Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients After Surgically Treated Midface Fracture: A Comparison with the Croatian Population Norm

Abstract

Slaven Lupi-Ferandin,1 Sandro Glumac,2 Nancy Poljak,3 Tea Galic,4,5 Natalija Ivkovic,6 Ognjen Brborovic,7 Renata Pecotic,5,6 Zoran Dogas5,6 1Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital of Split, Split, Croatia; 2Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital of Split, Split, Croatia; 3Study of Dental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; 4Study of Dental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Split, Split, Croatia; 5Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Split, Split, Croatia; 6Sleep Medicine Center, School of Medicine, University of Split, Split, Croatia; 7Department of Social Medicine and Organization of Health Care, Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, CroatiaCorrespondence: Zoran DogasDepartment of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Split, Soltanska 2, Split 21000, CroatiaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: To evaluate the health-related life quality of patients after surgically treated midface fractures.Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study compared the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores of 42 male patients following surgically treated maxillary or zygomatic fractures with the reported normative data of the SF-36 for the Croatian population.Results: The current study showed that the health-related life quality of surgically treated patients was comparable to similar age, gender, and regional demographics in the Croatian population norm. However, we revealed a significant deterioration of the “Emotional wellbeing” domain in younger patients (P = 0.03) and a severely affected domain of “Physical functioning” in older patients (P = 0.049).Conclusion: There was a significant negative psychological impact from facial trauma on younger patients. In contrast, older patients were more prone to physical impairment. Therefore, follow-up visits are an opportunity to screen and refer younger patients to mental health services in a timely manner to prevent severe psychological difficulties and an opportunity to identify older patients who require physical therapy.Keywords: quality of life, patient outcome assessment, maxillary fractures, zygomatic fractures, surgery, oral

Keywords

• quality of life
• patient outcome assessment
• maxillary fractures
• zygomatic fractures
• surgery
• oral.