Page 162 - Risk quantification and modification in older patients with colorectal cancer
P. 162
Chapter 8
Results
Baseline characteristics
A total of 158 patients met our inclusion criteria. The response rate to the baseline questionnaires was 74.7% (118 out of 158). For 106 patients (67%) at least one follow-up questionnaire was available and these were included for further analysis (Figure 1). Between included patients and non-responders (n=32) there was a small difference in mean age (76.4 vs 78.7, p=0.046), but no difference in gender, tumour stage, functional dependency or adjuvant treatment (p>0.05, Appendix A). Similar results were seen when demographic characteristics of the study cohort (n=106) were compared to the whole population of older patients with CRC treated in the participating centres during the study period (Appendix B).
Missing values on individual’s scores of the HRQoL scales ranged from 0 to 4%. Most commonly missing data were on the scales of emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, weight loss and fatigue. Based on the Barthel Index at baseline, 80 patients (75%) were regarded as functionally independent (Barthel Index ≥19) and 26 (25%) as functionally dependent (Barthel Index <19).
Baseline characteristics are depicted in Table 1. Mean age of all patients was 76.4. Differences between functionally dependent and independent were seen in gender (p=0.02), open-surgery (p=0.02) and the number of ostomies (p=0.003)
160
