Health-related quality of life after acute myocardial infarction and one-year clinical outcomes: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of death worldwide and in Colombia. Beyond survival, AMI can markedly impair health-related quality of life (HRQoL), yet the prognostic value of HRQoL measured during the index hospitalization remains insufficiently explored, particularly in middle-income countries.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1093 adults with type 1 myocardial infarction admitted to a tertiary referral center in Colombia between 2023 and 2025. HRQoL was assessed within 24 h of admission using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 3-Level (EQ-5D-3L) instrument and the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). Multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) for one-year mortality and rehospitalization.

RESULTS

At 12 months, all-cause mortality was 4.3% and rehospitalization was 2.6%. Impairment in the mobility domain was independently associated with higher risks of mortality (RR = 1.80; p = 0.045) and rehospitalization (RR = 2.22; p = 0.031). Percutaneous coronary intervention (RR = 0.28; p < 0.001) and male sex (RR = 0.54; p = 0.034) were associated with lower mortality risk.

CONCLUSION

Baseline HRQoL assessed during hospitalization for AMI was associated with one-year mortality and rehospitalization. Mobility limitations identified patients at higher risk and may complement conventional clinical risk stratification.