Indicators of myocardial dysfunction and quality of life, one year after acute infarction.
BACKGROUND
There remains controversy concerning the association between myocardial dysfunction diagnosed soon after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and subsequent quality of life.


OBJECTIVE
We searched for a correlation between criteria of myocardial dysfunction assessed within the first month after AMI, and quality of life perceived 1 year later.


METHODS
Six hundred and seventy-one patients were followed up and quality of life was assessed using the Nottingham Health Profile. Spearman correlation was used for univariate analyses. A logistic regression identified independent predictors of impaired quality of life.


RESULTS
Patients perceiving inferior quality of life were 61% for energy, 61% for sleep, 49% for physical mobility, 49% for pain, 63% for emotional reactions, and 28% for social isolation. Impaired quality of life was not associated with the initial Killip class. A low ejection fraction was associated with impaired physical mobility (OR=1.21, 95% CI=1.05-1.39). Presence of abnormally contracting myocardial segments was associated with impaired mobility (1.40, 1.09-1.80) and with increased pain (1.30, 1.02-1.66). The presence of diseased coronary vessels was associated with pain (1.25, 1.06-1.46).


CONCLUSIONS
Myocardial dysfunction was generally associated with impaired quality of life. This has to be considered when assessing improvement of quality of life after medical or surgical treatment of AMI.
Ecochard
R
R
Département d'Information Médicale, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Unité de Biostatistique, 162 avenue Lacassagne, 69424 Lyon Cedex 03, France. rene.ecochard@chu-lyon.fr
Colin
C
C
Rabilloud
M
M
de Gevigney
G
G
Cao
D
D
Ducreux
C
C
Delahaye
F
F
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*