Background: To estimate quality of life as an outcome of open-heart surgery in long-term follow up (four years) after the open-heart surgery. Method: For assessment of quality of life, we used diseases and treatment specific health related quality of life questionnaire and derived integral numeric QOL index QOLi-NS (zero value represents complete inability for any function and 100 of value means perfect health). The prospective study involved 780 patients who were interviewed preoperatively. Until today, 162 completed all of five postoperative controls (6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months after the operation).
Results: Average QOLi-NS before the operation was 40.8. Six months after the operation it was 84.2, one year after 85.9, two years after it was 84.4, after three years it was 84.2 and after four years it was 76.8. Statistically (and clinically) significant difference (p<0,001) in QOL was observed before and after the open heart surgery. The highest value of QOLi-NS was one year after the surgery.
Conclusion: Quality of life of cardiac surgery patients (average QOLi-NS) increases significantly after the operation and remains very stabile till the fourth year. At that time it starts to decline but it is still significantly much better than before the treatment.