This explorative study investigated associations among the amount of different rehabilitative interventions, based on the classification of therapeutic procedures codes (KTL), and long-term health-related quality of life in patients with cancer or rheumatoid arthritis.
3 therapeutic modules of rehabilitative interventions were defined on the basis of KTL codes: (i) somatic interventions, (ii) psychological interventions, and (iii) medical counselling. Based on a median-split, patients were classified in 2 groups with low vs. high amount of rehabilitative interventions. Health-related quality of life was assessed on admission, at discharge from rehabilitative stay, as well as 3 and 12 months after discharge using the SF-12 health survey.
166 patients with chronic arthritis and 159 patients with cancer undergoing inpatient rehabilitation were included in the analysis. Arthritis patients who received a high amount of somatic interventions showed a significant improvement in the SF-12 mental health component summary score up to 12 months after discharge (p<0.05). Cancer patients who received a high amount of psychological interventions showed higher SF-12 physical health component summary scores at 3 and 12 months follow-up (p<0.05).
The results suggest differential relationships between amount of rehabilitative interventions and long-term rehabilitation outcome in 2 different disease groups. Routine classification of rehabilitative procedures (KTL) codes can be used for analysing dose-response relationships, although open questions remain concerning the validity of KTL codes.