Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and postdischarge outcome after severe acute pancreatitis.
Design and setting
Observational study in a department of surgery (surgical and general intensive care unit) in a tertiary care hospital.
Patients and participants
Of 283 patients with severe acute pancreatitis 211 survived; during a follow-up period an additional 27 died. The Rand 36-item Health Survey with accessory question was mailed to 174 eligible patients. The final study population comprised 145 patients (83% response rate). Age- and sex-matched Finnish population scores were compared with the study population; accessory questions were analyzed separately.
Results
No clinically significant differences were found in long-term HRQL between study patients and the general population. Of the 145 patients 87% returned to work, 27% suffered recurrent pancreatitis, and 43% developed diabetes. Of 113 patients with alcohol-induced severe acute pancreatitis 30% were abstinent and 28% problem drinkers, alcohol-dependent, or alcoholics.
Conclusions
Up to 13% of severe acute pancreatitis patients surviving initial hospitalization die within a few years. Among the survivors long-term HRQL is comparable to that of the normal population. The majority return to work and reduce their alcohol consumption markedly.
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Halonen, K.I., Pettilä, V., Leppäniemi, A.K. et al. Long-term health-related quality of life in survivors of severe acute pancreatitis. Intensive Care Med 29, 782–786 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-003-1700-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-003-1700-8