Quality of well-being predicts survival in lung transplantation candidates.
Predictors of survival were evaluated among 74 patients selected for a lung transplantation program. Each patient received the quality of well-being scale, a utility-based outcome measure that gives a score on a continuum ranging from 0 (for dead) to 1.0 (for optimum function), and a measure of depressive symptoms (Beck depression inventory). Over the course of follow-up, 24 patients died (ranging from listing date, 3 to 1, 110 d). Of the 49 patients who received lung transplantation, 13 died. In a multivariate analysis, the most significant predictor of survival was quality of well-being (relative risk = 0.454, p < 0.05). Lung transplant status, when entered as a time-dependent covariate (a function of how long the patient waited for surgery) was not a significant predictor of survival (relative risk = 0.942, p > 0.05). Depression was not a significant predictor of survival (relative risk = 0.961, p > 0.05). We conclude that health-related quality of life is a significant predictor of survival for patients with serious lung diseases.
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego 92103-8377, USA.
H C
HC
Squier
A L
AL
Ries
R M
RM
Kaplan
L M
LM
Prewitt
C M
CM
Smith
J M
JM
Kriett
S W
SW
Jamieson
D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate