Psychiatric and cognitive correlates of quality of life among persons with primary brain tumors

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) in primary brain tumour (PBT) is often the main outcome measure in an otherwise incurable disease. The impact of psychiatric, cognitive correlates on quality of life in primary brain tumours is less well studied. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to find out the association of psychiatric morbidity, cognitive functions with quality of life in patients with primary brain tumours. The secondary objective was to study whether any association exists with tumour grading, laterality, location and psychiatric morbidity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 100 consecutive patients of PBT were screened in the Neuro-behavioural Clinic. Age, gender matched 52 healthy subjects were taken for comparison. Quality of life (qol) measure (EORTC), Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), GHQ (12 item) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were administered. RESULTS: 52 PBT cases were included, out of which 17.30% had Organic Anxiety Disorder (F06.4), 23.07% had Organic Mood disorder (F06.3%).Statistically significant association was found in EORTC qol scores and anxiety scores (p 0.001), depressive scores (p 0.029), psychiatric morbidity (p0.000) .Significant association with tumour laterality, depression scores (p0.041) was found. PBT patients had poor quality of life as compared to matched healthy volunteers (p <0.001). Significant negative correlation between EORTC B-20, cognitive scores using Spearman's Rho (p0.005; r - 0.385), implying more symptoms with poor cognitive function scores. Psychiatric morbidity, cognitive dysfunction, poor qol were noted, though no association with tumour grading, location. CONCLUSION: Regular assessments, early intervention will help in improving quality of life in PBT.