Quality of life in patients with chronic type B aortic dissection

To study functioning and well-being among patients with conservatively treated acute type B aortic dissection.

Cross-sectional survey.

Patients referred with acute type B dissection between January 1990 and November 2000 were prospectively followed after conservative initial management. In October 2002, we sent the SWED-QUAL questionnaire to all patients who were alive and had not undergone surgery of the dissected aorta. Fifty-three of 55 patients responded, 39 males and 14 females. Patient scores for the 12 aspects of health-related quality of life included in the SWED-QUAL were compared to a normative Swedish population, controlled for age and gender differences.

There were only minor differences in functioning and well-being between patients and the normative population. Patients reported similar emotional well-being, cognitive functioning, quality of sleep, overall general health and quality of social relations as their normative counterparts. However, patients' perception of their current health, prior health, perceived resistance to illness and health concern was worse than in the normative population. Female patients also reported worse physical functioning and a lower satisfaction with their physical functioning than male patients or female counterparts in the normative population. We did not find any significant association between length of follow-up and quality of life scores.

In terms of functioning and well-being, patients with uncomplicated acute type B aortic dissection, who are initially managed conservatively, differ little from a normative Swedish population. Our study supports conservative management of this group of patients.