Abstract

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is important in cardiac rehabilitation, particularly in elderly and their likelihood of re-hospitalization and mortality. The Japanese HRQOL concept comprises three categories and eight subscales. However, little research has been undertaken on the influence of frailty on the three HRQOL categories in elderly heart disease patients.

Methods: This study examines the influence of the presence or absence of frailty among elderly heart disease patients and their HRQOL at the time of their discharge from hospital and over the three months following their discharge. The subjects carried out between November 2016 and December 2017, were 40 elderly patients with chronic heart disease. We investigated subjects' characteristics, lifestyle habits, motor functions, frailty, and HRQOL at the time of discharge. We examined HRQOL and frailty at one and three months after discharge. We also investigated mortality and re-admission due to heart failure (HF re-admission) at six months after discharge by phone to the subjects.

Results: A comparison between frailty and non-frailty groups found no significant difference in almost measurements. About changes in HRQOL, only the social aspect of HRQOL was significantly lower in the frailty group compared to the non-frailty group, and significantly lower values at one and three months after discharge compared upon discharge in both groups.

Conclusion: This study suggests that the social aspect of HRQOL in elderly patients with chronic heart disease declines after one month of patient discharge. Moreover, patients exhibiting frailty at the time of discharge may show greater deterioration.