulcerative colitis patients treated medically versus patients undergoing surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Approximately one third of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) require surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Aim of this study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of UC patients who have undergone surgery with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) or ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) compared to UC patients not operated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty consecutive UC patients for each group observed between 1988-2010 were included. To all patients was administered a self completed questionnaire with four different scores: intestinal symptoms (IS), systemic symptoms (SS), emotional function (EF), social function (SF) and an overall QoL score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall QoL score and three dimensions (SS, EF, SF) resulted not significantly different in the three groups, except for IS that resulted worst in the IRA-Group. According to the activity of disease it appeared that UC and IRA patients with mild activity had an overall QoL score similar to patients with complicated IPAA. A higher statistically different score of overall QoL was observed in patients with UC and IRA with moderate/severe disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of the study demonstrate that overall QoL score is poorer in patients with UC and IRA with mild activity and in patients with complicated IPAA and is worst in patients with UC and IRA with moderate/severe activity.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy. papadoc@infinito.it.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pica
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cassieri
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pronio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zippi
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Avallone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montesani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Occhigrossi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paoluzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D039021:Colonic Pouches; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016737:Proctocolectomy, Restorative / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult