title: Quality of life, bypass surgery and the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine changes in health-related quality of life (HQOL) following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) in elderly patients and to compare patient ratings with proxy ratings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, nonrandomized, prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients from a single primary care facility in a major urban centre within a one-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  All eligible patients undergoing CABS at the site within a one-year period were approached for study participation. The study sample consisted of 18 patients 65 years of age or older and 18 proxies at baseline. Fourteen patients and 13 proxies completed follow-up assessments.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent CABS. HQOL was studied using the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Psychological Well-Being Schedule (PGWB).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements were noted in physical, social and psychological functioning (P < 0.05). Proxies' reports provided good indications of patient functioning for these dimensions with significant differences found only for certain preoperative measures including the total SIP score and the Anxiety and Depression subscales of the PGWB (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients 65 years of age and older accrue improvements in HQOL following CABS. Such findings may influence the allocation and justification of various medical procedures. Proxy ratings closely reflected the patients' own ratings and may therefore be considered a reliable, alternate source of information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Verhoef
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Emes
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires