Objectives: To evaluate the quality of life of the holders of a ureteral double J stent (US) using the USSQ questionnaire (Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire), validated in French in 2010.
Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2011, 249 patients underwent flexible ureteroscopy for urolithiais in our service. Among them, 160 received a US in perioperative, and they were sent self-questionnaire USSQ-FR retrospectively. The questionnaire includes 38 questions, concerning the perioperative period with US, and 4 weeks after its removal, grouped into 6 sections: urinary symptoms, pain, general health, professional resounding, sexual resounding, and other problems. A subgroup analysis was performed, comparing US used in emergency and planned US, active patients or retired, male or female. Statistical analysis used the Chi(2) test for paired data, the Fisher exact test and the Kruskal Wallis test.
Results: Of the 157 questionnaires sent (two patients who died, one mentally retarded), we obtained 80 responses. Quality of life appears to be significantly altered in all areas explored by the questionnaire. Urinary symptoms: 26.9 versus 19.9 score (P<0.0001), pain: 16.1 versus 10.7 (P=0.003), general health: 13.9 versus 9.1 (P<0.0001), professional practice: 6.1 versus 3.6 (P=0.0002), female: 3.3 versus 1.8 (P=0.001). There was no significant difference if the US was placed in emergency or programmatically, if patients were professionally active or retired. In addition, women had a significantly impaired quality of life compared to men for urinary symptoms, general health and professional practice.
Conclusion: US are responsible for a significant impairment of quality of life for patients. The validated, self-administered, USSQ-FR questionnaire is a reliable tool for this evaluation.
Level of evidence: 5.
Keywords: Quality of life; Qualité de vie; Sondes urétérales; Tolerance; Tolérance; USSQ-FR; Ureteral stent.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.