title: Invasive treatment in unstable coronary artery disease promotes health-related quality of life: results from the FRISC II trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment strategies, either invasive or noninvasive, for patients with unstable coronary artery disease still vary. There are no published studies comparing the strategies for health-related quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2457 patients with unstable coronary artery disease were randomized. We prospectively recorded the patients' health-related quality of life using 2 questionnaires, the generic Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the disease-specific Angina Pectoris Quality of Life Questionnaire (APQLQ), at randomization and after 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a high response rate (92%) at randomization, with 2251 respondents. The invasively treated group showed a significantly better quality of life in all 8 scales and both component scores at the 3- and 6-month follow-up (P <.01) than the noninvasively treated group. These differences remained at the 12-month follow-up, with significance in 7 of the scales and in the physical component score. The disease-specific quality of life results were similar until the 6-month follow-up. At randomization, the unstable population showed a remarkably lower quality of life in all 8 scales and the component scores compared with an age- and sex-matched normative population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients receiving early invasive intervention after an unstable episode had substantial improvement in health-related quality of life until the 1-year follow-up, compared with patients receiving noninvasive treatment. Health-related quality of life in an unstable coronary artery disease population is remarkably lower than in a matched normative population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Care, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Magnus.Janzon@imv.liu.se
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janzon
authors.forename: Lars-Ake
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Swahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000628:therapy*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017985:Dalteparin