Table 3 Comparison of within and between group SF36 scores

Physical functioning

 Before treatment

45.74 ± 21.26^b

47.09 ± 20.72^b

59.00 ± 27.65^b

0.104^*

 1st month after treatment

61.51 ± 24.06^b

66.77 ± 20.02^b

73.00 ± 17.72^b

0.172^*

 3rd month after treatment

61.61 ± 26.43^b

70.48 ± 19.20^b

75.00 ± 17.91^b

0.087^*

Within group p

0.003^**

< 0.001^**

0.036^**

Role -physical

 Before treatment

0 (0–100)^c,d

0 (0–100)^c,d

87.5 (0–100)^c

0.002^***

 1st month after treatment

75 (0–100)^d

100 (0–100)^d

100 (0–100)

0.114^***

 3rd month after treatment

75 (0–100)^d

100 (0–100)^d

100 (0–100)

0.063^***

Within group p

< 0.001^****

< 0.001^****

0.063^****

Role -emotional

 Before treatment

34.38 ± 39.93^a,b

47.29 ± 47.75^b

68.30 ± 39.75^a

0.027^*

 1st month after treatment

64.54 ± 41.24^b

76.32 ± 39.65^b

80.00 ± 41.03

0.347^*

 3rd month after treatment

63.35 ± 41.70^b

81.67 ± 35.37^b

85.00 ± 36.63

0.081^*

Within group p

0.001^**

0.006^**

0.110^**

Vitality

 Before treatment

45.48 ± 14.16^b

48.38 ± 18.63^b

49.50 ± 17.31

0.576^*

 1st month after treatment

54.83 ± 15.62^b

56.45 ± 21.45^b

49.75 ± 16.50

0.234^*

 3rd month after treatment

55.80 ± 19.58^b

56.29 ± 23.55^b

49.00 ± 18.32

0.075^*

Within group p

0.005^*

0.019^*

0.957^*

Emotional well-being

 Before treatment

56.25 ± 15.69^b

58.70 ± 16.21^b

61.10 ± 12.40

0.382^*

 1st month after treatment

63.48 ± 13.13^b

65.03 ± 16.68

61.30 ± 15.30

0.367^*

 3rd month after treatment

62.00 ± 19.34

67.61 ± 17.83^b

61.15 ± 15.13

0.671^*

Within group p

0.029^*

0.021^*

0.996^*

Social functioning

 Before treatment

50 (25–88)^d

50 (25–100)^d

63 (10–100)^d

0.272^***

 1st month after treatment

63 (37.5–100)^d

87.5 (0–100)^d

87.5 (13–100)^d

0.221^***

 3rd month after treatment

63 (13–100)^c,d

100 (37.5–100)^c,d

88 (50–100)^d

0.012^***

Within group p

0.001^****

< 0.001^****

< 0.001^****

Pain

 Before treatment

38 (0–68)^c,d

45 (0–80)^d

45 (23–70)^c,d

0.007^***

 1st month after treatment

48 (10–100)^d

67.5 (35–100)^d

67.5 (20–90)^d

0.233^***

 3rd month after treatment

58 (10–100)^d

70 (22.5–100)^d

63.7 (22.5–90)^d

0.753^***

Within group p

< 0.001^****

< 0.001^****

0.021^****

General health

 Before treatment

50 (25–80)

60 (20–85)^d

57.5 (25–100)

0.132^***

 1st month after treatment

55 (30–80)

65 (15–95)

57.5 (30–100)

0.330^***

 3rd month after treatment

55 (25–95)

65 (30–95)^d

62.5 (30–100)

0.215^***

Within group p

0.248****

0.030^****

0.590****

Mental Health

 Before treatment

38.70 ± 18.07^b

34.51 ± 15.24^b

42.25 ± 18.60

0.285^*

 1st month after treatment

60.48 ± 26.43^b

59.67 ± 23.87^b

52.50 ± 26.77

0.514^*

 3rd month after treatment

56.61 ± 30.77^b

56.41 ± 25.77^b

57.50 ± 27.02

0.990^*

Within group p

< 0.001^**

< 0.001^**

0.099^**