EVALUATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND SELF-ESTEEM OF PEOPLE WITH NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1

Abstract

Neurofibromatoza tip 1 je autosomno dominantna genetska bolest koja je uzrokovana promjenom gena na 17. kromosomu. Bolest nije uvjetovana spolom obzirom da se javlja podjednako kod oba spola. Jednako tako, može biti naslijeđena od jednog od roditelja ili se može pojaviti prvi put u obitelji kao novonastala promjena neurofibromatoza tip 1 gena. U većini slučajeva bolest se najčešće očituje klinički kao prisutnost šest ili više pjega boje bijele kave, tzv. café au lait pjege i potkožnih čvorića - neurofibroma. Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio utvrditi postoji li statistički značajna razlika u kvaliteti života između skupine ispitanika oboljelih od neurofibromatoze tip 1 kod kojih je primijenjena fizioterapija i ispitanika s neurofibromatozom tip 1 kod kojih nije primijenjena fizioterapija. U istraživanju je korišten upitnik za procjenu zdravstvene kvalitete života SF-36 (Short form health survey-36) i vizualno analogna skala boli. Eksperimentalna skupina sastojala se od 13 ispitanika kod kojih je fizioterapija bila uključena u liječenje, a kontrolna skupina od 31 ispitanika kod kojih fizioterapija nije bila uključena u liječenje. U domenama upitnika za procjenu zdravstvene kvalitete života prosjek zadovoljstva ispitanika u obje skupine najveći je u domeni fizičkog funkcioniranja što znači da je u navedenoj domeni najbolja kvaliteta života osoba s neurofibromatozom tip 1. S druge pak strane, postoji statistički značajna razlika u stupnju boli na vizualno analognoj skali između ispitivane i kontrolne skupine. Statistički značajne razlike između dvije skupine ispitanika vidljive su u tri domene upitnika SF-36. Rezultati provedenog istraživanja pokazali su dobru kvalitetu života u obje skupine ispitanika.Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant genetic disease which is caused by the change of the gene on the 17th chromosome. The disease is not conditioned by sex, since it occurs equally in both sexes. Likewise, it can be inherited from one of the parents or it can appear for the first time in the family as the new change of the neurofibromatosis type 1 gene. In most cases, the disease is most often seen clinically in the presence of six or more white coffee-coloured spots, the so-called café au lait spots and subcutaneous nodules – neurofibroma. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in the quality of life among the neurofibromatosis type 1 patients who have gone through physiotherapy and the neurofibromatosis type 1 patients who have not gone through physiotherapy. The study used a questionnaire for assessing the health quality of life SF-36 (Short form health survey-36) and a visually analogous scale of pain. The experimental group consisted of 13 examinees whose treatment included physiotherapy, and a control group consisted of 31 examinees whose treatment did not include physiotherapy. In the domains of the questionnaire for the assessment of the health quality of life, the average satisfaction of respondents in both groups is the highest in the domain of physical functioning, which means that in the mentioned domain the quality of life of persons with neurofibromatosis type 1 is the best. On the other hand, there is a statistically significant difference in the degree of pain on the visually analogous scale of pain scale between the examined group and the control group. Statistically significant differences between the two groups of respondents are visible in three domains of the SF-36 questionnaire. The results of the conducted research showed good quality of life in both groups of respondents