Schirbel A, Reichert A, Roll S, Baumgart DC, Büning C, Wittig B, Wiedenmann B, Dignass A, Sturm A. Impact of pain on health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16(25): 3168-3177 [PMID: 20593502 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i25.3168]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Andreas Sturm, MD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Charité-Campus Virchow Clinic, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. andreas.sturm@charite.de
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2010; 16(25): 3168-3177 Published online Jul 7, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i25.3168
Impact of pain on health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Anja Schirbel, Anne Reichert, Stephanie Roll, Daniel C Baumgart, Carsten Büning, Bianca Wittig, Bertram Wiedenmann, Axel Dignass, Andreas Sturm
Anja Schirbel, Anne Reichert, Daniel C Baumgart, Bertram Wiedenmann, Andreas Sturm, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Charité-Campus Virchow Clinic, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
Stephanie Roll, Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Carsten Büning, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Bianca Wittig, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Charité-Campus Benjamin Franklin, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
Axel Dignass, Department of Medicine I, Markus-Hospital, Wilhelm-Epstein-Str. 4. 60431 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Author contributions: Schirbel A, Reichert A, Dignass A and Sturm A designed the study; Baumgart DC, Büning C and Wittig B directed patient recruitment; Schirbel A, Reichert A, Roll S and Sturm A performed the statistical analysis; all authors contributed to editing the manuscript and approved the final version of the paper.
Correspondence to: Andreas Sturm, MD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Charité-Campus Virchow Clinic, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. andreas.sturm@charite.de
Telephone: +49-30-450565206 Fax: +49-30-450553929
Received: January 16, 2010 Revised: March 29, 2010 Accepted: April 5, 2010 Published online: July 7, 2010
Abstract
AIM: To evaluate intensity, localization and cofactors of pain in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients in connection with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and disease activity.
METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed the responses of 334 patients to a specifically designed questionnaire based on the short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (SIBDQ) and the German pain questionnaire. Pain intensity, HRQOL, Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) and colitis activity index (CAI) were correlated and verified on a visual analog scale (VAS).
RESULTS: 87.9% of patients reported pain. Females and males reported comparable pain intensities and HRQOL. Surgery reduced pain in both genders (P = 0.023), whereas HRQOL only improved in females. Interestingly, patients on analgesics reported more pain (P = 0.003) and lower HRQOL (P = 0.039) than patients not on analgesics. A significant correlation was found in UC patients between pain intensity and HRQOL (P = 0.023) and CAI (P = 0.027), and in CD patients between HRQOL and CDAI (P = 0.0001), but not between pain intensity and CDAI (P = 0.35). No correlation was found between patients with low CDAI scores and pain intensity.
CONCLUSION: Most IBD patients suffer from pain and have decreased HRQOL. Our study reinforces the need for effective individualized pain therapy in IBD patients.
