title: Relationship between quality of life and aerobic capacity of patients entering phase II cardiac rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between patients' aerobic fitness and general health perceptions and how they correspond with functional aerobic impairment (%FAI) and quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and two patients were administered a version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life brief form questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Then, each patient underwent cardiopulmonary exercise tests to determine their aerobic fitness and %FAI. We performed Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses to assess the association between variables on the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and the each patient's aerobic fitness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a significant association between WHOQOL-BREF scores and peak oxygen uptake (peak VO(2)) in the physical domain (p = 0.006) and environment domain (p = 0.011). Spearman's correlation coefficient also demonstrated a significant association between WHOQOL-BREF scores and the %FAI in the environmental domain (p = 0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QOL of patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery is influenced not only by impaired aerobic fitness but also by poor physical and psychological well-being. The implementation of proper lifestyle modifications and the strengthening of social support networks following CABG surgery are very important for maximizing cardiovascular fitness and improving the QOL of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Po-Chin
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Si-Huei
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yi-Chieh
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Su-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Chen-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires