Table 4.
Comparison of Patients with Low Versus High Worry Surrounding ß-hCG Surveillance
| Variable | ß-hCG worry low (<5) (n = 29) | ß-hCG worry high (≥5) (N = 19) | p | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting ß-hCG value at diagnosis, mean (SD) | 35,030 (71,704) | 52,063 (113,265) | 0.57 | 46 |
| Diagnosed with GTN within last 5 years, n (%) | 0.47 | 47 | ||
| No | 13 (46) | 6 (32) | ||
| Yes | 15 (54) | 13 (68) | ||
| Years since diagnosis, mean (median; range) | 5.19 (4.7; 1.1–12.1) | 3.73 (2.9; 3 months–9.3 years) | 0.12 | 47 |
| Experienced recurrence of GTN, n (%) | 46 | |||
| No | 23 (85) | 18 (95) | 0.39 | |
| Yes | 4 (15) | 1 (5) | ||
| Attempted conception, n (%) | 46 | |||
| No | 8 (30) | 7 (37) | 0.85 | |
| Yes | 19 (70) | 12 (63) | ||
| Number of successful pregnancies after GTN treatment, n (%) | 0.04 | 48 | ||
| 0 | 6 (32) | 10 (77) | ||
| 1 | 7 (37) | 3 (23) | ||
| 2 | 5 (27) | 0 (0) | ||
| 3 | 1 (5) | 0 (0) | ||
| Symptom checklist, mean (SD) | 18.4 (16.4) | 21.3 (13.7) | 0.51 | 47 |
| Reproductive concerns score, mean (SD) | 10.6 (8.85) | 21.1 (11.1) | 0.002 | 47 |
| Female sexual function index | ||||
| FSFI total score, mean (SD) | 21.7 (11.8) | 19.1 (10.7) | 0.24 | 45 |
| Desire | 3.09 (1.30) | 2.27 (1.09) | 0.03 | 47 |
| Arousal | 3.41 (2.33) | 2.61 (1.97) | 0.21 | 47 |
| Lubrication | 3.62 (2.43) | 3.19 (2.46) | 0.56 | 46 |
| Orgasm | 3.48 (2.36) | 3.16 (2.35) | 0.66 | 45 |
| Satisfaction | 3.62 (2.00) | 3.30 (1.74) | 0.57 | 44 |
| Pain | 3.98 (2.56) | 3.22 (2.65) | 0.34 | 45 |
| Sexually active, n (%) | 20 (69) | 13 (68) | 0.99 | 48 |
| Scoring below clinical cutoff (26.6)—sexual dysfunction, n (%) | 12 (46) | 14 (74) | 0.12 | 45 |
| Center for epidemiologic studies–depression | ||||
| CES-D total score, mean (SD) | 8.5 (7.7) | 14.3 (9.96) | 0.039 | 48 |
| Scoring below clinical cutoff (16+)—depression, n (%) | 3 (10) | 7 (37) | 0.036 | 48 |
| Impact of life events scale | ||||
| IES total score, mean (SD) | 12.9 (11.8) | 23.6 (16.2) | 0.02 | 47 |
| Intrusive thoughts subscale, mean (SD) | 5.04 (5.3) | 12.7 (8.6) | 0.002 | |
| Avoidant behavior subscale, mean (SD) | 7.9 (8.04) | 10.9 (10.1) | 0.287 | |
| Abbreviated Dyadic Adjustment Scale, mean (SD) | 3.9 (1.7) | 3.31 (1.3) | 0.267 | 33 |
| Concerned about medical harm from GTN treatment, n (%) | 38 | |||
| Yes | 14 (50) | 13 (72) | 0.235 | |
| No | 14 (50) | 5 (28) | ||
| Concerned about GTN recurrence, n (%) | 47 | |||
| Yes | 12 (41) | 17 (94) | 0.001 | |
| No | 17 (59) | 1 (6) | ||
| Concerned about developing new cancer, mean (SD) | 3.25 (2.6) | 6.39 (2.6) | 0.001 | 48 |
| Active surveillance during survey, n (%) | 37 | |||
| Yes | 8 (38) | 5 (31) | 0.09 | |
| No | 13 (62) | 11 (69) | ||
| Feelings about ß-hCG surveillance have changed over time, n (%) | 47 | |||
| Yes | 27 (93) | 8 (44) | 0.001 | |
| No | 2 (7) | 10 (56) | ||
| Counseling was offered, n (%) | 48 | |||
| Yes | 17 (65) | 12 (63) | 0.99 | |
| No | 9 (35) | 7 (37) | ||
| Counseling was accepted, n (%) | 48 | |||
| Yes | 4 (14) | 10 (53) | 0.013 | |
| No | 24 (86) | 9 (47) |
p Values for group differences in continuous variables are from independent sample t-tests. p Values for group differences in categorical variables are from Fisher's exact tests.
CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression; FSFI, female sexual function index; IES, Impact of Life Events Scale; N, overall number of patients in analysis; n, number of patients in subgroup.