Objectives: An important therapeutic target for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
is improved quality of life (QoL). This study investigated clinical factors affecting QoL in patients
with ACS.
Methods: We evaluated 82 patients two weeks, and again at three months, after their ACS
onset (diagnosis?), using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Brief Form
to assess QoL. For estimating their severity of depression, we used the Hamilton Depression
Rating Scale. We used their Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk scores to measure
the patients’ ACS. Sociodemographic characteristics included age, gender, education, marital
status, religion, current occupation, and monthly income.
Results: Depressive symptoms at baseline predicted higher QoL at both follow-ups. Some
other factors, such as education, religion, and current occupation, were also significantly associated
with QoL at three months’ follow-up.
Conclusion: Depression was the most important factor affecting QoL in patients with ACS, at
both two weeks’ and three months’ follow-up.