Predictors of long-term Health-Related Quality of Life in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the predictive value of physical and psychological factors assessed three months after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) one year after the SAH.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Subjects:

Patients with SAH (n = 113) who visited our SAH-outpatient clinic three months after SAH and who were living independently in the community one year after SAH.

Methods:

HRQoL was evaluated using the Stroke Specific Quality of Life scale (SS-QoL). We used Spearman correlations, Somers’d, and linear regression analyses. Independent variables were demographic and SAH characteristics, cognitive and emotional complaints, depressive symptoms, anxiety, cognitive functioning, and passive coping style.

Results:

In the regression analysis, female gender (beta value −0.17), cognitive complaints (−0.31 ), cognitive functioning (0.40) and passive coping style (−0.23) were independent predictors, and together explained 45.9% of the variance of the SS-QoL total score.

Conclusion:

Female gender, cognitive complaints, cognitive functioning and passive coping style assessed at 3 months after SAH are important predictors of HRQoL 1 year after SAH. Early interventions to improve cognitive and emotional functioning should be evaluated for their ability to improve long-term HRQoL after SAH.