title: Treatment expectations and health-related quality of life in stone formers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this article is to address patients' expectations of stone treatment - both surgical and medical - and their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We present a rationale for greater inclusion of measures to assess patient expectations, satisfaction, and HRQOL into surgical and medical management for patients with recurrent urolithiasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' treatment expectations and HRQOL are fundamental and progressive new areas of interest in urolithiasis. Patients whose treatment regimens result in outcomes that match their expectations are likely to be more satisfied, which may influence their HRQOL, a valid and valuable outcome of any medical treatment or procedure. Patient perceptions of treatment effects for stones, whether surgical or medical, are complex and may not reflect only stone-free rates, surgical complication rates, and side-effects, the outcomes of traditional interest in urology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If we understand the issues of most importance to our patients, we can provide appropriate information and education that ensures the most realistic expectations, minimizes disappointment and risk, and contributes most to the patients' HRQOL.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Urology bDepartment of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Penniston
authors.forename: Stephen Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Nakada
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D006801:Humans; D057240:Patient Preference; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*