Effect of coronary artery bypass graft surgery on older women's health-related quality of life

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if health-related quality of life (HRQL) improves after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in older women. DESIGN: The study design was longitudinal observational. SETTING: The study took place in a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. PATIENTS: Study participants included 34 women 61 years or older who had elective or urgent CABG surgery for the first time. OUTCOME MEASURES: The 2 measures of HRQL were the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 and the Feeling Thermometer (FT). The Short Form-36 is composed of 8 subscales that are summarized into the Physical and the Mental Composite Scores. The FT is a utility measure that rates patients' preferences for different health states. RESULTS: HRQL of older women was improved after CABG surgery: 7.79 points in the physical composite scores (P = .001), 7.26 in the mental composite scores (P = .008), and 29.77 points in the FT scores (P < .001). Age was a predictor of HRQL, with older women demonstrating poorer physical and better mental HRQL 3 months after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: HRQL of older women is improved significantly as early as 3 months after CABG surgery.