title: Comorbidities and characteristics of coronary heart disease patients: their impact on health-related quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) commonly present with more than one comorbid condition, contributing to poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of our study was to identify the associations between HRQoL and patient characteristics, vascular comorbidities and anxiety/depression disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  This observational study was conducted in 36 family medicine practices selected by random stratified sampling from all regions of Slovenia. HRQoL was assessed using the European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire and EQ Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). The associations between HRQoL and patient characteristics stratified by demographics, vascular comorbidities, health services used, their assessment of chronic illness care, and anxiety/depression disorders were identified by ordinal logistic regression and linear regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final sample included 423 CHD patients with a mean age of 68.0 ± SD 10.8 years; 35.2% were female. Mean EQ-VAS score was 58.6 ± SD 19.9 (median: 60 with interquartile range of 45-75), and mean EQ-5D index was 0.60 ± SD 0.19 (median: 0.56 with interquartile range of 0.41-0.76). The statistically significant predictors of a lower EQ-VAS score were higher family physician visit frequency, heart failure (HF) and anxiety/depression disorders (﻿R² 0.240; F = 17.368﻿﻿; p < 0.001). The statistically significant predictor of better HRQoL, according to EQ-5D was higher patient education, whereas higher family physician visit frequency, HF and peripheral artery disease (PAD) were predictors of poorer HRQoL (Nagelkerke R2= 0.298; χ2= 148.151; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our study reveal that comorbid conditions (HF and PAD), family physician visit frequency and years in education are significant predictors of HRQoL in Slovenian CHD patients.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, SI, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia. ksenija.tusek-bunc@guest.arnes.si.|Dr. Adolf Drolc Health Centre Maribor, Ul. talcev 9, SI, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia. ksenija.tusek-bunc@guest.arnes.si.
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tušek-Bunc
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI, 1104, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Davorina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: Anxiety/depression disorders; Coronary heart disease patient; Health-related quality of life; Vascular comorbidities