Very Long-Term Follow-Up of Multidimensional Health-Related Quality of Life After Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND

To evaluate postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for pituitary adenoma patients, multidimensional assessment is important. Available data is limited on long-term follow-up.

METHODS

Prospectively, 52 nonfunctioning (NFA) and functioning (FA) pituitary adenoma patients were included. The Endoscopic Endonasal Sinus and Skull Base Surgery Questionnaire (EES-Q) was completed preoperatively and postoperatively (2 weeks, 3 months, 1 year, 8.5 years). Generalized estimating equations identified variables associated with HRQoL changes over time.

RESULTS

Psychological (p = 0.006) and social HRQoL (p = 0.026) significantly improved after very long-term follow-up, while physical HRQoL and EES-Q scores normalized. Pre- and postoperatively, most inconveniences were reported in the social domain, with a noticeable difference between NFA and FA patients. Female gender negatively impacted physical HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic endonasal surgery has no very long-term negative impact on HRQoL. Social functioning remained the most affected throughout follow-up. These results highlight the importance of this multidimensional HRQoL tool to improve patient-centered health care.