Evaluation of Quality of Life in Rheumatological Patients with Post-Tonsillectomy

Abstract

Aim: The main aim of the study was to determine whether tonsillectomy improves the quality of life in adults suffering from chronic or recurrent tonsillitis and in rheumatologically treated patients.
 Materials and methods: This study was conducted on seropositive or seronegative patients (n=50) who were followed up with various rheumatological diagnoses (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, etc.) at the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic of SBU Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Education Research Hospital and who were diagnosed with acute or chronic tonsillitis and who applied to the ENT clinic. It was done to follow the pre- and post-operative conditions. In these patients who were decided to undergo surgical treatment, HAQ (Health assessment questionnaire) quality of life scale and VAS (Visual Analog Scala) were applied to evaluate the perception of pain before and at the 6th month after the operation.
 Results: In this study of 50 adults, mean age was 28.0 years (SD 7.2 years), 38 adults were followed up in the 1st month of diagnosis, while 12 adults were followed up in the 7th month of diagnosis. All patients experienced significant improvements throughout the treatment process. According to the results of the patients' quality of life scale, it was determined that it increased significantly, primarily due to improvements in general and physical areas. 96% (96/100) of participating patients reported benefiting from tonsillectomy. Patients in the postoperative control group had significantly higher quality of life scores than patients in the preoperative case group (p < 0.001).
 Conclusion: Adult patients who underwent tonsillectomy due to acute tonsillitis reported improvement in their quality of life 6 months after surgery. Based on this, physical examination of rheumatological patients who have rheumatological diseases and have undergone tonsillectomy and it is likely to improve general health, create a sense of well-being in patients, and improve overall quality of life. The social benefits of tonsillectomy appear to be negligible. The effects are likely to be long-lasting and have a greater impact on younger patients. The presence of chronic rheumatological disease due to tonsillar inflammation and infective symptoms are the main factors affecting the severity of the disease.