On the waiting list for possible coronary revascularisation. Symptoms relief during the first year and association between quality of life and the very long-term mortality risk

Aim To describe: a/ the improvement in quality of life (QoL) among patients on the waiting list for coronary revascularisation and b/ the association between QoL and very long-term mortality. Patients All patients on the waiting list for possible coronary revascularisation in western Sweden during one week in September 1990. Methods QoL was assessed at the start of the survey and one year later among patients who both were and were not revascularised. Survival data were gathered for the subsequent 14 years. Results From the start, 883 patients were evaluated in the survey. Among patients who were revascularised, an improvement was seen in all the aspects of QoL that were studied during the first year as compared with patients who were not revascularised, in whom only minor changes in QoL were seen during the first year. After one year, there were seven aspects of QoL which were significantly associated with the risk of death during the subsequent 14 years, when adjusting for age, sex, previous history and extent of coronary artery disease. They were: tiredness (OR = 1.4), weakness (OR = 1.5), lack of energy (OR = 1.5), inability to react (OR = 1.7), use of sedatives (OR = 3.2), dyspnea when dressing (OR = 2.1) and chest pain when dressing (OR = 1.9). Conclusion Among patients on the waiting list for possible coronary revascularisation, there was a marked improvement in QoL among those who were revascularised. In a variety of aspects of QoL, an association with the very long-term risk of death was observed.