title: Life dissatisfaction is associated with depression and poorer surgical outcomes among lumbar spinal stenosis patients: a 10-year follow-up study.
abstract: Life satisfaction is associated with overall somatic health and the short-term surgical outcome in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients. In this study, the long-term relationship between life satisfaction and the surgical outcome in LSS patients was investigated in a 10-year follow-up. This prospective clinical study included 102 LSS patients who underwent decompressive surgery. They completed a set of questionnaires first preoperatively and then 6 times postoperatively (at 3 and 6 months, and at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years). The final study population at the 10-year follow-up comprised 72 patients. A four-item life satisfaction scale was used to measure global life satisfaction. The sum of all seven life satisfaction scores provided a measure of the life dissatisfaction burden over the entire 10-year follow-up. Depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory. The surgical outcome was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index, pain evaluation (visual analogue scale), self-reported walking capacity and overall satisfaction with the surgery. Both preoperative life dissatisfaction and the long-term life dissatisfaction burden were associated with poorer 10-year surgical outcomes (i.e. Oswestry Disability Index and visual analogue scale) in logistic regression analyses. Life dissatisfaction was also associated with symptoms of depression. Monitoring subjective well-being, especially life satisfaction and mood, in LSS patients before and after surgery may help in detecting those at risk of a poorer long-term surgical outcome.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital and University of Eastern Finland bDepartment of Rehabilitation, Kuopio University Hospital cSouth-Savonia Hospital District, Mikkeli dNorth Karelia Central Hospital, Joensuu eSOSTERI, Savonlinna fSOTE, Iisalmi gLapland Hospital District, Rovaniemi hDepartment of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu iDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio jMedical Center Ikioma, Mikkeli, Finland.
authors.forename: Maarit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pakarinen
authors.forename: Iina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tuomainen
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koivumaa-Honkanen
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sinikallio
authors.forename: Soili M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lehto
authors.forename: Olavi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Airaksinen
authors.forename: Heimo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Viinamäki
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aalto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome