A Prospective Study of Changes in Patients’ Quality of Life after Aortic Valve Replacement
Ira R.A. Goldsmith MD, Gregory Y. H. Lip MD, Ramesh L. Patel MD

The present study provides the patientsŐ own perception of changes in their quality of life (QL) after primary, isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR), and suggests that at three months after surgery patients felt there to be significant improvement in all QOL dimensions. Improved QOL was more likely in patients presenting with aortic stenosis and those receiving larger implant sizes. The results also suggest that improved QOL was achievable regardless of whether mechanical or biological implants were used, and whether or not there was a post-AVR transvalvular gradient >20 mmHg (but <40 mmHg). The results also indicate that patients presenting for surgery with aortic regurgitation were less likely to show significant improvement in QOL dimensions at three months after surgery. Moreover, elderly patients with small body surface area presenting with non-calcified aortic valves were unlikely to show significant improvement in their ability to carry out daily activities due to emotional problems and pain. These trends need to be further explored with long-term follow up of the patients.