Abstract
The success of routine coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is now no longer judged solely by its effects on traditional end points such as mortality rates but by its influence on biopsychosocial dimensions. The aim of this study was to assess the course of health-related quality of life, cognitive and emotional change during the six months after elective CABG, and to investigate how cognitive impairments, depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms were related to quality of life. In a prospective study, we followed up for 6 months 138 of the original 147 patients who had undergone elective CABG surgery. Preoperatively, and at 6 months after surgery, a series of psychometric observer-rating and self-rating scales were administered to evaluate cognitive functioning (SKT), depressive symptoms (BDI), posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS-10), and health-related quality of life (SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire). The measurements of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) indicated significantly higher SF-36 values on all of the eight health-related domains from preoperative to 6-month follow-up assessments. However, at 6-month follow-up, patients with clinical depression had significantly lower SF-36 values on all of the eight health-related domains when compared with patients without depression. Also, at 6-month follow-up, patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had significantly lower SF-36 values on six of the eight SF-36 health categories when compared with patients without PTSD. Finally, at 6-month follow-up, patients with cognitive deficits had significantly lower SF-36 values on physical functioning when compared with patients without cognitive impairments. We underscore the need for early and comprehensive bio-psycho-social diagnosis and therapy of post-CABG patients in order to treat emotional distress and CABG-related cognitive impairments and enhance patients' quality of life at an early stage after cardiac surgery.
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