The differences between pain, fatigue, physical fitness, functional status, and family functioning pre- to post- coronary artery bypass grafting among Palestinians

This study aimed to examine pre- to post-operative changes in pain, fatigue, physical fitness, functional status, and family functioning among 200 Palestinian patients (mean age 67; 42% women) undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting. Validated Arabic versions of the NPRS, FSMC, IFIS, FIM, and APGAR Family Index were administered before surgery and again 2-3 weeks postoperatively. Pain scores differed significantly between pre- and postoperative assessments for both men (t = 11.54, p < 0.001) and women (t = 7.91, p < 0.001). Fatigue increased significantly among men (t = -2.66, p = 0.009) but showed no significant change among women (t = 0.71, p = 0.477). Physical fitness declined in both genders (men: t = 2.25, p = 0.027; women: t = 2.13, p = 0.036). Functional status showed mixed postoperative changes across domains, while total FIM scores remained largely stable. Family functioning improved significantly for both men (t = -3.08, p = 0.003) and women (t = -2.15, p = 0.034). Correlation analyses revealed a moderate positive association between pain and fatigue (r = 0.55, p = 0.01), and inverse associations between physical fitness and both pain (r = -0.42, p = 0.03) and fatigue (r = -0.57, p = 0.02). Functional status correlated positively with physical fitness and family functioning. These findings provide a descriptive overview of early postoperative changes following CABG and highlight gender-specific patterns across key recovery indicators.