RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: An important therapeutic target for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is improved quality of life (QoL). This study investigated clinical factors affecting QoL in patients with ACS. METHODS: We evaluated 82 patients two weeks, and again at three months, after their ACS onset (diagnosis?), using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Brief Form to assess QoL. For estimating their severity of depression, we used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. We used their Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk scores to measure the patients' ACS. Sociodemographic characteristics included age, gender, education, marital status, religion, current occupation, and monthly income. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms at baseline predicted higher QoL at both follow-ups. Some other factors, such as education, religion, and current occupation, were also significantly associated with QoL at three months' follow-up. CONCLUSION: Depression was the most important factor affecting QoL in patients with ACS, at both two weeks' and three months' follow-up.