title: Improved quality of life in hyperthyroidism patients after surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most common causes of hyperthyroidism are Graves disease (GD) and toxic nodular goiter (TNG). GD and TNG might influence patients' quality of life (QoL). The aim of our study was to analyze and compare the QoL of patients with GD with that of TNG patients and to evaluate the influence of surgical treatment on their QoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective case-control study was conducted at the Center for Endocrine surgery in Belgrade, Serbia. The ThyPRO questionnaire was used in the QoL assessment of the GD and TNG patients (31 and 28, respectively) pre- and post-operatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were receiving antithyroid drugs, and none of the patients were overtly hyperthyroid at the time of completing the preoperative questionnaire. The QoL of the GD patients was worse than that of the TNG patients, with significant differences in eye symptoms, anxiety, and sex life domains (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, and P = 0.004, respectively), preoperatively, and in eye symptoms, anxiety, emotional susceptibility, and overall QoL (P = 0.001, P = 0.027, P = 0.005 and P = 0.013, respectively), postoperatively. The improvement in QoL in the GD patients was significant after surgical treatment in all ThyPRO domains. In the TNG patients, the improvement was significant in all but one ThyPRO domain, sex life (P = 0.066).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QoL of GD patients is worse than those of TNG patients. Surgery may improve QoL in patients with GD and TNG even if they have achieved satisfying thyroid status with medication treatment, preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department for Doctoral Studies, Institute for Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, General Hospital Uzice, Health Center Uzice, Uzice, Serbia. Electronic address: bukvicbranka@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bukvic
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Center for Endocrine Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vladan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zivaljevic
authors.affiliation: Department for Doctoral Studies, Institute for Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sipetic
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Center for Endocrine Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diklic
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Center for Endocrine Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tausanovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Zemun Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojanovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Zemun Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stevanovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Center for Endocrine Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paunovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents
keywords: Graves disease; QoL; Surgery; ThyPRO; Toxic goiter