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Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to measure health related quality .of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic .viral .hepatitis or cirrhosis and to determine factors associated with. more severe i npauinent. Methods= We conducted a cross-sectional study in which vie documented patients´ demographic and´ clinical characteristics and measured their HRQOL using the Korean version of Short Form-36. A total of 375 patients were enrolled in the study. We compared .patents´ HRQOL with that of 750 participants in a . control group and assessed the association of HRQOL impairment With clinical parameters. Results= In all except two domains (physical functioning, bodily pain) of SF-36, HRQOL scores were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (p<0.001). The difference was more prominent in those domains reflective of mental, rather than physical, health. When patient group was classified as noncirrhosis, Child A, B, or C according to modified Child-Pugh classification, severe liver disease was associated with a lower HRQOL score. Interestingly, scores of domains reflective of mental health were decreased from the early stage of disease (noncirrhosis or Child-Pugh A). Those of domains reflective of physical health, however, were decreased only in advanced stages of disease (Child-Pugh B or C). There are weak but significant correlations between SF-36 scores and age, serum albumin, serum bihrubin, and prothrombin time, but no correlation with histologic activity, transaminase level, disease duration, virus type (HBV or HCV) and HBV DNA level. Conclusions: Compared with the control group, patients with chronic viral hepatitis or cirrhosis showed substantial impairment of HRQOL, which is further affected by worsening disease severity. More concern about HRQOL should be warranted in the evaluation of health change due to disease progression or therapeutic trial.(Korean J Hepatol 2003;9.212-221)
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