Factors related to quality of life and satisfaction with nasal appearance in patients treated for unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Objective: To identify factors related to quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction with nasal appearance among patients treated for unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Design: Cross-sectional population study with long-term follow-up. Patients/Settings: All patients with UCLP born between 1960 and 1987, treated at Uppsala University Hospital, were invited (n  =  109); 86 (79%) participated. Mean follow-up time was 35 years. Main Outcome Measures: Quality of life was measured with Short Form–36 (SF-36) and analyzed using mental and physical cluster scores (MCS and PCS). Nasal appearance was self-assessed with the “Satisfaction With Appearance” questionnaire and by panel judgment. Multivariate regression analyses explored endogenous factors (age, gender, infancy cleft width, nasal function, nasolabial appearance) and exogenous factors (marital status, number of children, education level, operation method, number of rhinoplasties performed). Results: A larger cleft width in infancy was associated with less...