ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the group of patients having undergone surgery for ulcerative colitis with those treated on drugs. The quality of life of the patients and the other affecting factors were evaluated.

METHODS:

The study was carried out on 55 patients in two different departments of the Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University. The first group of patients had been operated for ulcerative colitis (total proctocolectomy ileoanal J pouch anal anastomosis - IPAA) in the Department of General Surgery whereas the second group of patients had been recieving medication in the Department of Internal Medicine. The following tools were used for the collection of the data: two different types of patient information forms prepared separately in consideration of the present literature for those who were operated and for those who were treated non-operatively; the MOS 36 Item Short Form Health Survey – SF 36 and the Cleveland Global Quality of Life (CGQL) Score – Fazio Score, which was tested for validity and reliability. The data obtained from this study was analysed by means of the SPSS programme. Along with the usual statistical methods (average, standard deviation), the below tests were also used for evaluating the data: Student’s t test; Mann Whitney U; Mc Nemar; chi- square and Fisher Exact Chi-Square tests.

RESULTS:

Following the evaluation of the parameters including the number of defecations at day time and at night, incontinence, urgency, the degree of pad consumption, consistency of stool, the need for antidiarrheal drug consumption, the need for special diet regulation, the degree of regular daily and social activities and the feeling of well being; it has been found out that more satisfactory results were obtained in patients that underwent surgical treatment when compared with those treated with medical therapy.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, the level of the quality of life of patients with ulcerative colitis was higher than it was either before the operation or before the initiation of medication. Following surgical treatment, functional results and the quality of life of the patients were found to be even better than the group of patients who were in the group treated on drugs. Patients were satisfied with the surgical intervention and they recommended the procedure to other patients suffering from the same disease.