Quality-of-life assessment in an outpatient parenteral antibiotic program.
OBJECTIVE
To measure changes and to identify predictors of change of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for enrollees into an outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) program.


METHODS
A multidisciplinary, single-center, prospective investigation was conducted at a 1000-bed Canadian adult tertiary-care teaching hospital. Over a 15-month study period, consenting patients who were enrolled in the OPAT program completed paired Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires within 48 hours prior to discharge from the hospital and again 26-30 days after discharge. Sociodemographic data and clinical variables were also collected for the purpose of determining potential predictors of change in quality of life.


RESULTS
During the study period, 134 patients were enrolled in the OPAT program and 82 completed the paired SF-36 questionnaires. Study participants experienced a significant improvement in 3 SF-36 domains (physical functioning, bodily pain, role emotional) and the mental component summary scale (MCS) scores when they were transferred from the hospital to home setting. The SF-36 scores for all domains and summary scales were lower than the Canadian population average (all p < 0.001). Multiple linear-regression analysis revealed that infectious disease diagnosis and baseline physical component summary scale (PCS) scores were predictors of the change in the PCS score when patients transferred from the hospital to the home setting. Length of hospital stay and baseline MCS scores were predictors of the change in MCS scores when patients transferred from the hospital to the home setting.


CONCLUSIONS
This study reveals that some domains in HRQoL appear to improve 4 weeks after discharge for adults enrolled in an OPAT program and that there are different predictors for changes in physical and mental health.
Goodfellow
Alan F
AF
Pharmaceutical Sciences Clinical Service Unit, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, British Columbia, Canada.
Wai
Amy O
AO
Frighetto
Luciana
L
Marra
Carlo A
CA
Ferreira
Barbara M
BM
Chase
M Lynn
ML
Nicol
Ruth E
RE
Leong
Carole A
CA
Tomlinson
Sally
S
Jewesson
Peter J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents