Authors : Kornanong Yuenyongchaiwat, Sasipa Buranapuntalug, Khajonsak Pongpanit and Chitima Kulchanarat
Abstract: Patients who had open heart surgery have been associated with adverse health problems including decreases in physical (e.g., decreased pulmonary function, respiratory muscle weakness) and mental health problems (e.g., depression and anxiety). However, little is known regarding the effect of median sternotomy on respiratory fitness and mental health in Thai patients who had open heart surgery. Therefore, the study was aimed to evaluate pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength and mental health problems in patients undergoing open heart surgery. The prospective observational cohort study was designed with patients who undergoing open heart surgery, aged 35-70 years both males and females. Spirometry, respiratory muscle strength and the hospital anxiety depression scales questionnaire were performed pre and post-operative open heart surgery. A regression analysis was performed to determine whether mental health predicted pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength. The 57 patients were conducted at initial and follow-up study an average age was 56.61±10.10 years old. Compare with pre-operative heart surgery, the mean respiratory function, respiratory muscle strength and mental health (depression and anxiety) were dramatically decreased after open heart surgery. In addition, post-operative Force Vital Capacity (FVC) value was related to age, gender, initial FVC, initial thoracic cirtometry and anxiety scores (R2 = 0.616, p<0.001). Increasing chest wall and decreased anxiety would be an intervention to prevent pulmonary function decline after open heart surgery.
Kornanong Yuenyongchaiwat, Sasipa Buranapuntalug, Khajonsak Pongpanit and Chitima Kulchanarat, 2018. Respiratory Fitness and Mental Health in Patients Who Had Undergoing Open Heart Surgery: A Preliminary Observational Study. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 13: 363-368.