Quality of Life and Awareness of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in People With Cardiovascular Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), life satisfaction, and their present awareness of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program in people with cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was completed by 53 patients (mean age, 65.7±11.6 years; 33 men and 20 women) with unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or heart failure. The questionnaire included the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (MOS SF-36), life domain satisfaction measure (LDSM), and the awareness and degree of using CR program. RESULTS: The average scores of physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) were 47.7±18.5 and 56.5±19.5, respectively. There were significant differences in physical role (F=4.2, p=0.02), vitality (F=10.7, p<0.001), mental health (F=15.9, p<0.001), PCS (F=3.6, p=0.034), and MCS (F=11.9, p<0.001) between disease types. The average LDSM score was 4.7±1.5. Age and disease duration were negatively correlated with multiple HRQoL areas (p<0.05). Monthly income, ejection fraction, and LDSM were positively correlated with several MOS SF-36 factors (p<0.05). However, the number of modifiable risk factors had no significant correlation with medication. Thirty-seven subjects (69.8%) answered that they had not previously heard about CR program. Seventeen patients (32.1%) reported that they were actively participating in CR program. Most people said that a reasonable cost of CR was less than 100,000 Korean won per month. CONCLUSION: CR should focus on improving the physical components of quality of life. In addition, physicians should actively promote CR to cardiovascular disease patients to expand the reach of CR program.

Change of Swallowing in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer After Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional characteristics of swallowing and to analyze the parameters of dysphagia in head and neck cancer patients after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: The medical records of 32 patients with head and neck cancer who were referred for a videofluoroscopic swallowing study from January 2012 to May 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were allocated by duration after starting CCRT into early phase (1 month after radiation therapy) groups. We measured the modified penetration aspiration scale (MPAS) and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association National Outcome Measurement System swallowing scale (ASHA-NOMS). The oral transit time (OTT), pharyngeal delay time (PDT), and pharyngeal transit time (PTT) were recorded to assess the swallowing physiology. RESULTS: Among 32 cases, 18 cases (56%) were of the early phase. In both groups, the most common tumor site was the hypopharynx (43.75%) with a histologic type of squamous cell carcinoma (75%). PTT was significantly longer in the late phase (p=0.03). With all types of boluses, except for soup, both phases showed a statistically significant difference in MPAS results. The mean ASHA-NOMS level for the early phase was 5.83±0.78 and that for the late phase was 3.79±1.80, with statistical significance (p=0.01). The PTT and ASHA-NOMS level showed a statistically significant correlation (correlation coefficient=–0.52, p=0.02). However, it showed no relationship with the MPAS results. CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that in the late phase that after CCRT, the OTT, PDT, and PTT were longer than in the early phase and the PTT prolongation was statistically significant. Therefore, swallowing therapy targeting the pharyngeal phase is recommended after CCRT.