Association of SF-36 with coronary artery disease risk factors and mortality: a PreCIS study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Health Outcomes Research

Background:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD) poses a significant public health challenge, necessitating research into factors influencing patient outcomes.
• Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasingly recognized as a crucial indicator in managing chronic conditions like CAD.
• Understanding the interplay between HRQoL, CAD risk factors, and mortality is vital for effective cardiac patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between HRQoL, specifically the SF-36 physical and mental health domains, and established CAD risk factors.
• To determine the predictive value of HRQoL scores for all-cause mortality in a cohort of high-risk cardiac patients.
• To explore novel CAD biomarkers in relation to HRQoL in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1785 high-risk cardiac patients from a cardiology prevention clinic.
• Baseline data collection included medical history, physical examinations, laboratory tests, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36-Item Health Survey (SF-36).
• Statistical analyses focused on the associations between SF-36 overall physical health (OPH) and overall mental health (OMH) scores with CAD risk factors and all-cause mortality using multivariable survival analysis.

Main Results:

• Lower OPH scores were significantly associated with numerous CAD risk factors, including smoking, hypertension, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, and the metabolic syndrome.
• Lower OMH scores demonstrated similar, though less pronounced, associations with these CAD risk factors.
• OPH scores were found to be a significant independent predictor of 5-year all-cause mortality in multivariable models.

Conclusions:

• HRQoL, particularly physical health (OPH), is strongly associated with a higher burden of CAD risk factors in high-risk cardiac patients.
• Physical health, as measured by the SF-36 OPH domain, significantly predicts long-term mortality in this population.
• The SF-36 survey is a valuable tool for assessing risk and prognosis in cardiac patients, highlighting the importance of physical health in cardiovascular outcomes.