Postoperative Symptoms and Quality of Life in Pituitary Macroadenomas Patients

BACKGROUND Patients with pituitary macroadenoma commonly experience symptoms such as headache, visual disturbance, and olfactory dysfunction due to tumor effects. Even after undergoing surgery for tumor removal, patients continue to experience these symptoms and have difficulty resuming their general activities, decreasing their quality of life (QOL). Although some studies have focused on QOL in pituitary macroadenoma, few studies have examined the relationship between postoperative symptoms and patient QOL in the period after surgery. This study aimed to identify the relationships between postoperative symptoms and QOL among pituitary macroadenoma patients. METHODS This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design to identify relationships between postoperative symptoms and QOL in pituitary macroadenoma patients. Medical records of 62 patients with pituitary macroadenomas who had undergone surgery were retrieved and reviewed 3 months after surgery; at that time, all participants completed a self-report survey addressing their current symptoms and QOL. The researchers then evaluated patient QOL and 3 common symptoms - headache, objectively measured visual disturbance, and olfactory dysfunction - using correlation analysis and multiple linear regression. RESULTS Three months after surgery, patients still experienced headache and lack of olfactory function. Headache showed a strong negative correlation with physical (r = -0.501, P <.001, R² = 36%) and mental (r = -0.448, P <.001, R² = 26%) QOL. Headache was a significant factor influencing QOL. CONCLUSION Study findings show that continuous assessment and intervention for headache are essential for improving QOL in pituitary macroadenoma patients after surgery. Nurses should prioritize assessment and management of postoperative headache in long-term care for such patients. The study findings support development of a clinical guideline for managing headache in such patients and thus improving their QOL.