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. 2019 Aug;7(7):942-954.
doi: 10.1177/2050640619852532. Epub 2019 May 17.

Health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease in a Danish population-based inception cohort

Lea K Christiansen  1 , Bobby Lo  1 , Flemming Bendtsen  1 , Ida Vind  1 , Marianne K Vester-Andersen  1   2 , Johan Burisch  1
Affiliations

Health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease in a Danish population-based inception cohort

Lea K Christiansen et al. United European Gastroenterol J. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but findings differ between studies. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of disease activity and social factors on HRQoL.

Method: A total of 513 patients diagnosed with UC and CD between 2003 and 2004, in a population-based setting, were followed for 7 years. HRQoL was assessed using the Short Form-12, the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Questionnaire (SIBDQ), the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health and a national health survey. Associations were assessed using multiple linear regressions.

Results: A total of 185 of the eligible patients (UC: 107 (50.2%) and CD: 78 (50.3%)) were included. No differences in disease-specific or generic HRQoL were found between CD and UC patients, and IBD patients did not differ compared with the background population. The majority of CD (73.1%) and UC (85.0%) patients had 'good' disease-specific HRQoL using the SIBDQ. Unemployment for ≥ 3 months occurred more in CD vs UC patients(30.6 vs 15.5%, p = 0.03); however, sick leave for ≥ 3 months did not differ significantly (17.4 vs 11.4%, p = 0.4). Using multiple linear regressions, unemployment, sick leave and disease activity were the factors most frequently associated with reduced HRQoL.

Conclusion: In a population-based cohort with 7 years of follow-up, HRQoL did not differ between patients and the background population.

Keywords: Crohn's disease; Inflammatory bowel disease; cohort study; observational study; patient-reported outcome; quality of life; ulcerative colitis.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of the study population. CD: Crohn's disease; FU: follow-up; UC: ulcerative colitis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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