International SF-36 reference values in patients with ischemic heart disease

International reference data for the SF-36 health survey (version 1) are presented based on a sample of 5508 adult patients with ischemic heart disease. Patients with angina, myocardial infarction and ischemic heart failure completed the SF-36. Data were analyzed by diagnosis, gender, age, region and country within region and presented as mean +/- standard deviation (SD), minimum, maximum, 25th, 50th and 75th percentile of the physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) measures. Mean PCS scores were reported as being more than one SD below the normal range (standardized mean of 50 +/- 10) by more than half of the patient subgroups (59 %) with all of the mean MCS scores falling within the normal range. Patients with angina and patients with ischemic heart failure reported the poorest mean PCS scores with both diagnoses reporting scores more than one SD below the standardized mean. Females, older patients (especially > 70 years) and patients from Eastern Europe reported significantly worse mean PCS scores than male, younger and non-Eastern European patients. The cardiac diagnosis had no effect on the mean MCS scores; however, females, younger patients (especially < 51 years) and patients from Eastern Europe reported significantly worse mean MCS scores than male, older and non-Eastern European patients. These international reference SF-36 values for patients with IHD are useful for clinicians, researchers and health-policy makers when developing improved health services.