Cardiac rehabilitation in Austria: short term quality of life improvements in patients with heart disease.
BACKGROUND
The goal of cardiac rehabilitation programs is not only to prolong life, but also to improve physical functioning, symptoms, wellbeing and health-related quality of life (HRQL). The aim of the study was to document short-term outcomes of cardiac rehabilitation programs in Austria.


METHODS
Consecutive patients (N = 487, 64.7% male, age 60.9 +/- 12.5 SD years) after myocardial infarction (MI), with or without percutaneous interventions (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or heart valve surgery (HVS), referred to the six inpatient rehabilitation centers of the Austrian PVA insurance company, were included in the study. Exercise capacity, risk factors and HRQL (MacNew Heart Disease Quality of Life Instrument [MacNew] and EuroQoL-5D [EQ-5D]) were measured at the beginning and end of the 4-week inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program.


RESULTS
Global HRQL (MacNew) improved significantly over time in all patients combined (+0.75 +/- 0.88 SD, T = -16.99, df = 394, p < .001) and exceeded the minimal important difference. Patients with CABG, HVS or MI without PCI showed the greatest improvements in global HRQL after cardiac rehabilitation (p < .02). Blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, body mass index, waist circumference improved significantly (all p < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide evidence that the improvements in HRQL and risk factors following cardiac rehabilitation in Austria are clinically important. HRQL should become a standard outcome parameter in cardiac rehabilitation.
Höfer
Stefan
S
Medizin Universität Innsbruck, Univ.-Klinik für Medizinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Innsbruck, Osterreich. stefan.hoefer@uibk.ac.at
Kullich
Werner
W
Graninger
Ursula
U
Brandt
Dieter
D
Gassner
Alfred
A
Klicpera
Martin
M
Laimer
Herbert
H
Marko
Christiane
C
Schwann
Helmut
H
Müller
Rudolf
R
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000523:psychology*; D001317:Austria; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012307:Risk Factors