Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life in Chronic Liver Disease Patients Using the Japanese Versions of CLDQ and SF-36

ABSTRACT

Liver disease affects health-related quality of life. The CLDQ is a liver disease specific questionnaire. This study attempted to translate the original CLDQ into Japanese and compare it with SF-36 in chronic liver disease patients, mainly chronic hepatitis C. The Japanese versions of CLDQ and SF-36 were administered to 120 CHC; 45 CHB; 29 NAFLD; 21 HCC post treatment and 50 healthy controls, between February and March, 2008. CLDQ scores of CHC patients and controls were unaffected by sex and age. SF-36 scores of female CHC patients were significantly lower (P = 0.0081) compared to male in the domain of physical function. CHC patients over 70 years had significantly lower SF-36 scores in multiple domains compared to CHC patients below 70. CLDQ scores of CHC patients were lower than controls in all 6 domains. CHB & NAFLD patients had significantly low scores in 3 domains, compared to controls. CHC patients scored significantly lower than CHB & NAFLD patients in 2 domains. Significant differences in SF-36 scores between controls, CHC, CHB and NAFLD patients were not observed. CLDQ scores of treatment naïve CHC patients, having ALT levels (≤40 or≥ 40) IU/l; liver cirrhosis patients (child Pugh A) and HCC patients post treatment, revealed that HCC and cirrhosis patients had similar CLDQ scores and significantly lower scores compared to CHC patients with ALT ≤40 IU/l in 5 out of 6 domains. CHC patients with ALT ≥40 IU/l had significantly lower CLDQ scores than CHC patients with ALT ≤40 IU/l in 3 domains. Similar differences was not observed using the SF-36. CLDQ gave a better understanding of HRQL in patients with different forms of chronic liver disease and also disease progression. Age and sex did not affect CLDQ scores. CLDQ appears to be a more convenient tool to study the HRQL in chronic liver disease patients