Incidence and risk factors of low anterior resection syndrome with validation of low anterior resection syndrome score questionnaire among the Egyptian patients

Abstract

Background: Since the priority for patients with rectal tumors is a complete cure from the disease with free safetymargins for tumor removal and complete control of systemic disease, postoperative squeals, which may last for life, havebeen overlooked. It was important to study the quality of life after surgery and chemoradiotherapy, especially the impacton bowel functions, in order to improve them and give psychological support to the patient.Patients and Methods: This is a single-center prospective cohort study held in the Surgery Department from December2017 to December 2022. It included 120 patients who had surgery for rectal tumors. Only patients who filled out the lowanterior resection syndrome (LARS) score questionnaire, which was correlated to scores of the three subscales of EORTCQLQ-C30 v3 (The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30version3), were included.Results: One hundred twenty patients were included, 40 patients had no LARS, 45 patients had minor LARS, and 35patients had major LARS. LARS score was highly significantly higher with a P value less than 0.001 in patients withold age, high BMI, low rectal and T4 tumors, open surgery, hand-sewn coloanal anastomosis, intersphincteric resectionsurgery, total mesorectal excision, patients who had neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy.Conclusion: The LARS questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to evaluate LARS among Egyptian patients. Risk factorsof discrimination can be found in those patients.