AIM: To assess the physical and mental health of fissure patients before and after topical treatment with diltiazem. METHODS: Consecutive patients were enrolled prospectively into the study. Quality of life was measured with the short-forum 36 health survey (SF-36) before and after 6-wk treatment with diltiazem. Patients scored symptoms of pain, bleeding, and irritation using numeral rating scales at the initial and follow-up visits. Fissure healing was assessed and side effects were noted. RESULTS: Fissures healed in 21 of 30 (70%) patients. There were significant reductions in the scores of pain, bleeding, and irritation after 1 wk of treatment, respectively. Four patients experienced perianal itching and one patient reported headache. When measured at baseline, pain and irritation showed a negative impact on two of the eight subscales on the SF-36, respectively (bodily pain and social functioning for pain; vitality and mental health for irritation). Repeating the SF-36 showed an improvement in bodily pain (P = 0.001). Patients whose fissures healed reported an improvement in bodily pain, health-perception, vitality, and mental health (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Successful treatment of chronic anal fissure with topical diltiazem leads to improvement in health-related quality of life.
AIM: To assess the physical and mental health of fissure patients before and after topical treatment with diltiazem. METHODS: Consecutive patients were enrolled prospectively into the study. Quality of life was measured with the short-forum 36 health survey (SF-36) before and after 6-wk treatment with diltiazem. Patients scored symptoms of pain, bleeding, and irritation using numeral rating scales at the initial and follow-up visits. Fissure healing was assessed and side effects were noted. RESULTS: Fissures healed in 21 of 30 (70%) patients. There were significant reductions in the scores of pain, bleeding, and irritation after 1 wk of treatment, respectively. Four patients experienced perianal itching and one patient reported headache. When measured at baseline, pain and irritation showed a negative impact on two of the eight subscales on the SF-36, respectively (bodily pain and social functioning for pain; vitality and mental health for irritation). Repeating the SF-36 showed an improvement in bodily pain (P = 0.001). Patients whose fissures healed reported an improvement in bodily pain, health-perception, vitality, and mental health (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Successful treatment of chronic anal fissure with topical diltiazem leads to improvement in health-related quality of life.
Entities:
Keywords:
Anal fissure; Diltiazem; Quality of life
Authors: R Digennaro; G Pecorella; S La Manna; A Alderisio; A Alderisio; B De Pascalis; D Pennisi; G Santangelo; F Pezzolla; A Racalbuto; G Serra; A Pulvirenti D'Urso; D F Altomare Journal: Tech Coloproctol Date: 2015-03-15 Impact factor: 3.781