The relationship between EuroSCORE preoperative risk prediction and quality of life changes after coronary artery by-pass surgery.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between preoperative risk prediction and the quality of life (QOL) changes six months after coronary artery by-pass surgery (CABG).

METHODS

From February to May 2002, we prospectively studied 243 consecutive patients, who underwent elective CABG. The Nottingham Health Profile Questionnaire (NHP) part 1 was used as the model for QOL determination. We distributed the questionnaire to all patients before CABG and six months after CABG. Two hundred and twenty-six patients filled in the postoperative questionnaire. We calculated the preoperative risk of death using the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE).

RESULTS

Eighty-nine out of 243 (37%) patients were in low risk group, 108/243 (44%) were in medium risk group and 46/243 (19%) were in high risk group. Prior to CABG, higher EuroSCORE was related to poorer quality of life of the examinees (r=0.23, P<0.001). Six months after the operation, the improvement in QOL was related to higher EuroSCORE in section of energy (r=0.19, P=0.005). To determine the preoperative factors influencing the changes of QOL scores after CABG, we performed logistic regression, first by univariate analysis, and then by multivariate analysis. We analyzed 26 examined variables with potential influence on postoperative QOL. EuroSCORE was not the predictor of the QOL changes six months after CABG.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher EuroSCORE risk of death had worse preoperative QOL. Patients with higher EuroSCORE had greater improvement of QOL in section of energy. EuroSCORE was not the predictor of QOL changes after CABG.