Will cardiac surgery improve my quality of life?: Visual analogue score as a first step in preoperative counseling.

BACKGROUND.: The intention of this study is to analyse the correlation between a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the most common preoperative comorbidity and cardiac variables in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. This VAS is simple, easy to register and can be used as a global measurement of quality of life (QOL). METHODS.: Preoperative assessment of QOL in 1351 patients, 979 men and 372 women, with a mean age of 64.5+/-10.5 (18-88), undergoing elective cardiac surgery between January 2003 and December 2005. QOL was measured by the EuroQol questionnaire. RESULTS.: The mean VAS was 58.7+/-20.9, range 3 to 100. Univariate analysis showed a difference for sex (p=0.000), and NYHA (p=0.009) between patients with an isolated CABG and those with a combined revascularisation (p=0.05). Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified female gender (p=0.00), NYHA (p=0.00) and valve disease (p=0.03) as independent variables for a low QOL. The correlation between NYHA and QOL was low (r=-0.09, p=0.003). CONCLUSION.: The clinical consequence is that using this simple VAS we can identify patients with a good QOL. If these patients present for high-risk surgery, with a better quality of life as primary indication, more extended counselling regarding their QOL is recommended. (Neth Heart J 2007;15:51-4.).