Quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease patients: A cross?sectional study

Abstract

Background: In?ammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a signifcant impact on health?related quality of life (HRQOL). Tis study aims to investigate the  variables which can be attributed to HRQOL in IBD patients. Materials and Methods: Seventy?one patients flled in IBD questionnaire (IBDQ?32),  Pittsburgh sleep quality index questionnaire, and sociodemographic questionnaire. Disease activity was assessed by Crohn’s disease activity  index (CDAI) and ulcerative colitis activity index (UCAI). Te correlations of sleep quality, sociodemographic variables, and disease characteristics with IBDQ were investigated. Results: IBDQ?32 mean score was lower in patients who had hospitalization (P = 0.01), poor sleep quality (P <  0.001), anemia (P = 0.03), more severe disease (P = 0.01), and those who had not consumed folic acid (P = 0.01) relative to their counterparts. A multivariate regression analysis identifed the predictors of decreased  HRQOL as not consuming folic acid (P = 0.008), poor sleep quality (P = 0.014), and disease severity (P = 0.043). Conclusions: Impaired HRQOL was signifcantly associated with poor sleep quality, lack of folic acid  consumption, and disease severity in IBD patients. Terefore, evaluation of folic acid level and efcacy of its supplementation in prospective studies is recommended. Treatment of sleep disturbance with pharmacological agents and nonpharmacological methods should be kept in mind as well.