title: Health-related quality of life 2 years after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective of this longitudinal study was to examine patient-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and depressive symptoms 2 years after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGS) compared with the results from preoperative and 1 year postoperative data and to compare the 2-year follow-up data with Australian population normative scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-seven participants were recruited preoperatively, and their HRQOL was assessed before, 6 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Forty-eight participants completed both questionnaires 2 years after CABGS. Short Form-36 mean scores indicated an overall improvement in all aspects of HRQOL, with a statistically significant improvement in 5 of the SF-36 health domains and in the physical component summary (P <or= .05). Comparison of 1- and 2-year SF-36 scores revealed a moderate, nonsignificant deterioration in 6 of the health domains and in the physical component summary, whereas Mental Health and the Mental Component Summary showed a moderate, nonsignificant improvement. Two-year postoperative SF-36 scores were similar to normative scores of the Australian population with heart disease. Beck Depression Inventory mean scores were within the normal range (<or=9) at 2 years postoperatively and not significantly different from preoperative scores. The research has indicated that most of the participants had significant improvements in their perceived health status 2 years after CABGS and no significant depressive symptoms had been noted; however, it also raises questions as to why there may be some deterioration in health status between 1 and 2 years postoperatively. This has important implications for the planning of nursing care and patient education after CABGS.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Ward, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azzopardi
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires