title: Return to work after coronary artery bypass in patients aged under 50 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to identify factors associated with return to work and quality of life in patients undergoing primary coronary artery bypass at age <50 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  172 patients<50-years old underwent primary coronary artery bypass between January 2000 and December 2006. Predictors of return to work were analysed from variables in a prospectively collected database and on follow-up by the SF-36 questionnaire in 129 (75%) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  136 (79%) patients were working prior to surgery. The educational level was: primary 14.5%, secondary 47%, trade 22%, tertiary 13%, and postgraduate 3%. Type of occupation was blue collar 51%, white collar 41%, pensioner 27%, and unspecfied 8%. The mean follow-up was 86.4±23.4 months. One hundred and twenty-six (69%) patients attended cardiac rehabilitation. Forty (23%) patients experienced recurrence of symptoms; 11 (6%) required reintervention. One hundred and twenty-seven (93%) patients returned to work postoperatively. Univariate predictors of return to work were male sex, blue-collar work, and working prior to surgery. Independent predictors of return to work were working prior to surgery and blue-collar work. Patients who returned to work had significantly higher scores in all 8 domains on the SF36-Questionnaire compared to those who did not return to work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative employment and blue collar occupation were associated with a higher rate of return to work after coronary artery bypass in patients of working age. Patients who returned to work had significantly better measured quality of life than those who did not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, and Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Pallav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haluska
authors.forename: Rayleene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holliday
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mundy
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D062707:Return to Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*