Relief of Symptoms and Improvement of Quality of Life Five Years after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Relation to Preoperative Ejection Fraction

Aim: To describe the relief of symptoms and improvement in Quality of Life (QoL) 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in relation to preoperative ejection fraction (EF). Methods: Patients who underwent CABG between 1988 and 1991 in western Sweden were approached with an inquiry prior to surgery and 5 years after the operation. Quality of Life was estimated with three different instruments: Physical activity score, Nottingham Health Profile and Psychological General Well-being Index. Results: Among all patients who underwent CABG (n = 1904) the 5-year mortality rate was 27% in those with EF < 0.40 and 12% in those with EF ≥ 0.40 (p < 0.0001). In all, 849 patients, of whom 58 (7%) had EF < 0.40 participated in the evaluation. Neither physical activity, symptoms of chest pain, dyspnea nor any indices of QoL were significantly associated with preoperative EF. Improvement in physical activity, symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea and various estimates of QoL appeared similar and marked regardless of preoperative EF. Conclusion: Among survivors there was no association between preoperative EF and symptoms or various estimates of QoL 5 years after CABG. Improvement in symptoms and QoL were not dependent on preoperative EF.