Assessment of Quality of Life of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B and C Treated with Pegylated Interferon-alpha

Objectives: It was aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life of patients with non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) during interferon therapy with the standard short form-36 (SF-36). Materials and Methods:This study included all patients who attended the Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology and outpatient clinics for treatment between June 2008 and June 2010 and met the inclusion criteria.A socio-demographic data questionnaire and SF-36 were administered in all subjects before the interferon therapy and in the third and sixth months of the treatment.Results: Before the treatment, vitality/energy (p=0.01) and general health (p=0.01)scores in patients with CHB were lower than in controls.In the sixth month of the therapy, physical function (p=0.03),role physical (p=0.011),role emotional (p=0.003) and vitality/energy (p=0.005)scores were significantly lower than in controls.There was a significant difference in physical function (p=0.006),role physical (p=0.006),role emotional (p=0.001) and vitality/energy (p=0.000005)scores before the treatment and physical function (p=0.006),role physical (p=0.013),role emotional (p=0.001),vitality/energy (p=0.000005) and mental health (p=0.041)scores in the third month of the treatment and physical function (p=0.000008),social function (p=0.005),role physical (p=0.0000008),role emotional (p=0.000007),mental health (p=0.001) and vitality/energy (p=0.000005)scores in the sixth month of the treatment between patients with CHC and controls.Conclusion: Providing guidance and counseling to patients with CHB and CHC about their illness and side effects of the drugs will increase health-related quality of life of patients and will adapt them to their treatment.Keywords: Chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, health-related quality of life, interferon therapy Amaç: Non-sirotik kronik hepatit B (KHB) ve kronik hepatit C'li (KHC) hastalarda interferon tedavisi süresince kısa form 36 (SF-36) standart formunu kullanarak sağlıkla ilgili yaşam kalitesini değerlendirmek amaçlanmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya Haziran 2008 -Haziran 2010 tarihleri tarihleri arasındaki 2 yıllık süre boyunca Atatürk Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Enfeksiyon Hastlıkları ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı'na ve polikliniğine başvuran ve çalışmaya dahil edilme kriterlerini karşılayan olgular alındı.Çalışmaya dahil edilen tüm olgulara, interferon tedavisi öncesinde, tedavinin üçüncü ayında ve tedavinin altıncı ayında, sosyo-demografik veri formu ve SF-36 ölçeği uygulandı.Bulgular: KHB'li hastaların tedavi öncesi enerji (p=0,01) ve genel sağlık (p=0,01) skorlarını; tedavinin altıncı ayında fiziksel fonksiyon (p=0,03), fiziksel rol (p=0,011), emosyonel rol (p=0,003) ve enerji (p=0,005) skorlarını kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı düzeyde daha düşüktü.KHC'li hastaların tedavi öncesi fiziksel fonksiyon (p=0,006), fiziksel rol (p=0,006), emosyonel rol (p=0,001) ve enerji (p=0,000005) skorlarında; tedavinin üçüncü ayında fiziksel fonksiyon (p=0,006), fiziksel rol (p=0,013), emosyonel rol (p=0,001), mental sağlık (p=0,041) ve enerji (p=0,000005) skorlarında; tedavinin altıncı ayında ise fiziksel fonksiyon (p=0,000008), sosyal fonksiyon (p=0,005), fiziksel rol (p=0,0000008), emosyonel rol (p=0,000007), mental sağlık (p=0,001) ve enerji (p=0,000005) skorlarında kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı düzeyde farklı olduğu saptanmıştır.