title: Quality of life and clinical outcome after thyroid surgery in children: A 13 years single center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the low mortality of pediatric patients diagnosed with thyroid disease, quality of life (QoL) after thyroid surgery is very important. To organize the best possible patient care we analyzed our experience with respect to QoL and clinical outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a single center, retrospective cohort study. Data of patients who underwent thyroid surgery < 19 years between January 2000 and December 2012 were collected. QoL was measured using the child health questionnaire child form (CHQ-CF87, < 18 years) and the World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL-100, ≥ 18 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty patients were included (mean age 13.7 years; 29 females (72.5%)). Twenty-six patients underwent total thyroidectomy (including 7 repeat surgeries), 14 underwent hemithyroidectomy. QoL assessment in 26 patients revealed lower physical QoL in patients with a current age < 18 years (n = 11) (p < .001), but higher overall and physical QoL in patients ≥ 18 years (n = 15) compared with controls (p = .01 and p = .036 respectively). Patients ≥ 18 years, who underwent total thyroidectomy experienced lower overall and physical QoL compared with those who underwent hemithyroidectomy (p = .035 and p = .005 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgery for thyroid disease during childhood significantly affects QoL. However, QoL seems to improve with increasing age, and hemi-thyroidectomy has less negative effects on QoL than total thyroidectomy.
authors: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.stokhuijzen@amc.uva.nl.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Stokhuijzen
authors: Pediatric Surgical Center of Amsterdam, Emma Children's Hospital Academic Medical Center and VU University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases (CoRPS), Tilburg University, Waranda 2, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.vandersteeg@vumc.nl.
authors: Alida F W
authors: AF
authors: van der Steeg
authors: Department of Endocrine Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.j.nieveenvandijkum@amc.uva.nl.
authors: Els J
authors: EJ
authors: Nieveen van Dijkum
authors: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, University Hospital for Children and Youth 'Het Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis' University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: h.m.vansanten@umcutrecht.nl.
authors: Hanneke M
authors: HM
authors: van Santen
authors: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.s.vantrotsenburg@amc.uva.nl.
authors: A S Paul
authors: AS
authors: van Trotsenburg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adolescents; Children; Clinical outcome; Quality of life; Thyroid surgery