# Very Long‐Term Follow‐Up of Multidimensional Health‐Related Quality of Life After Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas: A Prospective Cohort Study

## TL;DR

This study shows that endoscopic surgery for pituitary tumors does not harm long-term quality of life, with improvements in psychological and social well-being over time.

## Contribution

The study provides unique insights into very long-term HRQoL outcomes after endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary adenomas.

## Key findings

- Psychological and social health-related quality of life significantly improved after very long-term follow-up.
- Physical HRQoL and EES-Q scores normalized post-surgery, with social functioning remaining the most affected domain.
- Female gender was found to negatively impact physical HRQoL outcomes.

## Abstract

To evaluate postoperative health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) for pituitary adenoma patients, multidimensional assessment is important. Available data is limited on long‐term follow‐up.

Prospectively, 52 nonfunctioning (NFA) and functioning (FA) pituitary adenoma patients were included. The Endoscopic Endonasal Sinus and Skull Base Surgery Questionnaire (EES‐Q) was completed preoperatively and postoperatively (2 weeks, 3 months, 1 year, 8.5 years). Generalized estimating equations identified variables associated with HRQoL changes over time.

Psychological (p = 0.006) and social HRQoL (p = 0.026) significantly improved after very long‐term follow‐up, while physical HRQoL and EES‐Q scores normalized. Pre‐ and postoperatively, most inconveniences were reported in the social domain, with a noticeable difference between NFA and FA patients. Female gender negatively impacted physical HRQoL.

Endoscopic endonasal surgery has no very long‐term negative impact on HRQoL. Social functioning remained the most affected throughout follow‐up. These results highlight the importance of this multidimensional HRQoL tool to improve patient‐centered health care.