Registration of Health-Related Quality of Life in a Cohort of Patients Undergoing Cholecystectomy

Background . Assessment of gallstone surgery's impact on quality of life (QoL) requires a reliable instrument with sufficient responsiveness. The instrument should also enable estimation of each individual's expected condition in an unaffected state. Materials and Methods . The Swedish Register for Gallstone Surgery and ERCP (GallRiks) registers indications, complications, results, and QoL-outcome of gallstone surgery. In 2008, 68 hospitals were registered in GallRiks. Between 2007 and 2008, SF-36 (a short form health survey) was filled in 1-2 weeks pre- and 6–9 months postoperatively at five of the units. Expected scores were determined from an age- and gender-matched Swedish population (AGMSP). Results . Of the 330 patients, 212 responded to SF36 pre- and postoperatively (RR = 64%; 212/330). Standardized response means ranged from 0.20 to 0.93 for the SF-36 subscores. Highest responsiveness was seen for bodily pain. Preoperatively, all subscores were significantly lower than in the AGMSP (all P < .05). Six months postoperatively, there was no significant difference between any of the observed and expected quality of life subscales. Conclusion . SF-36 is a useful instrument for measuring the impact of gallstone surgery on QoL. The postinterventional health status equalled or even exceeded the AGMSP for all subscales.