2 research outputs found

    Analysis and description of disease-specific quality of life in patients with anal fistula

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    INTRODUCTION: In patients diagnosed with anal fistula, knowing the quality of life specifically related to the disease can help coloproctology specialists to choose the most appropriate therapeutic strategy for each case. The aim of our study is to analyzse and describe the factors related to the specific quality of life in a consecutive series of patients diagnosed with anal fistula. METHODS: Observational, cross-sectional study carried out from March 2015 to February 2017. All patients were assessed in the colorectal surgery unit of a hospital in southeast of Spain. After performing an initial anamnesis and a physical examination, patients diagnosed with anal fistula completed the Quality of Life in Ppatients with Anal Fistula Questionnaire (QoLAF-Q). This questionnaire specifically measures quality of life in people with anal fistula and its score range is the following: zero impact = 14 points, limited impact = 15 to 28 points, moderate impact = 29 to 42 points, high impact = 43 to 56 points, and very high impact = 57 to 70 points. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients were included. The median score obtained in the questionnaire for the sample studied was 34.00 (range=14-68). Statistically significant differences between patients with "primary anal fistula" (n=65) and "recurrent anal fistula" (n=15) were observed (mean rank=42.96 vs. mean rank=29.83, p=0.048). Furthermore, an inverse proportion (P=.016) between "time with clinical symptoms" and "impact on quality of life" was found (5 years: mean rank = 19.00). There were no statistically significant differences (P=.149) between quality of life amongst patients diagnosed with complex (mean rank = 36.13) and simple fistulae (mean rank = 43.59). CONCLUSIONS: Anal fistulae exert moderate-high impact on patients' quality of life. "Shorter time experiencing clinical symptoms" and the "presence of primary fistula" are factors that can be associated with worse quality of life

    Design and psychometric evaluation of the Quality of Life in patients with Anal Fistula Questionnaire

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    BACKGROUND: Quality of life is often considered when deciding and evaluating the treatment strategy for patients diagnosed with anal fistula. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop and psychometrically test the Quality of Life in Patients with Anal Fistula Questionnaire. DESIGN: This was an observational cross-sectional study for the development and validation of a psychometric tool. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at a general hospital in the southeast of Spain. PATIENTS: A convenience sample included 54 patients diagnosed with anal fistula. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: The reliability of the tool was assessed through its internal consistency (Cronbach α) and temporal stability (Spearman correlation coefficient (r) between test–retest). The content validity index of the items and the scale was calculated. Correlation analysis and an ordinal regression analysis between the developed tool and the Short Form 12 Health Survey examined its concurrent validity. Principal component analysis and known-group analysis using the Kruskal–Wallis test examined its construct validity. RESULTS: The reliability of the developed questionnaire was very high (α = 0.908; r = 0.861; p < 0.01). Its content validity was excellent (all-item content validity index = 0.79–1.00; scale validity index = 0.92). Evidence of its concurrent validity included strong correlation between the developed tool and Short Form 12 Health Survey (r = 0.734; p < 0.001), and participant scores on the developed tool explained ≈46.2% of the between-subject variation for the participant scores on Short Form 12 Health Survey (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.462). Confirming its construct validity, principal component analysis revealed that 2 factors explained 81.63% of the total variance found. Known-group analysis evidenced the ability of the questionnaire to detect expected differences in patients presenting with different symptomatology. LIMITATIONS: The major limitations of this study were the use of a small sample of Spanish-speaking patients, not including patients in the initial development of the questionnaire, and developing the scoring system using a summation method. CONCLUSIONS: The Quality of Life in Patients with Anal Fistula Questionnaire has proven to be a valid, reliable, and concise tool that could contribute to the evaluation of quality of life among patients with an anal fistula. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A368
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