This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Mikko J. Hippeläinen Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jokinen, J. J. Articles by Hartikainen, J. E.K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jokinen, J. J. Articles by Hartikainen, J. E.K. Related Collections Related Article

Prospective assessment of quality of life of octogenarians after cardiac surgery: factors predicting long-term outcome

^a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
^b Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
^c Department of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
^d Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 1777, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +358 17 173311; fax: +358 17 173959.

E-mail address: juha.hartikainen{at}kuh.fi (J.E.K. Hartikainen).

Our objective was to assess the long-term prognosis and quality of life (QoL) of elderly patients after cardiac surgery. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) QoL data were recorded from 104 patients who were older than 70 years at the time of primary cardiac surgery in 1993. All living patients were controlled at 15±3.2 months and 8.2±0.27 years after discharge. The 1-year, 5-year and actual survival rates were 94%, 76%, and 59%, respectively. Risk factors for death were urgency of the operation (relative risk ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–3.6), ejection fraction below 50% (2.1; 1.1–3.9), and preoperative renal failure (2.1; 1.0–4.0). Cardiac operated octogenarians took advantage from age and sex matched reference populations at 15 months in the NHP dimension of pain (P=0.001). The QoL decreased gradually during the follow-up similarly in both groups in dimensions describing energy (P=0.001), pain (P=0.003), and mobility (P=0.042). Diabetes, low energy score and high pain score at 15 months, treatment in intensive care unit >3 days, and duration of symptoms >120 days preoperatively were associated with impaired QoL. Survival and QoL were similar for cardiac operated octogenarians and age and sex matched controls at 15 months and 8.2 years after cardiac surgery.

Key Words: Quality of life; Survival; Octogenarians; Cardiac surgery

Related Article

eComment: Prospective assessment of quality of life of octogenarians after cardiac surgery

Leo A. Bockeria, I.I. Skopin, and E.V. Kuts
Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery 2008 7: 818. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. A. Bockeria, I.I. Skopin, and E.V. Kuts eComment: Prospective assessment of quality of life of octogenarians after cardiac surgery Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, October 1, 2008; 7(5): 818 - 818. [Full Text] [PDF]