Comparison of the Nottingham Health Profile and the 36-item health survey questionnaires in cardiac surgery.
BACKGROUND
Quality of life (QOL) instruments help to integrate the patient's view into clinical practice and into the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies. The aim of the present study was to determine which of two generic QOL instruments, the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) or the Short Form Health Survey (SF36), was the more suitable for use in cardiac surgery.


METHODS
The NHP and the SF36 were compared before and 5 weeks after surgery. Comparison was conducted in two stages: (1) the acceptability and psychometric properties of the tools were measured, and (2) the short-time evolution of angina pectoris and dyspnea status were assessed with the QOL.


RESULTS
A total of 322 patients were included and 299 patients completed preoperative and postoperative questionnaires. Acceptability was similar for both questionnaires. Internal consistency, ceiling effect, sensitivity to change, as well as the assessment of the evolution of angina pectoris and dyspnea were better for the SF36 than for the NHP.


CONCLUSIONS
The SF36 seems more suitable than the NHP for evaluating QOL in cardiac surgery.
Falcoz
Pierre Emmanuel
PE
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hôpital Jean-Minjoz, Besançon, France. pierre-emmanuel.falcoz@wanadoo.fr
Chocron
Sidney
S
Mercier
Mariette
M
Puyraveau
Marc
M
Etievent
Joseph Philippe
JP
D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires