The feeling of loneliness prior to coronary artery bypass grafting might be a predictor of short- and long-term postoperative mortality

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of different aspects of quality of life (QL) upon mortality during short-and long-term follow-up after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). DESIGN: Prospective evaluation. MATERIALS: Consecutive patients from western Sweden who during 3 years underwent CABG. METHODS: They answered a questionnaire at the time of coronary angiography prior to CABG. Quality of life was measured with questions from the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) part I. RESULTS: In all, 1290 patients were included in the analyses. When accounting for various preoperative factors known to be independently associated with morality the NHP question "I feel lonely" was found to be associated with mortality, both at 30 days (RR 2.61; 95% CI 1.15-5.95; p = 0.02) and at 5 years (RR 1.78; 95% CI 1.17-2.71; p = 0.007) after the operation. Thirteen per cent reported they felt lonely. At 5 years was, in addition, the statement "I have difficulty climbing stairs" also independently associated with mortality (RR 1.50; 95% CI 1.02-2.22; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Among the 38 statements in NHP as a judgment of QL prior to CABG, one of them, "I feel lonely" was independently associated with survival both at 30 days and 5 years after CABG.