Health-related quality of life among atrial fibrillation patients using warfarin therapy

Abstract

The current study aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients receiving chronic warfarin therapy, and to identify factors that may influence their HRQoL perceptions. A cross-sectional descriptive study with a representative cohort was undertaken at anticoagulation clinics within two public hospitals in Penang, Malaysia. Based on prevalence sampling techniques, a total of 339 patients were recruited. A specific bilingual instrument, the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS), and a generic instrument, the European Quality of Life scale (EQ-5D-3L), were used. Generally, the quality of life perception of all participants was positive. Both instruments exhibited good average scores: mean ± SD for DASS, 70.8 ± 19.8, for the EQ-VAS, 69.3% ± 16.3%. and for the EQ-Index (TTO), 79.8% ± 26.5%. Younger patients (< 45years old), patients with higher education levels, and employed patients, had significantly higher health perceptions (p < 0.05). On the other hand, women presented with a worse HRQoL evaluation compared to men. Further, a history of bleeding event, either major or minor, had a negative effect on health perception (P < 0.05). These findings could be helpful in clinical practice to enable clinicians to take preventive measures, especially with newly diagnosed patients in which improvement in quality of life is still possible.