QUALITY-OF-LIFE, NUTRITIONAL-STATUS, AND GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONE PROFILE FOLLOWING THE WHIPPLE PROCEDURE

BACKGROUND: To compare the quality of life, nutritional status, and ga strointestinal profiles of post-Whipple patients and postcholecystecto my patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of post-Whipple procedu re patients and age- and sex-matched postcholecystectomy patients tvas performed, Quality of life was assessed using six instruments: Time T rade-off Technique, Direct Questioning of Objectives, Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index, Sickness Impact Profile, Physician Global Asse ssment, and Visick Scale, A gastrointestinal symptomatology questionna ire Tvas completed, Nutritional status was assessed by weight, the Sub jective Global Assessment instrument, and skin anthropometry, Fasting and postprandial serum gastrin, somatostatin, insulin, pancreatic gluc agon, enteroglucagon, and pancreatic polypeptide were measured. RESULT S: The quality of life and gastrointestinal function of the Whipple pa tients was excellent and was not significantly different from that of the control subjects, There were no significant differences in gastroi ntestinal symptomatology although 5 Whipple patients complained of gre asy bowel movements, and I patient reported difficulty maintaining wei ght, Despite this, nutritional status was within normal Limits in all subjects, Six patients in the Whipple group followed a diabetic diet, 1 required insulin, and 3 required an oral hypoglycemic agent, whereas none of the control subjects were diabetic, There were no significant differences in the mean basal, peak, or integrated postprandial respo nses of the gut hormones with the exception of pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin (in patients having a standard Whipple procedure only). CO NCLUSION: Quality of life and nutritional status are excellent in pati ents following a Whipple procedure.