Article

Life satisfaction is associated with overall somatic health and the short-term
surgical outcome in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients. In this study, the
long-term relationship between life satisfaction and the surgical outcome in LSS
patients was investigated in a 10-year follow-up. This prospective clinical study
included 102 LSS patients who underwent decompressive surgery. They completed a
set of questionnaires first preoperatively and then 6 times postoperatively (at 3
and 6 months, and at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years). The final study population at the
10-year follow-up comprised 72 patients. A four-item life satisfaction scale was
used to measure global life satisfaction. The sum of all seven life satisfaction
scores provided a measure of the life dissatisfaction burden over the entire
10-year follow-up. Depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory.
The surgical outcome was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index, pain
evaluation (visual analogue scale), self-reported walking capacity and overall
satisfaction with the surgery. Both preoperative life dissatisfaction and the
long-term life dissatisfaction burden were associated with poorer 10-year
surgical outcomes (i.e. Oswestry Disability Index and visual analogue scale) in
logistic regression analyses. Life dissatisfaction was also associated with
symptoms of depression. Monitoring subjective well-being, especially life
satisfaction and mood, in LSS patients before and after surgery may help in
detecting those at risk of a poorer long-term surgical outcome.

Langue : ANGLAIS