Figure 131-2

Health-related quality of life assessed as SF-36 domain score differences (means and 95% confidence intervals) between non-cirrhotic patients with chronic liver disease (n = 489) (NC), and patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (n = 391) (CC), decompensated liver cirrhosis (n = 84) (DC), and transplanted patients (n = 186) (LTX). Differences are adjusted for gender, age, educational level, etiology, use of liver disease medication, use of psychopharmaca, and comorbidity (reproduced from van der Plas et al. (2003) with permission). Positive values indicate higher (better) and negative values poorer health-related quality of life SF-36 scores compared to controls (NC, non-cirrhotic patients with chronic liver disease). This figure illustrates that health-related quality of life is impaired mainly in patients with decompensated and not compensated cirrhosis compared to patients with chronic liver disease without cirrhosis (NC). Patients having received a liver transplant have better health-related quality of life in most dimensions compared to NC. * Scale score of subgroup is significantly different (p < 0.05) from scale score of controls (NC). SF-36, the 36-item short form health survey; NC, non-cirrhotic patients with chronic liver disease; CC, compensated cirrhosis; DC, decompensated cirrhosis; LTX, liver transplantation; PF, physical functioning; RP, role limitations caused by physical health problems; BP, bodily pain; GH, general health perceptions; VT, vitality; SF, social functioning; RE, role limitations caused by emotional problems; MH, mental health. @ 2003 van der Plas et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Open Access Article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article’s original URL (http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471–230X/3/33)