The quality of life of patients following heart valve replacement surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Introduction: Rheumatic valvular heart disease is the prevalent etiology of valvular heart disease in the developing world. The bulk of the pathologies are restricted to the mitral and aortic valves. Infective endocarditis is another important cause of valvular heart disease, especially in patients with an already existing valvular pathology and in intravenous drug abusers. The goal of surgical management is to deter disease progression, alleviate symptoms and improve the overall QOL of the patient. Health-related QOL (HRQOL) is an essential component of the effectiveness of therapy alongside improvement in symptoms and functional status. As a result, the American Heart Association has now included HRQOL evaluation as a strategic treatment-impact goal for cardiovascular health. Objective: To evaluate the QOL of patients following heart valve replacement surgery. Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study where the QOL of patients was evaluated after valve replacement surgery in all patients who had heart valve replacement at the study hospital in Ghana within a period of two years. The Short Form-36 questionnaire, consisting of 36 questions arranged in eight domains, was used to assess the QOL and compared to the population norm. Results: Thirty-nine participants were studied with a mean age ± standard deviation of 43.82 ± 15.37 years. The mean score of the patients in seven of the eight domains of the SF-36 health survey was above 70. The Role Limitation due to Physical Health domain has a mean score of 62.17 ± 42.87. The mean score for each of the eight domains of the SF-36 health survey was well above the US population norm of 50. Conclusion: The findings show that the HRQOL of patients following heart valve replacement surgery is comparable to that of the general population.