Measuring what matters to the patient: health related quality of life after aortic valve and thoracic aortic surgery

Longitudinal health-related quality of life in people with thoracic aortic aneurysms

BACKGROUND

Surgical intervention for thoracic aortic aneurysms is high risk. Understanding changes in health-related quality of life before and after endovascular stent grafting and open surgical repair can aid treatment decision-making.

METHODS

The Effective Treatments for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms ('ETTAA') study (ISRCTN04044627) was a longitudinal, observational study. Adults with new/existing arch or descending thoracic aortic aneurysms greater than or equal to 4 cm in diameter were followed from 2014 to 2022. Five domains of health-related quality of life (Mobility, Self-Care, Usual Activities, Pain/Discomfort, and Anxiety/Depression) were recorded using the EuroQoL, five dimensions, five levels ('EQ-5D-5L') questionnaire and analysed using a range of longitudinal mixed models.

RESULTS

Of 886 thoracic aortic aneurysm participants, 824 completed at least 2 questionnaires. Patients had slightly worse health-related quality of life than age-matched norms. Without surgery, deterioration occurred over time in Mobility (0.072/year (95% c.i. 0.042 to 0.101), P < 0.001) and Self-Care (0.039/year (95% c.i. 0.018 to 0.061), P < 0.001) in both sexes and Pain/Discomfort in women (0.069/year (95% c.i. 0.020 to 0.118), P = 0.005). For 6 weeks after endovascular stent grafting, there was a significant impairment in Self-Care (0.214 (95% c.i. 0.112 to 0.316), P < 0.001) and (for women only) in Usual Activities (0.625 (95% c.i. 0.338 to 0.911), P < 0.001), which then returned to pre-endovascular stent grafting levels. Six weeks after open surgical repair, the impairment in health-related quality of life was greater (Mobility 0.492 (95% c.i. 0.314 to 0.669), Self-Care 0.474 (95% c.i. 0.364 to 0.583), Usual Activities 1.469 (95% c.i. 1.042 to 1.896), and Pain/Discomfort 0.561 (95% c.i. 0.363 to 0.760), all P < 0.001) and took longer to return to pre-open surgical repair levels, partly due to increased complications and longer hospitalization. Anxiety/Depression decreased after open surgical repair (-0.214 (95% c.i. -0.326 to -0.101), P < 0.001). Age, sex, frailty, smoking, New York Heart Association class, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were significantly associated with health-related quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Without intervention, health-related quality of life declines as age increases. Changes in health-related quality of life should contribute to surgical treatment decision-making.

Postoperative quality of life and pain after upper hemisternotomy and conventional median sternotomy for aortic valve replacement: results of a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

Surgical aortic valve replacement through conventional sternotomy yields excellent results. Minimally invasive techniques are deemed equally safe and serve as a viable and less traumatic alternative. However, it is unclear how both surgical techniques affect patient-reported outcomes. The objective of this trial is to compare postoperative cardiac-related quality of life and postoperative pain after upper hemisternotomy and conventional surgical aortic valve replacement.

METHODS

In this single-centre, open-label, investigator-initiated randomized clinical trial, patients were randomized to upper hemisternotomy or conventional full median sternotomy. Patients unable to undergo randomization were monitored prospectively (registry group). Primary outcome was cardiac-specific quality of life, measured with the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire up to 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing upper hemisternotomy had a significantly higher physical limitation domain score across all postoperative time points than patients undergoing conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (estimated mean difference 2.12 points; P = 0.014). Patients undergoing upper hemisternotomy were more likely to have a pain score <30 the first 2 days postoperatively than patients undergoing conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (odds ratio 2.63; P = 0.007). This was associated with reduced opioid analgesic intake. Postoperative surgical outcome did not differ between both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical aortic valve replacement through both conventional sternotomy and upper hemisternotomy resulted in clinically similar and important improvements in quality of life, with a small advantage for upper hemisternotomy, while there was no compromise in safety.

Effect of comfort nursing on postoperative recovery and life quality of patients undergoing thoracic surgery

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of comfort nursing on postoperative recovery and life quality of patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

METHODS

A total of 400 patients undergoing thoracic surgery in our hospital from October 2017 to July 2020 were identified as research subjects and retrospectively studied. These patients were assigned to a control group (Con group, n=196, given conventional nursing) and an observation group (Obs group, n=204, given conventional nursing combined with comfort nursing) according to nursing modality. The following items of the two groups were compared: incidence of adverse reactions after surgery, MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) score, visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery, length of stay, first postoperative exhaust time, drainage duration, nursing satisfaction, and systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean atrial pressure (MAP), and heart rate before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

Compared with the Con group, the Obs group showed a notably lower total incidence of adverse reactions and had higher SF-36 scores after surgery. The Obs group had lower VAS scores at 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery than the Con group. The Obs group also experienced significantly shorter length of stay and drainage duration and earlier first postoperative exhaust time in contrast to the Con group. In addition, the Obs group obtained a higher satisfaction rate than the Con group, and patients in the Obs group had better treatment compliance and emotionalal status than those in the Con group. Moreover, the two groups presented no significant difference in SBP, DBP, MAP, or heart rate before and after intervention (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

For patients undergoing thoracic surgery, comfort nursing can greatly improve their life quality and contribute to their postoperative recovery.

2022 ACC/AHA guideline for the diagnosis and management of aortic disease: A report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease" provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the diagnosis, genetic evaluation and family screening, medical therapy, endovascular and surgical treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients with aortic disease across its multiple clinical presentation subsets (ie, asymptomatic, stable symptomatic, and acute aortic syndromes).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from January 2021 to April 2021, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINHL Complete, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Additional relevant studies, published through June 2022 during the guideline writing process, were also considered by the writing committee, where appropriate.

STRUCTURE

Recommendations from previously published AHA/ACC guidelines on thoracic aortic disease, peripheral artery disease, and bicuspid aortic valve disease have been updated with new evidence to guide clinicians. In addition, new recommendations addressing comprehensive care for patients with aortic disease have been developed. There is added emphasis on the role of shared decision making, especially in the management of patients with aortic disease both before and during pregnancy. The is also an increased emphasis on the importance of institutional interventional volume and multidisciplinary aortic team expertise in the care of patients with aortic disease.

What Really Matters to Survivors of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection-A Survey of Patient-Reported Outcomes in the Dutch National Aortic Dissection Advocacy Group

(1) Background: Type A acute aortic dissection (TAAAD) almost always requires emergency surgery, and postoperative complications are common. Quality assurance systems tend to measure only the hard outcomes, e.g., complications and mortality. Our aim was to assess the health-related quality of life of TAAAD survivors. (2) Methods: An anonymized, Dutch language, web-based survey was sent out to all of the participants of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Dutch National Aortic Dissection (DNAD) advocacy group via their own representatives. The survey was divided into five sections: patient information, global satisfaction, surgery, including complications, and the recovery period. (3) Results: Ninety members of the DNAD group attended the meeting. Seventy-five (83%) participated in the survey, and the responses from 61 (81%) were available for analysis. Despite hindrances in their daily life (complications, changes in physical, cognitive, and social functioning), patients were satisfied with their treatment, and all would undergo the procedure again. In addition they requested better post-discharge guidance and communication (4) Conclusion: The emphasis lies in equipping patients with knowledge about potential outcomes and effective coping strategies. This underscores the importance of communication and expectation management, in line with established literature.

Preoperative frailty and one-year functional recovery in elderly cardiac surgery patients

OBJECTIVE

Frailty increases risk for morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Its influence on functional outcome is largely unknown. We studied the association of frailty with health-related quality of life and disability after cardiac surgery.

METHODS

A prospective 2-center observational cohort of 555 patients aged 70 years or more undergoing cardiac surgery. A comprehensive frailty assessment was performed before surgery based on 11 individual assessments in physical, mental, and social domains. Frailty was defined as at least 1 positive test in each domain. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life over 1 year, and the secondary outcomes were severe in-hospital complications and disability over 1 year. Adverse functional outcome was defined as the composite of a decreased health-related quality of life and disability.

RESULTS

Physical frailty was most common (91%) compared with mental (39%) or social frailty (42%). Adverse functional outcome occurred in 257 patients (46%) and consisted of decreased physical health-related quality of life in 134 (24%), decreased mental health-related quality of life in 141 (25%), and disability in 120 (22%). Frailty was more common in patients with adverse functional outcome (29%) compared with patients without adverse functional outcome (16%, P < .001). Poor mobility, malnutrition, and polypharmacy were associated with a decreased health-related quality of life over time, whereas impaired physical functioning and higher self-rated health were related to increased health-related quality of life. Disability after cardiac surgery was associated with poor mobility, polypharmacy, dependent living, living alone, and lower self-rated mental health before surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Mobility, nutrition, medication use, physical functioning, and self-rated health before surgery are associated with health-related quality of life in elderly patients 1 year after cardiac surgery.

Study of the effect of pain on postoperative rehabilitation of patients with uterine malignant tumor

Objective

The relationship between acute postoperative pain (APSP) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with uterine malignant tumor after operation was evaluated with self-rating scales, and the influencing factors of postoperative rehabilitation were screened.

Methods

A total of 102 patients undergoing elective surgery for Gynecology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were included in this study. PCS, SAS, NRS and EQ-5D scales were evaluated 1 day before surgery, and NRS and EQ-5D scales were evaluated 1,3,7,14, and 30 days after surgery. In addition, the general and perioperative information of patients was collected from the medical record system of the hospital.

Results

From the 1st to the 30th day after operation, the NRS and EQ-5D-5L scores of patients decreased gradually, and EQ-VAS scores increased gradually. NRS score was correlated with EQ-5D score (P < 0.01). Postoperative hospital stay, Education level, PCS score and NRS score (Overall state and Active state) were the principal influencing factors of EQ-5D score (P < 0.05). Patients in the pain group had a later time to get out of bed and eat, a higher incidence of postoperative complications, and a longer postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.05). Endoscopic surgery can reduce postoperative pain and promote postoperative rehabilitation (χ ²= 37.631, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The postoperative rehabilitation of patients in the pain group was poor. Minimally invasive surgery can reduce postoperative pain and promote postoperative rehabilitation. EQ-5D score can be used as a subjective index to evaluate postoperative rehabilitation.

Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (identifier: ChiCTR2000032759).

2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease" provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the diagnosis, genetic evaluation and family screening, medical therapy, endovascular and surgical treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients with aortic disease across its multiple clinical presentation subsets (ie, asymptomatic, stable symptomatic, and acute aortic syndromes).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from January 2021 to April 2021, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINHL Complete, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Additional relevant studies, published through June 2022 during the guideline writing process, were also considered by the writing committee, where appropriate. Structure: Recommendations from previously published AHA/ACC guidelines on thoracic aortic disease, peripheral artery disease, and bicuspid aortic valve disease have been updated with new evidence to guide clinicians. In addition, new recommendations addressing comprehensive care for patients with aortic disease have been developed. There is added emphasis on the role of shared decision making, especially in the management of patients with aortic disease both before and during pregnancy. The is also an increased emphasis on the importance of institutional interventional volume and multidisciplinary aortic team expertise in the care of patients with aortic disease.

2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease" provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the diagnosis, genetic evaluation and family screening, medical therapy, endovascular and surgical treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients with aortic disease across its multiple clinical presentation subsets (ie, asymptomatic, stable symptomatic, and acute aortic syndromes).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from January 2021 to April 2021, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINHL Complete, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Additional relevant studies, published through June 2022 during the guideline writing process, were also considered by the writing committee, where appropriate.

STRUCTURE

Recommendations from previously published AHA/ACC guidelines on thoracic aortic disease, peripheral artery disease, and bicuspid aortic valve disease have been updated with new evidence to guide clinicians. In addition, new recommendations addressing comprehensive care for patients with aortic disease have been developed. There is added emphasis on the role of shared decision making, especially in the management of patients with aortic disease both before and during pregnancy. The is also an increased emphasis on the importance of institutional interventional volume and multidisciplinary aortic team expertise in the care of patients with aortic disease.

Computed tomography follow-up after elective proximal aortic surgery: Less is more?

STUDY OBJECTIVE

The added value of computed tomography (CT) follow-up after elective proximal aortic surgery is unclear. We evaluated the benefit of CT follow-up by assessing the incidence of aorta-related complications and reinterventions detected during routine CT follow-up.

METHODS

Data on 314 patients undergoing first time elective proximal aortic surgery between 2000 and 2015 were collected. The primary study end points were aorta-related complications and reinterventions, detected during routine CT follow-up. Secondary study endpoints included all aorta-related complications and reinterventions, irrespective of the mode of detection and survival.

RESULTS

Median CT follow-up time was 6.8 (IQR 4.1-9.8) years, during which a total of 1303 routine follow-up CT-scans (median 4, IQR 3-5) were performed. During CT follow-up, aorta-related complications were detected in 18 (5.7%) patients, of which 6 (1.6%) underwent reintervention. In total, 28 aorta-related complications were observed in 23 (7.3%) patients, of which 9 led to reintervention. In order to detect 1 aorta-related complication leading to reintervention, 218 routine follow-up CT-scans were required. The unadjusted and EuroSCORE II adjusted hazard ratios of not undergoing CT follow-up on mortality were 1.260 (95% CI 0.705-2.251) and 0.830 (95% CI 0.430-1.605), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Following first time elective proximal aortic surgery, aorta-related complications are uncommon, are not always detected during CT follow-up and, if detected, often do not result in reintervention. Therefore, a more conservative CT follow-up protocol could be considered in selected patients to reduce lifetime radiation burden and health care costs.

Improved health-related quality of life in patients 6 and 12 months after surgical aortic valve replacement

Objectives. Quality of life (QoL) is possibly the most important variable for the patient when subjective results of heart procedures are evaluated. The purpose of this study was to analyze the change in the quality of life 1 year after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Design. A Finnish single-center prospective cohort intervention study was performed from 2013 to 2018. QoL was assessed with the EQ-5D-3L VAS questionnaire before surgery and 6 and 12 months after surgery. We used univariate analysis to assess the change in the number of people experiencing problems and logistic regression analysis to assess the patients' characteristics on the change in QoL. Results. At one year follow-up, patients' quality of life improved in all EQ-5D dimensions. The greatest decreases in patients experiencing problems 12 months after surgery occurred in the dimension "mobility" (-24.1% change in reporting problems, p < .01), "self-care" (-32.9%, p < .01), and "pain or discomfort" (-25.7%, p < .01). Before surgery mean of EQ visual analogue scale (VAS, from 0 to 100) was 63.0 (SD 17.7, n = 604), and 12 months after surgery 81.2 (SD 13.8, n = 367, p < .001). In multivariable analysis, preoperative obesity was associated with better quality of life (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.007-11.439) in "daily activities" and patients' higher operative risk was associated with better "self-care" after surgery. Conclusions. SAVR can improve the 1-year quality of life in all dimensions of EQ-5D and self-rated overall health (VAS).

Post-operative Quality of Life after Full-sternotomy and Mini-sternotomy Aortic Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Few longitudinal data exist comparing quality of life (QoL) after full sternotomy aortic valve replacement (fsAVR) vs mini-sternotomy AVR (msAVR) METHODS: 1844 consecutive AVR prospectively enrolled in a European multicentre Registry were dichotomized according to surgical access. A non-parsimonious propensity-score matching selected 187 pairs of fsAVR or msAVR with comparable baseline characteristics. Hospital outcome was compared in the two groups. QoL was assessed with Short Form-36, further detailed in its Physical Component Score (PCS) and Mental Component Score (MCS). QoL was investigated at hospital admission, discharge, 1 month, 6 months and 1 year thereafter.

RESULTS

There were 1654 fsAVR and 190 msAVR in the entire population. fsAVR showed a worse preoperative risk-profile, a longer ICU length of stay (59.7 hours vs 38.8, p=0.002), and a higher life-threatening/disabling bleeding (4.1% vs. 0%; p=0.011); msAVR reported a higher early reintervention for failed index intervention (2.1% vs. 0.5%, p=0.001). QoL showed better PCS and MCS at 1 month after fsAVR, but no temporal-trend differences (PCS group-time p=0.202; MCS group-time p=0.141). Propensity-matched pairs showed comparable baseline characteristics and hospital outcome (p=NS for all endpoints), and comparable improvements of PCS and MCS over time, but no between-group differences over time (PCS group-time p=0.834; MCS group-time p=0.737).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with similar baseline profiles report comparable hospital outcome and comparable improvement of physical and mental health, up to 1 year after surgery, with both fsAVR and msAVR. As for QoL, mini-sternotomy does not seem to offer any advantage compared to the traditional approach.

What really matters: a patient-centered instrument to evaluate health-related quality of life in cardiovascular disease

Aims

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are increasingly used to guide decision-making in cardiovascular care. However, many of the existing PROMs are developed with limited patient involvement and overlook personal health preferences. We aim to develop a cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific patient-centred preference-based PROM to assess and monitor HRQoL in CVD patients.

Methods and results

A mixed-methods study consisting of several phases was conducted to identify important health items: (i) a scoping literature review, (ii) first- and second-round expert group meetings, (iii) interviews with CVD patients, and (iv) an online survey asking CVD patients to indicate from a large set those health items that are considered the most important. The literature review, expert group meetings, and patient interviews resulted in a list of 55 items potentially important to CVD patients. In total, 666 CVD patients responded to the survey. The following nine items were considered the most important by CVD patients: mobility, activities, self-reliance, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, anxiety/worrying, and sexual limitations. An electronic preference-based PROM consisting of these nine items was developed within a cloud-based environment for clinical implementation.

Conclusion

Nine items considered the most important for health by CVD patients were identified and included in a new preference-based patient-centred PROM. This new CVD-specific PROM can be easily implemented using the electronic application and has the potential to improve quality of care for CVD patients.

Clinical and quality of life outcomes after aortic valve replacement and aortic root surgery in adult patients <65 years old

Selecting the optimal surgical treatment strategy in patients below the age of 65 years (i.e., non-elderly patients) with aortic valve or aortic root disease remains challenging. The objective of the current study is to summarize contemporary research on clinical and quality of life outcomes after aortic valve replacement (AVR) and aortic root surgery in non-elderly patients. Recent systematic reviews on clinical outcome after biological and mechanical AVR, the Ross procedure and aortic root surgery show that event occurrence is considerable after any type of AVR or aortic root surgery and-with the exception of the Ross procedure-survival is suboptimal. Although thromboembolism and bleeding events are more common after mechanical AVR and root surgery, these events are also considerably present after biological AVR, the Ross procedure and valve-sparing aortic root surgery (VSRR). Similarly, reoperation is more common after biological AVR, the Ross procedure and VSRR, but also occurs frequently after mechanical AVR and root replacement. Published evidence in AVR patients points to the direction of better health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes with a biological solutions, while the HRQoL after aortic root surgery is limited and contradictory. This review illustrates that treatment for non-elderly aortic valve and aortic root disease patients needs to be tailored to the individual patient, considering both clinical and HRQoL outcomes as crucial factors to reach a treatment decision that best reflects the patient's values and goals in life.