title: Vascular chronic Q fever: quality of life.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life in patients with vascular chronic Q fever at time of diagnosis and during follow-up. Based upon the SF-36 questionnaire, the mean physical and mental health of each patient were assessed at 3-month intervals for up to 18 months. A total of 26 patients were included in the study. At time of diagnosis, the mean physical health and mental health score was 50·6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 46·7-54·4] and 44·6 (95% CI 41·6-47·5), respectively. During treatment, the mean physical health score declined significantly by 1·7 points each 3 months (P < 0·001) to 40·8 (95% CI 34·4-45·1). The mean mental health score significantly and steadily increased towards 51·2 (95% CI 46·9-54·3) during follow-up (P = 0·026). A total of 23% of patients were cured after 18 months of follow-up. In conclusion, quality of life at time of diagnosis for patients with vascular chronic Q fever is lower compared to a similar group of patients, matched for age and gender, with an aortic abdominal aneurysmal disease, and physical health decreases further after starting treatment. Considering the low percentage of cure, the current treatment of vascular chronic Q fever patients may require a separate strategy from that of endocarditis in order to increase survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J C J P
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hagenaars
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control,Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wever
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine,Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S O A
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Shamelian
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,Bernhoven Hospital,Uden,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Van Petersen
authors.affiliation: Jeroen Bosch Academy,Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hilbink
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control,Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N H M
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Renders
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine,Bernhoven Hospital,Uden,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: De Jager-Leclercq
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,University Medical Centre Utrecht,Utrecht,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery,Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: O H J
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Koning
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Health statistics; Q fever; infectious disease; zoonoses