Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with Crohn's Disease: A case control Study

Abstract

Background The study objective was to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between participants with Crohn's Disease (CD) and healthy controls (CONs). Methods A case-control study was conducted in adults with CD and CONs in Saudi Arabia (aged between 18-60 years). Sociodemographic data (age, sex, age at diagnosis) were collected. The following additional information was collected for the CD group: the onset of disease, treatment, and symptomology associated with CD. The validated Arabic version of the SF-36 was used to assess HRQoL. Results The study included 109 CD patients and 370 CON participants. Participants with CD had significantly lower HRQoL scores in the physical functioning [CD=75 (50-90) vs CON=85 (60-95)], role physical [CD=50 (0-100) vs CON=100 (50-100)], role emotional [CD=67 (0-100) vs CON= 67 (33-100)], vitality [CD= 50 (30-58) vs CON=50 (40-60)], social functioning [CD=63 (50-75) vs CON=75 (50-88)], bodily pain [CD=70 (45-90) vs CON=80 (68-100)], general health [CD=55 (40-65) vs CON=65 (55-75)], physical [CD=63 (52-75), vs CON=75 (63-85)], and mental domains [CD=51 (32-69) vs CON=63 (55-72)] than the CON group (p<0.02). In the CD group, participants with loss of appetite had lower HRQoL scores in the physical functioning [loss appetite=60 (40-80) vs no loss appetite=83 (65-90)], role physical [loss appetite=25 (0-75) vs no loss appetite=50 (25-100)], social functioning [loss appetite=63 (50-75) vs no loss appetite=75 (50-88)], physical [loss appetite=57 (45-68) vs no loss appetite=69 (56-78)], and mental domains [loss appetite=47 (30-67) vs no loss appetite=59 (44-72)] than participants without loss of appetite (p<0.04). Conclusion Individuals with CD had lower HRQoL than CON participants. Loss of appetite is associated with a lower HRQoL score.