Patient-reported impacts of a conservative management programme for the clinically inapparent adrenal mass.

[adrenal incidentaloma]

The aim of this study was to assess patient-reported impacts and health-related quality of life (HRQL ) of a 2 -year follow-up programme in a large cohort of patients with stationary , non-functioning , adrenal incidentalomas (AIs ) in western Sweden . 145 patients (mean age 68 years , 62 % females ) with AI from a prospective study in western Sweden were studied . All had completed a 2 -year follow-up programme by November 2007 , without evidence of adrenal malignancy or hormone over-production . To evaluate patient-reported impacts and HRQL , an eight -item adrenal incidentaloma impact questionnaire was used retrospectively , together with the hospital anxiety and depression scale , and the short form-36 . There were 111 patients (mean age 67 years , 63 % females ) who responded to the questionnaire (response rate 77 %). 77 % reported that the AI diagnosis had caused them to be worried ; however , fewer than 20 % had thought about the lesion often during the follow-up programme , and only 3 % had felt that it had a large impact on their current daily life . Only 4 % stated that the follow-up programme had been a negative experience , nevertheless 10 % reported a negative impact on their HRQL during the follow-up programme . Only 2 % stated that release from follow-up caused worry to any degree . In total , 29 % had possible anxiety , and 30 % had possible depression , probably reflecting significant co -morbidity . Possible anxiety correlated with a more negative experience of the follow-up programme . In conclusion , the 2 -year follow-up programme for patients with AI was well tolerated . Nonetheless , a small number remained worried throughout follow-up , suggesting the need for tailored counselling in individual patients to ameliorate negative impacts of follow-up .

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Diseases presenting "probably reflecting significant co-morbidity" symptom

adrenal incidentaloma

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