Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Apr 8:5:e27-e35.
doi: 10.5114/amsad.2020.94376. eCollection 2020.

Anxiety and health-related quality of life after cardiac surgery

Yalcin Guzelhan  1 , Murat Ugurlucan  2 , Didem Melis Oztas  3 , Metin Onur Beyaz  2 , Orcun Unal  4 , Nilufer Bektas  5 , Cenk Conkbayir  6 , Ufuk Alpagut  7 , Nilgun Bozbuga  7
Affiliations

Anxiety and health-related quality of life after cardiac surgery

Yalcin Guzelhan et al. Arch Med Sci Atheroscler Dis. .

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of elective cardiac surgery on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Material and methods: One hundred and eight (35 women and 73 men, mean age 62.3 ±12.7 years) patients undergoing open heart surgery were enrolled in the study. Physical and mental domains of quality of life were measured using the 36-item Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) self-administered questionnaire, and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). At baseline 108 patients filled out the SF-36 and STAI, and 102 patients at 6-month follow-up.

Results: It was found that there was significant improvement in three out of eight health domains: physical functioning (p < 0.02), role physical (p < 0.01), and social functioning (p < 0.04), at 6-month follow-up. The two STAI sub-scores: the State Anxiety Inventory and the Trait Anxiety Inventory were found to be high (≥ 40) both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Postoperatively there was not any statistically significant decrease in the levels of anxiety.

Conclusions: This study suggests that the assessment of psychosocial factors, particularly the ongoing assessment of anxiety, could help in risk stratification and prediction of functional status and HRQoL in patients after cardiovascular surgery. Furthermore, the assessment of preoperative well-being should be integrated in routine care in order to identify and support patients with higher levels of anxiety.

Keywords: anxiety; cardiac surgery; health-related quality of life; risk factors; short-form health survey; state-trait anxiety inventory.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Shan L, Saxena A, McMahon R, Wilson A, Newcomb A. A systematic review on the quality of life benefits after aortic valve replacement in the elderly. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013;145:1173–89. - PubMed
    1. Jokinen JJ, Hippelainen MJ, Turpeinen AK, Pitkanen O, Hartikainen JE. Health related quality of life after coronary artery bypass grafting: a review of randomized controlled trials. J Card Surg. 2010;25:309–17. - PubMed
    1. Noyez L, de Jager MJ, Markou AL. Quality of life after cardiac surgery: under researched research. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011;13:511–4. - PubMed
    1. Blumenthal JA, Lett HS, Babyak MA, et al. NORG Investigators. Depression as a risk factor for mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery. Lancet. 2003;362:604–9. - PubMed
    1. Abah U, Dunne M, Cook A, et al. Does quality of life improve in octogenarians following cardiac surgery? A systematic review. BMJ Open. 2015;5:e006904. - PMC - PubMed