Impact of Sedentary Time and Physical Function on Health-Related Quality of Life in Hospitalized Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

Background: This study investigated the association between health-related quality of life (HRQOL), sedentary time, and physical function in hospitalized patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) undergoing phase I cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Methods: This observational study enrolled CVD patients between October 2020 and September 2024. Participants were classified into low-HRQOL ( < 0.83) and high-HRQOL ( ≥ 0.83) groups based on the median EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels score. Clinical characteristics, physical function measures, and sedentary time were compared between groups. Multiple regression analysis was performed with the score as the dependent variable to identify predictors of HRQOL. Conclusions: Excessive sedentary time during hospitalization was significantly associated with lower HRQOL in CVD patients undergoing phase I CR. Reducing sedentary time, along with formulating functional and clinical strategies, may be vital for improving HRQOL in inpatient CR programs. These findings highlight the need for future studies to explore personalized CR interventions to improve long-term outcomes.