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Change in quality of life in the year following cardiac rehabilitation

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after cardiac rehabilitation in the usual care setting, and to determine predictors for change. In the Post Infarction Care Study, 2441 patients were consecutively included at admission to 18 inpatient cardiac rehabilitation centres following coronary events. HRQoL was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire at baseline as well as 6 and 12 months after discharge. HRQoL improved significantly in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) but not in patients after myocardial infarction. Significant baseline predictors for change of the SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) score were the exercise ECG result at admission (0.59 absolute change/10-watt increase; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.79), an income ≥ 1750 € (1.64; 95% CI: 0.35, 2.93), baseline PCS score (−0.63; 95% CI: −0.69, −0.57), and CABG as indication for admission (3.65; 95% CI: 2.27, 5.04). Significant predictors for change of the mental component summary (MCS) score were age (1.28/10-year increase; 95% CI: 0.62, 1.94), East Germany as area of residence (2.62; 95% CI: 1.32, 3.91), baseline MCS score (−0.58; 95% CI: −0.63, −0.52), and CABG as indication for admission (1.68; 95% CI: 0.36, 3.01). The identification of predictors of HRQoL in the present study may aid in the further development and evaluation of cardiac rehabilitation programmes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité Hospital, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    J. Müller-Nordhorn, M. Kulig, S. Binting, K. Linde & S.N. Willich

  2. Klinik am See Rüdersdorf, Germany

    H. Völler

  3. Herz-Zentrum Bad Krozingen, Germany

    H. Gohlke

Authors
  1. J. Müller-Nordhorn
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  2. M. Kulig
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  3. S. Binting
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  4. H. Völler
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  5. H. Gohlke
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  6. K. Linde
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  7. S.N. Willich
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Müller-Nordhorn, J., Kulig, M., Binting, S. et al. Change in quality of life in the year following cardiac rehabilitation. Qual Life Res 13, 399–410 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:QURE.0000018473.55508.6a

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:QURE.0000018473.55508.6a

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