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R Lonborg

Publications and source records attributed to R Lonborg.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of surgery on health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) has increasingly become a factor in management decisions in patients with chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of surgical resection on quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). DESIGN: A consecutive series of patients undergoing surgery for IBD between June 1994 and December 1997 were prospectively investigated as a cohort outcomes study. PATIENTS: Data were obtained in 63 patients. The primary diagnoses were Crohn's disease (n = 36) and ulcerative colitis (n = 27). INTERVENTION: Patients with Crohn's disease underwent resection with or without stricturoplasty for intractable disease; all but 3 patients with ulcerative colitis underwent ileoanal anastomoses with ileoanal reservoir. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Health status was measured using the Health Status Questionnaire preoperatively and every 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Preoperative measures of HRQL of the patients were low, with values well below the general population in all 8 scales of the Health Status Questionnaire. Postoperatively, HRQL measures improved significantly (P < .05) in both patients with Crohn's disease and those with ulcerative colitis, with scores equal to the general population in most scales. For example, average raw scores for general health in previously studied patient groups were 59 in patients with asthma, 55 in those with diabetes mellitus, 74 in the general population, and 54 and 73 preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively, in the present study. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that HRQL scores are low in many patients with IBD referred for operation and HRQL scores improve postoperatively to levels comparable to those of the general population. We believe these data justify early surgical intervention in many patients with symptomatic IBD.

Adult↗

What symptoms does cholecystectomy cure? Insights from an outcomes measurement project and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: The increasing application of cholecystectomy has increased the need to assess the effects of cholecystectomy on presenting symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three surgeon-derived and two patient-derived data forms were collected for each patient in a series of 225 laparoscopic cholecystectomies. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of patients had documented gallstones preoperatively, 91% had biliary pain, and 77% had both biliary pain and documented gallstones prior to surgery. Fifteen percent of patients were believed to have acalculous cholecystitis. Eighty-two percent also had bothersome nonpain symptoms (gassiness, bloating, indigestion, fatty-food intolerance, and nausea). The cure rate for biliary colic was 82% if stones were documented preoperatively, and 52% when they were not (P = 0.002). Atypical pain was cured 80% of the time, and nonpain symptoms, 44% of the time. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients (82%) with biliary colic and gallstones have complete relief of upper abdominal pain after cholecystectomy. Pain relief in patients felt to have acalculous cholecystitis was only 52%. Nonpain symptoms were common preoperatively (82%) and were relieved in 44% of patients.

Abdominal Pain↗

Utilization of cholecystectomy-a prospective outcome analysis in 1325 patients.

The advent of laparoscopic techniques has resulted in an increased incidence of cholecystectomy, creating a need to reevaluate utilization. The new outcomes research movement emphasizes patient-derived data as well as traditional clinical outcomes. One of the purposes of this prospective study was to seek possible correlations between a variety of variables, both patient- and physician-derived, to the patient's degree of overall satisfaction with the outcome. From July 1992 to May 1997, five different data collection forms were prospectively implemented-three physician-derived (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) and two patient-derived sets of data. In the postoperative patient instrument, patients were asked to rate their degree of satisfaction with the outcome of their surgery on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being "extremely satisfied" and 1 being "not at all satisfied." We then sought differences between those patients rating their satisfaction as 5 vs. those rating their satisfaction as 1 to 3. Age, sex, and the presence of comorbid conditions did not correlate with eventual satisfaction. The following were correlated with a statistically significant better degree of satisfaction: the preoperative presence of known gallstones or a preoperative physician-derived history of typical biliary pain. No preoperative patient-derived data were associated with satisfaction; however, the postoperative presence of abdominal pain predicted dissatisfaction. Not surprisingly, continued problems with abdominal pain strongly correlated with dissatisfaction, but this finding supports the accuracy of our assessment instrument. Furthermore, the more typical and clear-cut the clinical presentation, the greater the patient satisfaction with the outcome of cholecystectomy. Satisfaction and pain relief are strongly associated. In patients with pain preoperatively, measurement of either pain relief or satisfaction may be adequate to assess correct utilization of this operative procedure.

Abdominal Pain↗