title: Health-related quality of life in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease with high mortality and disability. The data from large longitudinal studies on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with SAH are limited. The objective was to investigate HRQoL in patients after SAH and to identify predictors of HRQoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  113 patients with aneurysmal SAH were assigned to either neurosurgery (n = 57) or endovascular coiling (n = 56). Clinical assessments (Barthel Index, modified Rankin Scale) and evaluation of HRQoL [36-Item Short-Form Survey, EuroQol (EQ5D), EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS)] were performed at discharge, and at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Independent predictors of HRQoL were determined using multiple regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HRQoL in SAH patients was considerably reduced compared to the normal population. At discharge, 92.2% of the patients had moderate or severe problems on the EQ5D. The EQ VAS score was 57.8 +/- 19.3. However, HRQoL still showed improvement from 3 months up to 1 year. At 12 months after SAH, the EQ VAS score was approximately 12-14% higher than at discharge. The independent predictors of decreased HRQoL included female gender, severe SAH, functional disability, depression, a lower level of education and the lack of a stable partnership.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term HRQoL outcome after SAH is unfavourable. HRQoL outcome measures should be included in future studies to provide better evidence of the long-term outcomes after SAH. In addition, the independent determinants of HRQoL identified in this study should be considered in the healthcare programmes aimed at increasing the HRQoL in SAH survivors.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Rudolf-Bultmannstrasse 8, Munich, Germany.
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Meyer
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Ringel
authors: Yaroslav
authors: Y
authors: Winter
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Spottke
authors: Nadir
authors: N
authors: Gharevi
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Dams
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Balzer-Geldsetzer
authors: Ines K
authors: IK
authors: Mueller
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Klockgether
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Schramm
authors: Horst
authors: H
authors: Urbach
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Dodel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery