Probability of a return to work after either coronary balloon dilatation or coronary bypass surgery

To examine whether coronary angioplasty has a different effect on work resumption than has coronary artery bypass surgery, we studied the work status of patients before and at least 1 year after either intervention. The population consisted of men aged less than 60 years, submitted to these procedures from September 1983 to July 1984. Of the 261 eligible patients, 219 (84%) participated, 94 after an angioplasty and 125 after a bypass procedure. 6 months preceding the intervention, 52% of the men were working. This had decreased to 47% at follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that failure to resume work was correlated with bypass surgery vs balloon dilatation (rate ratio 1.8; 95% CI, 1.0-3.4), not working beforehand (rate ratio 6.5; 1.2-4.3), age greater than 55 years vs less than or equal to 50 years (rate ratio 2.6; 1.3-5.4) and with angina at follow-up (rate ratio 1.8; 1.0-3.3). Taking these additional risk factors into account permits a prediction of the probability of a return to work.