QUALITY-OF-LIFE ASSESSMENT OF MORBIDLY OBESE PATIENTS - EFFECT OF WEIGHT-REDUCING SURGERY

The effect of surgically induced weight loss on the quality of life of morbidly obese patients was investigated in a controlled cross-sectio nal study. A postoperative group of 62 patients was compared with a co ntrol group of 20 preoperative patients. The Nottingham Health Profile part I(NHP-I) and part II (NHP-II) and a visual analogue scale were u sed for quality of life assessment. Significant differences were found on the NHP-II (P < 0.0001), the visual analogue scale (P < 0.001), an d on the domains of mobility (P < 0.0001), energy (P < 0.001), and emo tional reaction (P < 0.001) on the NHP-I in favor of the postoperative group. Better quality of life outcome was related to larger weight lo ss and shorter length of postoperative follow-up. No correlation was f ound between quality of life outcome and the type of surgical procedur e or surgical complications. The unemployment rate was 53% for the ove rall postoperative group and 64% for the female postoperative group co mpared with 80% (P < 0.05) and 84% (NS) in the overall and female cont rol groups, respectively. Overweight as the reason for unemployment wa s more frequent in the control group. The results of this study show t hat quality of life is better after surgically induced weight loss and is not related to the type of surgical procedure nor to surgical comp lications. Postoperative quality of life tends to decrease with time.