Poor health-related quality of life is a predictor of early, but not late, cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Poor health-related quality of life (HRQL) is associated with mortality in cardiac patients. Patients (N=667) with poor HRQL after percutaneous coronary intervention had a higher incidence of early (< or =6 months) major adverse cardiac events (MACE) than did patients with good HRQL, whereas there was no difference for late (>6 months) MACE over a 2-year follow-up period. Poor HRQL remained an independent predictor of early, but not late MACE, adjusting for other risk factors. The same pattern was found for early and late death/non-fatal myocardial infarction. However, further research is warranted before recommending the use of HRQL measures as screening tools in clinical practice.