Table 3 Results from generalized linear models for normally distributed repeated measures data for QLQ-35 variables including corresponding baseline value as covariate

HN Pain

48.4 (41.0–55.8)

50.8 (41.9–59.7)

−2.4 (−14.0–9.1) p = 0.68

38.8 (31.4–46.1)

38.4 (29.6–47.2)

0.3 (−11.1–11.8) p = 0.95

22.6 (15.4–29.8)

30.4 (21.4–39.3)

−7.8 (−19.3–3.7) p = 0.18

15.4 (8.1–22.6)

17.1 (8.2–26.0)

−1.8 (−13.3–9.8) p = 0.76

HN Swallowing

54.0 (45.9–62.1)

63.5 (53.9–73.2)

−9.5 (−22.1–3.1) p = 0.14

46.2 (38.1–54.2)

40.3 (30.7–50.0)

5.8 (−6.8–18.4) p = 0.36

21.2 (13.4–29.0)

36.8 (27.1–46.4)

−15.6 (−28.0–−3.2) p = 0.014

12.8 (4.9–20.6)

19.9 (10.3–29.6)

−7.2 (−19.6–5.3) p = 0.26

HN Speech

41.5 (33.3–49.6)

45.0 (35.4–54.5)

−3.5 (−16.1–9.1) p = 0.58

29.4 (21.2–37.5)

33.3 (23.7–42.9)

−3.9 (−16.6–8.7) p = 0.54

19.6 (11.7–27.5)

25.9 (16.2–35.6)

−6.3 (−18.9–6.2) p = 0.32

12.3 (4.2–20.3)

18.9 (9.2–28.6)

−6.6 (−19.2–6.0) p = 0.30

HN Social eating

51.5 (43.0–60.0)

60.4 (50.0–70.8)

−8.9 (−22.3–4.6) p = 0.19

46.3 (37.8–54.8)

40.1 (30.2–50.1)

6.2 (−6.9–19.3) p = 0.35

25.4 (17.2–33.5)

38.5 (28.4–48.6)

−13.1 (−26.1–−0.1) p = 0.048

16.1 (7.9–24.3)

26.3 (16.2–36.3)

−10.1 (−23.2–2.9) p = 0.13

HN Social contact

25.3 (18.4–32.3)

30.7 (22.5–39.0)

−5.4 (−16.2–5.4) p = 0.32

20.9 (14.0–27.8)

21.6 (13.4–29.7)

−0.6 (−11.4–10.1) p = 0.91

10.0 (3.3–16.7)

11.8 (3.6–20.1)

−1.9 (−12.6–8.8) p = 0.73

6.9 (0.2–13.7)

14.0 (5.7–22.3)

−7.1 (−17.8–3.6) p = 0.19

HN Coughed

43.3 (34.1–52.4)

40.2 (29.2–51.2)

3.1 (−11.4–17.6) p = 0.68

43.3 (34.3–52.3)

37.1 (26.3–48.0)

6.1 (−8.2–20.4) p = 0.40

25.7 (16.9–34.5)

35.6 (24.6–46.6)

−9.9 (−24.1–4.4) p = 0.17

15.0 (6.2–23.8)

21.8 (10.8–32.8)

−6.8 (−21.1–7.5) p = 0.35

HN Felt ill

46.2 (37.3–55.2)

46.2 (35.4–56.9)

0.1 (−13.9–14.1) p = 0.99

32.4 (23.5–41.2)

43.0 (32.4–53.6)

−10.6 (−24.4–3.2) p = 0.13

17.5 (8.9–26.1)

33.8 (23.0–44.6)

−16.3 (−30.1–−2.4) p = 0.021

8.9 (0.2–17.7)

21.3 (10.5–32.1)

−12.4 (−26.2–1.5) p = 0.080