Patients' and significant others' health-related quality of life one month after coronary artery bypass grafting predicts later health-related quality of life

Objective

To describe and compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients (N = 367) and significant others (N = 367) and to identify factors associated with HRQoL after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods

HRQoL was measured by the 15D in 3 stages: 1, 6, and 12 months after CABG. The focus in this study is on HRQoL at the second (6 months) and third (12 months) stages of the recovery process. Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to identify the associations of independent variables with HRQoL.

Results

Patients had a lower HRQoL than significant others in both stages after CABG. The HRQoL of patients and significant others was explained by their HRQoL 1 month after the operation. Other significant explanatory factors among patients were cardiac symptoms on physical exertion and other additional diseases. Among significant others, chronic diseases were associated with HRQoL.

Conclusion

The HRQoL of patients and significant others differed from each other at both 6 and 12 months after CABG. Previous HRQoL affects later HRQoL in both patients and significant others.