Impact of Aortic Diseases on Quality of Life and Work Ability

Impact of Aortic Disease on Patients' Quality of Life and Working Capacity

Aortic diseases encompass a wide spectrum of congenital and acquired, acute and chronic conditions, characterized by high clinical and prognostic complexity. The aorta plays a central role in blood flow distribution and hemodynamic modulation owing to its elastic properties, which become progressively impaired with aging and in the presence of genetic or degenerative factors. Beyond clinical outcomes, aortic diseases lead to a marked reduction in health-related quality of life, psychological well-being, and functional capacity, with significant occupational and social consequences, thereby making multidisciplinary management necessary. This longitudinal observational study aims to systematically assess health-related quality of life, fatigue, psychological well-being, and work ability in patients with aortic diseases, with the objective of providing objective bases for occupational risk evaluation and promoting an interdisciplinary management model that integrates clinical, psychological, and work-related aspects, thereby supporting the maintenance or recovery of work functioning.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female patients with a confirmed diagnosis of aortic disease under the care of the Complex Operative Unit of Vascular Surgery of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS.
• Patients aged between 18 and 70 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients younger than 18 years or older than 70 years.
• Incomplete diagnostic workup.
• Patients who have undergone surgical procedures or experienced concomitant acute events unrelated to the aorta, with a predominant and recent functional impact, that make it impossible to isolate the effect of aortic disease on return to work.