Diverticular disease has an impact on quality of life -- results of a preliminary study

Abstract

Objective: Diverticular disease (DD) is common in the western world, and carries a significant morbidity. Although patients can have long standing symptoms no research on quality of life (QoL) in DD exists in the literature. Assessment of QoL may be useful in decision making and selection of patients who would be appropriate candidates for elective surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to examine whether DD has an impact on QoL.

Materials and methods: A combination of structured interview and questionnaire survey was performed. One hundred people were divided into two groups: Group A, 50 patients with symptomatic DD as their primary diagnosis; Group B, A control group of 50 healthy volunteers. A structured QoL questionnaire, examining bowel symptoms, systemic symptoms, emotional symptoms and social function, was completed by the subjects in both the patient and the control group.

Results: In the patient group scores fell well below the optimum QoL scores in each of the subscales particularly in the areas of bowel symptoms (43.8 vs 65.4 for controls) and emotional function (55.1 vs 75.9 for controls). Patients with DD had statistically significantly lower QoL scores than controls and this difference was consistent in all four examined areas (P < 0.003 for all categories).

Conclusion: Our preliminary study suggests that DD does affect a person's QoL. The authors recommend that further research is required in the development of a (QoL) scoring system specific for patients with diverticular disease. Having developed a tool that can accurately measure the subjective health status (QoL) of this disease group we will then be able to develop a more systematic approach to the delivery of treatment, management and care of patients with diverticular disease.