Quality of life after proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Purpose: While ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is performed in many patients with ulcerative colitis, conflicting data exist about its effects on quality of life. We aimed to determine quality of life and to identify risk factors for impaired quality of life in these patients.

Methods: Forty-eight of 82 patients (59%; median follow-up 57 months [range 21-93 months]) after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis were compared to 48 matched healthy controls. Generic, health-, and disease-related, as well as symptom-specific quality of life was analyzed using five well-established quality of life instruments.

Results: Although generic quality of life was comparable between groups, health-related quality of life was impaired after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. While high stool frequency was associated with impaired health-related and disease-specific quality of life, fecal incontinence and history of pouchitis also caused a deterioration of generic and symptom-related quality of life. Seventy-seven percent of patients reported their quality of life to be better compared to the situation before surgery and 88% would undergo ileal pouch-anal anastomosis again.

Conclusions: Overall quality of life after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is good. However, high stool frequency, fecal incontinence, and pouchitis are associated with impaired quality of life and should be prevented or treated to the best possible extent.