Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is associated with improvement of quality of life (QOL) and exercice capacity (EC). Less is known on how EC interplays with QOL.

To analyse the correlation between the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and EC.

We used both dimensions (physical score, PS, and emotional score, ES) of the french validated version of the SF-36 to assess QOL before and after 8 weeks of CR in all patients admitted between January and Mars 2019, in a single ambulatory CR center. Clinical, biological and echocardiographic datas were retrospectively analysed as well as exercice capacity on stress test: performance in Watts and METs, 6minutes walking test (6-MWT in meters) and aerobic capacity (VO2 in mL/min/kg).

A total of 129 patients were included (see Table 1). Using a dedicated excel file, assessment of SF-36 was fast (less than 1minute). According to t-test, both EC and QOL improved after CR: the mean EC, PS and ES respectively raised from 113±32 to 134±42 Watts (P<10⁻⁴¹), 55±21% to 68±21% (P<10⁻¹¹) and 62±23% to 72±18% (P<10⁻¹¹). After Pearson correlation testing, PS and ES did correlate with each other (r=0.7, P<10⁻³³). Physical score correlated with EC in Watts (r=0.34, P<10⁻⁷, Fig. 1), METs (r=0.33, P<10⁻⁶), 6-MWT (r=0.33, P<10⁻³), VO2max (r=0.28, P=0.006), effort duration in minutes (r=0.31, P<10⁻⁵) and also with male sex (r=0.14, P=0.32), but not with age, LVEF, anaerobic threshold, hemoglobine and natriuretic peptides. Emotional score correlated with EC in Watts (r=0.20, P=0.003), METs (r=0.20, p.004), VO2max (r=0.26, P=0.01) and effort duration in minutes (r=0.22, P=0.001).

SF-36 is a fast, validated and easy way of assessing global QOL in patient undergoing ambulatory CR, and is positively correlated with exercise capacity and male sex, but not age and LVEF. Its use should be systematic to evaluate efficacy of a CR program on improving QOL.