Quality of life during 18 months after coronary artery bypass grafting.
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.
Loponen
Pertti
P
Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery; Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland. pertti.loponen@pp.inet.fi
Luther
Michael
M
Wistbacka
Jan-Ola
JO
Korpilahti
Kari
K
Laurikka
Jari
J
Sintonen
Harri
H
Huhtala
Heini
H
Tarkka
Matti R
MR
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