Relationship between socio-demographic and clinical variables, and health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Objective: the principal aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of socio-demographic and clinical variables on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Patients and method: this was a cross-sectional study. health-related quality of life was measured with the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). A total of 120 patients, 60 with ulcerative colitis and 60 with Crohn's disease, participated in the study. Results: no significant differences were observed between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients in IBDQ dimensions. However, a multivariate analysis revealed that sex, type of treatment, extraintestinal symptoms, number of relapses in previous year, satisfaction with surgery, and need for psychological support were related to HRQL. Conclusions: the identification of these variables associated with HRQL in patients with inflammatory bowel disease shows them to be basically non-disease factors. Knowledge of such elements can turn out to be very useful in order to guide future research and modify specific factors in further interventions. Copyright © 2005 Arán Ediciones, S. L.