关键词: 直肠癌；低位前切除综合征；轨迹；潜在类别；护理；生活质量

Abstract: Objective: To explore the potential categories of Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) within 12 months after surgery in patients with mid-low rectal cancer and its predictive factors to provide reference for personalized health education to improve patients' life quality. Methods: A prospective study was used to select 116 patients who underwent sphincter-preserving surgery for mid-low rectal cancer from April 2021 to October 2022 as the study subjects. The socio-demographic and disease-related data of the patients were collected, and LARS scores were assessed 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after stoma surgery. The latent class growth model was used to identify postoperative LARS trajectories, and univariate analysis and Logistic regression analysis were employed to determine the predictive factors of different trajectory categories. Results: Two latent classes of LARS trajectories were identified in patients with mid-low rectal cancer, namely "mild symptom maintenance group" (35.3%) and "severe symptom relief group" (64.7%). There were statistically significant differences in the preoperative use of neoadjuvant therapy and whether pelvic floor rehabilitation therapy was performed during the preventive stoma period between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: The incidence of LARS after surgery is relatively high in patients with mid-low rectal cancer, with symptoms lasting up to 6 months postoperatively or even longer in most patients. Group heterogeneity exists in LARS trajectories among different patient groups, and healthcare providers should refer to patients' LARS trajectory categories for personalized interventions to improve the outcomes of LARS.

Key words: rectal cancer; Low Anterior Resection Syndrome; trajectory; latent class; nursing; quality of life