Health-related quality of life at median 12 months after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, measured with EuroQoL-5D.

BACKGROUND

A measurement of quality of life (QoL) should cover the important aspects of daily life and be easy to perform. Ease of performance is especially important for patients with spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), since fatigue and cognitive disabilities are known sequeles. EuroQoL (EQ-5D) is a preference-based instrument measuring QoL, based on self-reported health status in five dimensions: Mobility, Self-Care, Usual Activities, Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression. In the present study EuroQoL was used in patients with aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) in comparison with a Swedish reference population. We also determined the extent to which demographic characteristics and clinical parameters predicted outcome.

METHODS

Seven hundred fifty-five patients with aSAH were studied after a median 12 months. The proportion of patients in the best QoL category for each dimension was compared with the corresponding proportion in an age matched reference population. Disease severity was measured using the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies' SAH grading system and the Fisher scale. The extent to which demographic and clinical factors predicted outcome was evaluated using linear regression.

RESULTS

Aneurysmal SAH patients generally had a worse QoL compared with the reference population, in all five dimensions of EQ-5D. In the patient population, disease severity predicted worse outcome in all five dimensions. Female gender and surgery as treatment method (in the case of anterior aneurysms) predicted worse outcome in Usual Activities and Anxiety/Depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The nature of the sequeles after SAH depends on severity of disease, gender and treatment method. These factors should be more emphasised in planning rehabilitation.