Exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease

Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is known to impact on patients’ physical and mental health. The relationship between performance on treadmill exercise tolerance test (ETT) and health-related quality of life (HRQL)has never been specifically investigated in the setting of CAD. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing an ETT with the Bruce protocol during a diagnostic workup for CAD ( n = 1,631, age 55 ± 12 years) were evaluated. Exercise-related indices were recorded. Detailed information on cardiovascular risk factors and past medical history were obtained. HRQLwas assessed with the use of the validated 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Results Increasing age and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities correlated with lower scores on the physical and mental health component of SF-36(all P