Quality of life before and after heart valve surgery is influenced by gender and type of valve.

BACKGROUND

Quality of life (QoL) in valvular surgery may differ according to the underlying pathology and surgical technique used.

METHOD

82 adults undergoing their first elective surgery for valve repair (VP; n = 9) or valve replacement (VR) with a mechanical valve (MVR; n = 57) or bioprosthesis (BVR; n = 16) were assessed before surgery and three months afterwards.

DEPENDENT VARIABLES

delta scores (postoperative-preoperative) on QoL measures (Quality of Life Systemic Inventory (QLSI) and SF-36).

ANALYSES

Paired t tests and ANCOVAs with age and preoperative QoL scores as covariates.

RESULTS

QoL improves after surgery according to most subscales. According to group comparisons, patients with an MVR improve more than those with a BVR on the mental health subscale. In physical roles, patients with an MVR improve while those with a BVR deteriorate. In emotional roles, patients with a VR improve while those with a VP deteriorate. However, they are similar on all other subscales. Women improve more than men on leisure, affectivity and social functioning while the opposite holds true for mental health.

CONCLUSION

QoL improves after surgery. However, significant differences between groups are small because of a lack of statistical power.