Diagnostic values of questionnaires of Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey and College of Optometrists Vision Development Quality of Life in the screening of convergence insufficiency

AIM:To compare and analyse the diagnostic efficacy of the College of Optometrists Vision Development Quality of Life Questionnaire(COVD-QOL)and the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey(CISS)in detecting convergence insufficiency and to compare their diagnostic value in clinical applications.METHODS:Using the diagnostic test method,62 adult patients with convergence insufficiency(age:24.74±3.75y)and 62 normal participants(age:23.61±3.13y)who visited the Optometry Clinic of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from April 2021 to January 2023 were included.All subjects completed the CISS and COVD-QOL.Statistical analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of the CISS and COVD-QOL and comparison and joint experimental analysis of their diagnostic efficacy were performed.RESULTS:The sensitivity of the CISS and COVD-QOL for convergence insufficiency was 64.5%and 71.0%,respectively,while the specificity was 96.8%and 67.7%,respectively.Compared to the CISS alone,the combination of the CISS and COVD-QOL demonstrated lower sensitivity and specificity.The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of CISS,COVD-QOL and CISS combined with COVD-QOL were 0.806,0.694 and 0.782,respectively.CONCLUSION:Considering the low sensitivity of the CISS and the low specificity of the COVD-QOL,it is recommended to supplement these questionnaires with other screening tests for the detection of convergence insufficiency.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Kidney Transplant Questionnaire 25 to Greek

BACKGROUND Kidney transplantation leads to continuous improvement in the survival rates of kidney transplant recipients(KTRs)and has been established as the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage kidney disease.Health-related quality of life(HRQoL)has become an important outcome measure.It is highly important to develop reliable methods to evaluate HRQoL with disease-specific questionnaires.AIM To translate the disease-specific instrument Kidney Transplant Questionnaire 25(KTQ-25)to the Greek language and perform a cross-cultural adaptation.METHODS The translation and adaptation of the original English version of the KTQ-25 to the Greek language were performed based on the International Quality of Life RESULTS Eighty-four KTRs(59 males;mean age 53.5±10.7 years;mean estimated glomerular filtration rate 47.7±15.1 mL/min/1.73 m2;mean transplant vintage 100.5±83.2 months)completed the Greek version of the KTQ-25 and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey,and the results were used to evaluate the reliability of the Greek KTQ-25.The Cronbach alpha coefficients for all the KTQ-25 dimensions were satisfactory(physical symptoms=0.639,fatigue=0.856,uncertainty/fear=0.661,appearance=0.593,emotions=0.718,total score=0.708).The statistically significant correlation coefficients among the KTQ-25 dimensions ranged from 0.226 to 0.644.The correlation coeffi-cients of the KTQ-25 dimensions with the SF-36 physical component summary(PCS)ranged from 0.196 to 0.550;the correlation coefficients of the KTQ-25 with the SF-36 mental component summary(MCS)ranged from 0.260 to 0.655;and the correlation coefficients of the KTQ-25 with the total scores with the SF-36 PCS and MCS were 0.455 and 0.613,respectively.CONCLUSION According to the findings,the Greek version of the KTQ-25 is valid and reliable for administration among kidney transplant patients in Greece.

Responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference of the Chinese version of the Low Vision Quality of Life Questionnaire after cataract surgery

AIM: To investigate the Chinese version of the Low Vision Quality of Life Questionnaire(CLVQOL) as an instrument for obtaining clinically important changes after cataract surgery.METHODS: Patients underwent cataract surgery in Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who fit the inclusion criteria were recruited. Two CLVQOLs were administered, including a preoperative CLVQOL and a CLVQOL at the end of the 3 mo follow-up period, and were completed using face-to-face interviews or phone interviews conducted by trained investigators. The minimal clinically important difference(MCID) was calculated using an anchor-based method and a distribution method. In addition, the responsiveness of the questionnaire was measured.RESULTS: A total of 155 residents were enrolled. The average visual acuity(VA) preoperatively was 0.08(SD=0.05), and it increased to 0.47(SD=0.28) at the end of followup. Statistically significant positive changes in the CLVQOL scores indicated significant improvement of vision related quality of life after cataract surgery. With the larger value between the two results as the final value, the MCID values of the CLVQOL(scores of the four scales as well as the total score) were 8.94, 2.61, 4.34, 3.10 and 17.63, respectively. The CLVQOL has both good internal and external responsiveness.CONCLUSION: CLVQOL scores are appropriate instruments for obtaining clinically important changes after cataract surgery. This study is an effective exploration for establishingcataract surgery efficacy standards, which helps clinical and scientific research workers in ophthalmology to gain a more in-depth understanding when using CLVQOL.

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Lymphedema Quality of Life Questionnaire

Objective To study the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Lymphedema Quality of Life Questionnaire(LYMQOL)in lymphedema patients.Methods LYMQOL was translated into Chinese.The Chinese version of the LYMQOL was distributed with the official Wechat account"Lymphedema Channel"to lymphedema patients who were recruited from October 28^(th),2020 to February 23^(rd),2021.Patients with upper limb lymphedema and lower limb lymphedema completed the LYMQOL-ARM subscale and the LYMQOL-LEG subscale separately,at enrollment,1 week later,and 1 month later.Reliability,validity,feasibility,responsiveness and average time required for completing the questionnaire were assessed.Results A total of 195 patients participated in the study.The Chinese questionnaire showed high reliability with Cronbach’sαcoefficients of 0.849-0.902 for the LYMQOL-ARM and intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)of 0.848-0.884 and Cronbach’sαcoefficients of 0.726-0.902 for the LYMQOL-LEG and ICC of 0.863-0.900.The LYMQOL showed moderate to good correlations with the EQ-5 D(0.4<r<0.6,P<0.01;for the LYMQOLARM,n=95,for the LYMQOL-LEG,n=102).Responsiveness analysis suggested that quality of life of upper limb lymphedema patients decreased after 1 month(P<0.05).The average time of patients to finish the questionnaire was approximately 12 minutes.Conclusions The Chinese version of the LYMQOL is easy to answer,comprehensive and appropriate in length,and has good reliability and validity.It may be utilized to assist treatment decision-making and track changes in clinical setting or research for lymphedema.

Health Related Quality of Life and Mental Health in ICU Survivors: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Follow-Up and Correlations between the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28)

We investigated the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and psychological distress in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors 12 months after ICU discharge. The purpose of this study, conducted and completed before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, was to find correlations among psychiatric symptoms detected by a screening tool as the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the different domains of HRQOL measured with the SF-36 health survey (SF-36), in order to identify ICU survivors with Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) who need a specific psychiatric intervention to improve their HRQOL. Among 298 ICU survivors who stayed in the ICU for at least 72 hours, 48 patients were enrolled one year after discharge undergoing a clinical interview to assess their functional impairment (Barthel index), mental health (GHQ-28), and health-related quality of life (SF-36). 19% of those subjects had a GHQ-28 ≥ 5 and were identified as “psychiatric cases”, and they were older and experienced a greater impairment in HRQOL. Anxiety, insomnia, and depressive symptoms seemed to be particularly involved in the impairment of HRQOL. A negative correlation between GHQ-28 total scores and subscales and SF-36 subscales was found. Our findings highlighted that psychological distress in ICU survivors may negatively impact physical health recovery and quality of life;conversely, physical impairment and functional disability may trigger the onset of psychiatric symptoms after discharge. The present study is firstly to investigate the correlations between HRQOL and psychological distress in ICU survivors through the GHQ-28, and then affirms the need to carry out follow-up checks for psychiatric symptoms in ICU survivors.

Impact of personality and coping mechanisms on health-related quality of life in liver transplantation recipients

With the great development of liver transplantation in China, long survival and quality of life after liver transplantation have been matters of growing interest. This study was designed to investigate the impact of personality and coping skills on the quality of life after liver transplantation. METHODS:Fifty-five outpatients who had been followed up after liver transplantation at our center were assessed by general quality of life inventory (GQOLI-74 ), a medical coping modes questionnaire (MCMQ), an eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ), and a general condition questionnaire (GCQ). RESULTS: The score for material well-being was the lowest (63.22±12.67) and for psychological well-being the highest (73.43±12.60) in 4 dimensions of the GQOLI in post transplantation patients. Their main coping method was confrontation (21.40±3.70). The main characteristics of their personality were extraversation (E score 12.96±4.13) and neuroticism (N score 8.20±4.90) . The total score of the GQOLI was positively correlated with confrontation and E score, and it was negatively correlated with acceptance and N score. The physical well-being positively associated with the E score. The psychological well-being was positively correlated with confrontation and L score, and was negatively correlated with acceptance, P and N score. Social well-being was positively correlated with confrontation and E score, and was negatively correlated with acceptance and N score. Material well-being was not correlated with coping methods and personality. CONCLUSION:The quality of life in post liver transplantation patients is associated with their psychological characteristics.

Health-related quality of life and impact of antiviral treatment in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan

AIM. To evaluate health-related quality of life （HRQOL） in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C （CH-C）, and the impact of antiviral treatment. METHODS： Short Form 36 （SF-36） Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaires to interview CH-C patients, and age- and sex-matched control subjects at outpatient clinics of a medical center in Taiwan were used. Data were transformed to scores for comparisons of eight major SF-36 domains. We also enrolled consecutive CH-C patients who completed one course of antiviral treatment （interferon α with ribavirin）, and measured the HRQOL before, at the 12m wk of treatment, at the end of treatment, and at mo 6, after stopping the treatment to evaluate the impact of antiviral treatment. RESULTS： A total of 371 outpatients were enrolled, including 182 with CH-C and 189 age- and sex-matched subjects without CH-C. CH-C subjects had obviously lower educational status （P〈0.01）. Mean scores of domains in general health, physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, vitality, and mental health of the SF-36 were significantly lower in subjects with CH-C than those without CH-C （P〈0.05）. In an analysis of 47 CH-C patients who received and completed the whole course of antiviral treatment, mean scores of all domains were significantly lower at wk 12 of treatment compared to baseline. The scores returned to pretreatment values by the end of treatment, but were significantly increased at mo 6 after stopping the treatment. Among the 47 CH-C patients, 21 had sustained responses and 26 had nonsustained responses to antiviral treatment. Compared to pretreatment values, subjects with sustained responses had significantly lower social functioning scores at wk 12 of treatment, and scores for all SF-36 domains returned to pretreatment values, and increased significantly at mo 6 after stopping the treatment. For non-sustained virological responders, scores of all SF-36 domains significantly decreased at wk 12 of treatment, and did not increase significantly by the end of treatment, or at mo 6 after stopping the treatment when compared to the pretreatment values. CONCLUSION： HRQOL in CH-C patients is significantly impaired in most SF-36 domains. Antiviral treatment impaired HRQOL of CH-C subjects during early treatment, mainly in non-sustained virological responders, and improved at mo 6 after stopping the treatment, mainly in sustained virological responders.

Use of health-related quality of life tools in hepatobiliary surgery

BACKGROUND: The objective of this article is to review the literature and discuss the various tools used in hepatobiliary surgery for the measurement of health related quality of life (HR-QOL) and highlight various outcome variables that affect the HR-QOL among patients with common hepatobiliary disorders. DATA SOURCES: We reviewed HR-QOL articles published in the last 20 years on different hepatobiliary curative or palliative procedures in all languages. RESULTS: HR-QOL is a questionnaire tool which is utilized to assess the changes in the health status of patients after a hepatobiliary intervention. These surveys are of increasingly importance, as health care providers are challenged to justify treatment approaches and rationale for any surgical intervention. These HR-QOL tools are very helpful for the evaluation of subjective outcome of common hepatobiliary procedures like gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) for cholecystectomy, functional assessment in cancer therapy (FACT) for liver resection, short form 36 (SF-36) for liver transplantation, and quality of life questionnaire for patients with pancreatic cancer (QLQ-PAN). CONCLUSIONS: Use of validated and reliable health instruments in hepatobiliary surgery is directed at measuring the impact in a reproducible and valid fashion. Curative or palliative procedures should be offered to the patients of hepatobiliary disorders after the assessment by HR-QOL tools. Because the impairments of function that may occur after different operations vary considerably, an operation-specific assessment of HR-QOL for each type of surgical procedure is becoming an essential principle to follow in a successful healthcare system.

Assessment of disease specific knowledge and health-relatedquality of life among United States military veterans withinflammatory bowel disease

AIM To evaluate the association between patientdisease knowledge of inflammatory bowel disease （IBD）and health related quality of life （HRQoL） and identifypatient and disease related predictors of patientknowledge of IBD.METHODS： We performed a cross-sectional study ofIBD patients with an established diagnosis of IBD longerthan 3 mo prior to enrollment. The Crohn＇s and colitisknowledge score （CCKNOW） and short inflammatorybowel disease questionnaire （SIBDQ） were selfadministeredto assess patient knowledge of IBDand HRQoL, respectively. Demographic and diseasecharacteristics were abstracted from the electronicmedical record. The correlation between CCKNOWand SIBDQ scores was assessed by a linear regressionmodel. Associations of patient knowledge and thevariables of interest were calculated using ANOVA.RESULTS： A total of 101 patients were recruited.Caucasian race, younger age at diagnosis, and having a college or post-graduate degree were significantlyassociated with higher CCKNOW scores. Patients withCD had higher CCKNOW scores compared to patientswith ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel diseasetype unclassified, P 〈 0.01. There was no significantcorrelation between overall CCKNOW and SIBDQ scores（r^2 = 0.34, P = 0.13）. The knowledge sub-domain ofdiet in CCKNOW was negatively correlated with HRQoL（r^2 = 0.69, P 〈 0.01）.CONCLUSION： IBD diagnosis at a younger age inaddition to Caucasian race and higher education weresignificantly associated with higher knowledge aboutIBD. However, patient knowledge of IBD was notcorrelated with HRQoL. Further studies are required tostudy the effect of patient knowledge of IBD on otherclinical outcomes.

Visual function and vision-related quality of life after vitrectomy for idiopathic macular hole: a 12mo followup study

· AIM: To investigate the visual function and the relationship with vision-related quality of life(VRQOL)after macular hole repair surgery.· METHODS: Prospective case series. Thirty-six consecutive eyes in 36 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy(PPV) and internal limiting membrane(ILM) peeling were included. The 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire(VFQ-25) was answered by the participants before and 3 and 12 mo after operation. Follow-up visits examinations included best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), clinical examination,and central macular thickness(CMT) measured by optical coherence tomography(OCT).·RESULTS: Macular-hole closure was achieved in 35 of36 eyes(97.2%). At baseline and months 3 and 12, the log MAR BCVAs(mean±SD) were 1.15±0.47, 0.68±0.53(P 【0.0001 versus baseline), and 0.55 ±0.49(P 【0.001 versus baseline, P =0.273 versus month 3), respectively; the CMTs(μm) were 330 ±81, 244 ±62(P 【0.001 versus baseline), and 225±58(P 【0.001 versus baseline, P =0.222 versus month 3), respectively; the median preoperative VFQ-25 composite score of 73.50(63.92-81.13) increased postoperatively to 85.50(80.04-89.63) at 3mo(P 【0.001)and 86.73(82.50-89.63) at 12mo(P 【0.001) respectively.The improved BCVA was correlated with improvements in five subscales(r =-0.605 to-0.336, P 【0.001 to P =0.046) at 12 mo.· CONCLUSION: PPV with ILM peeling improved anatomic outcome, visual function, and VRQOL. Theimproved BCVA was an important factor related to the improved VRQOL.

Translation and validation of the Greek chronic liver disease questionnaire

AIM:To translate into Greek and validate the chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ).METHODS:Two hundred and six consecutive adult patients with the diagnosis of a chronic liver disease from 2 general hospitals in Athens were enrolled in the study from May to September 2008.In order to assess their quality of life (QOL) the CLDQ was applied.The instrument was translated from English,back translated and reviewed in focus groups within the framework of a large multicenter study.The measurements that were performed included:2 independent sample t tests,oneway analysis of variance,reliability coefficients,explanatory factor analysis using a varimax rotation and the principal components method.RESULTS:One hundred and twenty five (61%) patients were men,half were aged 40-59 years and > 33% were > 60 years old.Among the patients,48 (23%) were hospitalized and 97 (47%) were cirrhotic according to the Child-Pugh score.The internal consistency of the Greek CLDQ version using Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.93.Exploratory factor analysis identified 7 domains accounting for 65% of the variance of CLDQ items and only partially overlapping with those found in the original version.The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was calculated at 0.813 and the logistic estimate for the threshold score of 167.50 provided a sensitivity of 74.3% and a specificity of 71.6% for the model.CONCLUSION:Our data confirmed the validity of the Greek version of the CLDQ in identifying the QOL among patients with chronic liver disease.

Disease-specific health-related quality of life and its determinants in liver cirrhosis patients in Lithuania

AIM: To evaluate disease-specific quality of life (QOL) in liver cirrhosis patients and to compare it with those of a healthy population. Also an important objective was to assess whether QOL in liver cirrhosis patients differs by age and gender, by type and severity of disease. METHODS: The case group of 131 liver cirrhosis patients was selected. The control group of 262 was enrolled from a healthy population according to the scheme of case-control study. Clinical, demographic, laboratory data were collected. QOL was measured with a specific chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ), which was translated and validated in Lithuanian. QOL scores were compared between groups by age, gender, type and severity of disease. Cronbach’s alpha statistics calculation was used for evaluation of internal consistency reliability. Student’s t test or ANOVA were used for evaluation hypothesis about probability equation. RESULTS: QOL was significantly lower in liver cirrhosis patients than in healthy population (59.5 ± 18.3 vs 85.3 ± 12.3, P < 0.001). The significant QOL differences between case and control groups were observed in domains of worry and abdominal symptoms, the smaller differences-in emotional functions and systematic symptom domains. Significantly worse QOL was in observed patients with increased clinical severity of the disease measured by Child-Pugh class. Age, gender and etiology of disease had an insignificant effect on QOL in cirrhotic patients. CONCLUSION: QOL was significantly impaired in all CLDQ domains in liver cirrhosis patients. Increase in severity of disease was the major factor associated with poorer QOL.

Chronic liver disease questionnaire:Translation and validation in Thais

AIM:Quality of life (QOL) is a concept that incorporates many aspects of life beyond“health”.The chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ) was developed to evaluate the impact of chronic liver diseases (CLD) on QOL.The objectives of this study were to translate and validate a liver specific questionnaire,the CLDQ. METHODS:The CLDQ was formally translated from the original version to Thai language with permission.The translation process included forward translation,back translation,cross-cultural adaptation and a pretest.Reliability and validity of the translated version was examined in CLD patients.Enrolled subjects included CLD and normal subjects with age- and sex-matched.Collected data were demography, physical findings and biochemical tests.All subjects were asked to complete the translated versions of CLDQ and SF- 36,which was previously validated.Cronbach's alpha and test-retest were performed for reliability analysis.One-way Anova or non-parametric method was used to determine discriminant validity.Speerman's rank correlation was used to assess convergent validity.P-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS:A total of 200 subjects were recruited into the study,with 150 CLD and 50 normal subjects.Mean ages (SD) were 47.3(11.7) and 49.1(8.5) years,respectively.The number of chronic hepatitis:cirrhosis was 76:74,and the ratio of cirrhotic patients classified as Child A:B:C was 37 (50%):26(35%):11(15%).Cronbach's alpha of the overall CLDQ scores was 0.96 and of all domains were higher than 0.93.Item-total correlation was>0.45.Test-retest reliability done at 1 to 4 wk apart was 0.88 for the average CLDQ score and from 0.68 to 0.90 for domain scores.The CLDQ was found to have discriminant validity.The highest scores of CLDQ domains were in the normal group,scores were lower in the compensated group and lowest in the decompensated group.The significant correlation between domains of the CLDQ and SF-36 was found.The average CLDQ score was strongly correlated with the general health domain of SF-36.(P=0.69:P=0.01). CONCLUSION:The translated CLDQ is valid and applicable in Thais with CLD.CLDQ reveals that QOL in these patients is lower than that in normal population.QOL is more impaired in advanced stage of CLD.

Addressing quality of life in the patient with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome(IC/BPS)is a debilitating,chronic condition characterized by chronic pelvic pain,urinary urgency,and frequency and is well-known to be associated with a decrease in work productivity,emotional changes,sleep,sexual dysfunction,and mobility.Many metrics of quality of life(QoL)in this patient population have been developed;however,a unified,standardized approach to QoL in these patients has not been determined.The effects of IC/BPS and co-morbid conditions on QoL are described using current validated metrics.Next,data regarding successful treatment of IC/BPS in terms of QoL improvement are reviewed.While QoL is the single most important clinical measure of success in the treatment of patients suffering from IC/BPS,addressing QoL in this patient population remains a significant challenge,as its effects on QoL are highly variable and unable to be differentiated from the effects of comorbid conditions on QoL,including depression,poor sleep,and inability to work.Future studies will need to address treatment efficacy on the basis of IC/BPS specific QoL metrics,and multi-modal assessment and therapy to address comorbid disease will also play an important role in the future to ensure comprehensive management of these patients.

Malnutrition negatively impacts the quality of life of patients with cirrhosis: An observational study

AIMTo verify how malnutrition is related to health-related quality of life (HRQL) impairment in patients with cirrhosis. METHODSData was retrospectively abstracted from medical records and obtained by direct interview. We included patients with cirrhosis from any etiology, evaluated at the Liver Clinic from Gastroenterology Department in a tertiary healthcare center, from June 2014 to June 2016. Child-Pugh score, data about complications, and demographic, clinical and anthropometric characteristics of patients were obtained. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). HRQL was evaluated through the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire. Patients were requested to assess their global HRQL with the following code: 0 = impairment of HRQL, when it was compared with other healthy subjects; 1 = good HRQL, if it was similar to the quality of life of other healthy subjects. To compare the primary outcome between malnourished and well-nourished groups, the χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test or Student’s t-test were used, based on the variable type. Associations between predictor variables and deterioration of HRQL were determined by calculating the hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTSA total of 127 patients with cirrhosis were included, and the mean age was 54.1 ± 12.3 years-old. According to Child-Pugh scoring, 25 (19.7%) were classified as A (compensated), 76 (59.8%) as B, and 26 (20.5%) as C (B/C = decompensated). According to SGA, 58 (45.7%) patients were classified as well-nourished. Sixty-nine patients identified HRQL as good, and 76 patients (59.8%) perceived impairment of their HRQL. Multivariate analysis to determine associations between predictor variables and self-perception of an impairment of HRQL found strong association with malnutrition (P P CONCLUSIONMalnutrition is a key factor related to impairment of HRQL in patients with cirrhosis.

Validation of the chronic liver disease questionnaire in Serbian patients

AIM:To translate into Serbian and to investigate the validity of the cross-culturally adapted the chronic liver disease questionnaire(CLDQ).METHODS:The questionnaire was validated in 103 consecutive CLD patients treated between October 2009 and October 2010 at the Clinic for Gastroenterology,Clinical Centre of Serbia,Belgrade(Serbia).Exclusion criteria were:age < 18 years,psychiatric disorders,acute complications of CLD(acute liver failure,variceal bleeding,and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis),hepatic encephalopathy(grade > 2)and liver transplantation.Evaluation of the CLDQ was done based on the following parameters:(1)acceptance is shown by the proportion of missing items;(2)internal reliabilities were assessed for multiple item scales by using Cronbach alpha coefficient;and(3)in order to assess whether the allocation of items in the domain corresponds to their distribution in the original questionnaire(construction validity),an exploratory factor analysis was conducted.Discriminatory validity was determined by comparing the corresponding CLDQ score/sub-score in patients with different severity of the diseases.RESULTS:The Serbian version of CLDQ questionnaire completed 98% patients.Proportion of missing items was 0.06%.The total time needed to fill the questionnaire was ranged from 8 to 15 min.Assistance in completing the questionnaire required 4.8% patients,while 2.9% needed help in reading,and 1.9% involved writing assistance.The mean age of the selected patients was 53.8 ± 12.9 years and 54.4% were men.Average CLDQ score was 4.62 ± 1.11.Cronbach's alpha for the whole scale was 0.93.Reliability for all domains was above 0.70,except for the domain "Activity"(0.49).The exploratory factor analysis model revealed 6 factors with eigenvalue of greater than 1,explaining 69.7% of cumulative variance.The majority of the items(66%)in the Serbian version of the CLDQ presented the highest loading weight in the domain assigned by the CLDQ developers:"Fatigue"(5/5),"Emotional function"(6/8),"Worry"(5/5),"Abdominal symptoms"(0/3),"Activity"(0/3),"Systemic symptoms"(3/5).The scales "Fatigue" and "Worry" fully corresponded to the original.The factor analysis also revealed that the factors "Activity" and "Abdominal symptoms" could not be replicated,and two new domains "Sleep" and "Nutrition" were established.Analysis of the CLDQ score/sub-score distribution according to disease severity demonstrated that patients without cirrhosis had lower total CLDQ score(4.86 ± 1.05)than those with cirrhosis Child's C(4.31 ± 0.97).Statistically significant difference was detected for the domains "Abdominal symptoms" [F(3)= 5.818,P = 0.001] and "Fatigue" [F(3)= 3.39,P = 0.021].Post hoc analysis revealed that patients with liver cirrhosis Child's C had significantly lower sub-score "Abdominal symptoms" than patients without cirrhosis or liver cirrhosis Child's A or B.For domain "Fatigue",patients with cirrhosis Child's C had significantly lower score,than non-cirrhotic patients.CONCLUSION:The Serbian version of CLDQ is well accepted and represents a valid and reliable instrument in Serbian sample of CLD patients.

Neuroticism personality trait is associated with Quality of Life in patients with Chronic Heart Failure

AIM: To evaluate Quality of life(QoL) in chronic heart failure(CHF) in relation to Neuroticism personality trait and CHF severity.METHODS: Thirty six consecutive, outpatients with Chronic Heart Failure(6 females and 30 males, mean age: 54 ± 12 years), with a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 45% at optimal medical treatment at the time of inclusion, were asked to answer the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire(KCCQ) for Quality ofLife assessment and the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory for personality assessment. All patients un-derwent a symptom limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a cycle-ergometer, in order to access CHF severity. A multivariate linear regression analysis us-ing simultaneous entry of predictors was performed to examine which of the CHF variables and of the person-ality variables were correlated independently to QoL scores in the two summary scales of the KCCQ, namely the Overall Summary Scale and the Clinical Summary Scale.RESULTS: The Neuroticism personality trait score had a significant inverse correlation with the Clinical Sum-mary Score and Overall Summary Score of the KCCQ(r =-0.621, P < 0.05 and r =-0.543, P < 0.001, respec-tively). KCCQ summary scales did not show significant correlations with the personality traits of Extraversion, Openness, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness. Mul-tivariate linear regression analysis using simultaneous entry of predictors was also conducted to determine the best linear combination of statistically significant univari-ate predictors such as Neuroticism, VE/VCO2 slope and VO2 peak, for predicting KCCQ Clinical Summary Score. The results show Neuroticism(β =-0.37, P < 0.05), VE/VCO2 slope(β =-0.31, P < 0.05) and VO2 peak(β = 0.37, P < 0.05) to be independent predictors of QoL. In multivariate regression analysis Neuroticism(b =-0.37, P < 0.05), the slope of ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide output during exercise,(VE/VCO2 slope)(b =-0.31, P < 0.05) and peak oxygen uptake(VO2 peak),(b = 0.37, P < 0.05) were independent predictors of QoL(adjusted R2 = 0.64; F = 18.89, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Neuroticism is independently associat-ed with QoL in CHF. QoL in CHF is not only determined by disease severity but also by the Neuroticism person-ality trait.

Quality of Life in Women with Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Treated with the Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine System

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life in patients with endometriosis pelvic pain before and after the application of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS). Design: Open non-comparative study. Setting: Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital at Monterrey, Mexico. Sample: 29 women aged 18 to 40 years with pelvic pain associated with endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy. Methods: After laparoscopy but before LNG-IUS insertion (basal visit) and 6 months afterwards, modified Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-30) was applied. Main outcomes measures: Size of change of questionnaire scores, need of additional analgesic therapy and adverse effects. Statistical Analysis: Differences in the questionnaire scores before and after intervention were analyzed by Student t-test. Results: Final analysis set included 29 women aged 31.7 ± 4.7 years years. The ASRM surgical staging of endometriosis was mild in 19.3 moderate in 13.7 and severe in 76% of the patients. The general perception of quality of life improved from 52 at baseline to 98% at six months (p < 0.001). Adverse events were mild in nature, 19 patients reported no adverse events during the study (65.5%). Two patients (6.9%) required the use of concomitant therapy with non-steroidal analgesics for relief of pain. Conclusion: The application of LNG-IUS in patients with pelvic pain associated with endometriosis improved significatively all aspects related with quality of life as measured with Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-30). We concluded that LNGIUS may be an effective and convenient therapeutic alternative for the management of pain associated with endometriosis.

Quality of life in chronic pancreatitis

In an era such as the present one in which there is a high demand for health services with the associated pressure of controlling spending, health care organizations are concerned about the cost-effectiveness of quality improvement interventions. On the other hand, the impact of the disease and the treatment on the patient’s overall well-being and functioning has become a topic of growing interest not only in clinical research but also in practice. The clinical evaluation of the benefits of specific treatments for chronic, debilitating and incurable diseases should increasingly include formal assessment of patient activity and well-being. Thus, health-related quality of life as subjectively perceived by the patient, is becoming a major issue in the evaluation of any therapeutic intervention, mainly in patients with chronic or difficult diseases where the aim of the intervention is to keep patients either symptom-free and capable of living in the community for a long time or to reduce the discomfort caused by the disease. In this paper, we review the current knowledge on the quality of life assessment in chronic pancreatitis patients.

Estimation of quality of life in Cypriot patients with inflammatory bowel disease

AIMTo investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients suffering with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).METHODSThe Greek validated version of the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire was used for evaluating the quality of life of IBD patients. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 consecutive patients suffering from IBD and presenting for a clinic appointment at the endoscopy unit of Larnaca General Hospital during the period from October to November 2012. The criteria for participating in this study were constituted by the documented diagnosis of either ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn&#x02019;s disease (CD) after endoscopy and histologic examination at least 6 months before the study, adult patients (18 years old or older), the capability of verbal communication and the patient&#x02019;s written consent for attending this study. The majority of the questionnaires were completed by a nurse practitioner who specializes in IBD patient care.RESULTSRegarding the physical dimension in patients with UC, males scored significantly higher than females (4.2 vs 3.4, P = 0.023). Higher scores were also observed in UC patients younger than 35 or older than 50 years (4.0 and 4.2 vs 3.2, respectively, P = 0.021). The psychological dimension revealed similar results in patients with UC, with males, and older ages scoring higher (5.0 vs 3.0, P = 0.01 and 4.7 vs 2.7, P &#x0003c; 0.5, respectively), whereas regarding CD higher scores were observed in married compared to unmarried (3.83 vs 2.33, P = 0.042). No statistical differences in any parameters in the social dimension were observed. Regarding the treatment of, patients with CD, overall higher scores were observed when treated with biological factors compared to standard therapy in all dimensions but with statistical significant difference in the social dimension (5.00 vs 3.25, P = 0.045).CONCLUSIONThe study reveals a negative impact of IBD on HRQoL. Increased risks are age and gender in patients with UC and family status in patients with CD.