title: Quality of life during 18 months after coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the change in health related quality of life (HRQoL) among elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 302 CABG patients were included in the study. Complete pre-, peri- and postoperative data were collected comprehensively in a database. HRQoL was measured by the 15D instrument. The 15D is a non-disease-specific, 15-dimensional, standardized and self-administered measure of HRQoL that can be used both as a profile and single index score measure. Baseline assessment was carried out before coronary angiography and assessment was repeated 6 and 18 months after surgery. Data were analysed by gender and in three age groups, i.e. patients <65 years, 65-74 years and > or = 75 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty day mortality was 1.0%, and the survival rate at 6 and 18 months was 99.0% and 96.7%, respectively. Preoperative HRQoL of CABG patients was lower in comparison to age- and gender-standardized Finnish population (P<0.001). HRQoL of the patients improved significantly after CABG and the positive change lasted over the whole observation period, despite a slight decrease of 15D scores until 18 months. Although male patients had a higher preoperative HRQoL than women (P=0.005), both genders benefited similarly from the operation. In the patients > or = 75 years, the initial improvement of HRQoL returned to the preoperative level 18 months after the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CABG patients experience a significant improvement in their HRQoL within 6 months after the operation and the effect remains through a mid-term observation time. However, expectations of improved HRQoL may have a limited value in decision making for surgery of coronary artery disease (CAD) for patients more than 75 years old.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery; Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland. pertti.loponen@pp.inet.fi
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loponen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: Jan-Ola
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Wistbacka
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korpilahti
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laurikka
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sintonen
authors.forename: Heini
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huhtala
authors.forename: Matti R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tarkka
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome