Introduction. There are a few available studies evaluating quality of life (QoL) in pediatric patients with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) treated with ablation but they are based on small groups of patients. The aim of the paper was to compare the QoL in children with SVT treated with successful ablation with the group of healthy children.Materials and Methods. The study included 122 SVT children who underwent a successful ablation therapy and 83 healthy children. The Qol was assessed, using the WHOQOL-BREF and the Pediatric Arrhythmia Related Score (PARS) - a specific questionnaire developed by the authors, related to patients' own feelings and observations concerning arrhythmia.Results. On the basis of WHOQOL-BREF no significant differences were found in all the measured domains. On the basis of PARS in SVT-group the patients still reported significantly increased symptoms within physical domain in comparison with the healthy group (1.8 ± 0.5 vs 1.6 ± 0.3; p = 0.0195) as well as increased negative feelings within psychological domain (2.3 ± 0.7 vs 2.1 ± 0.6; p= 0.0172). Conclusions. On the basis of the general questionnaire all scores in SVT group are comparable with healthy children. When analyzing PARS questionnaire six months after the ablation procedure the physical and psychological functioning of SVT children was still worse than in the group of healthy children. On the basis of the performed analysis we believe that PARS questionnaire is a more useful and sensitive tool than WHOQOL-BREF when evaluating ablation influence on patients’ QoL.

IntroductionThere are only a few available studies evaluating quality of life (QoL) in pediatric patients with cardiac arrhythmia. The aim of the study was to evaluate medical and psychological parameters of the QoL in children with a diagnosed supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) and to compare the obtained data with a group of healthy children (HC).Material and methodsInclusion criteria: children aged 7–18 with SVT, treated at Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatric Cardiology. The evaluation tools were the WHOQOL-BREF instrument and a questionnaire related to the patient's feelings and observations concerning arrhythmia (Pediatric Arrhythmia Related Score – PARS), developed by the authors and adjusted to the group of arrhythmia patients.ResultsThe study included 180 SVT children and 83 HC. On the basis of WHOQOL-BREF the SVT group was found to have lower assessment values of QoL within the physical domain (Phd) (mean ± SD: 65.7 ±15.8 vs. 81.6 ±12.8; p < 0.0001) and psychological domain (Psd) (mean ± SD: 75.8 ±15.2 vs. 81.3 ±14.1; p < 0.005). No significant differences were found within the social relationships domain or the environment domain. On the basis of PARS in the SVT group the patients reported significantly increased symptoms within Phd (mean ± SD: 2.3 ±0.7 vs. 1.6 ± 0.3; p < 0.0001) as well as increased negative feelings within Psd (mean ± SD: 2.3 ±0.7 vs. 2.1 ± 0.6; p < 0.005).ConclusionsMedical and psychological parameters of the QoL in SVT children are significantly lower in comparison with HC. A diagnosis of SVT has no influence on the social and environmental areas of QoL. The PARS appears to be a useful tool to supplement the generic questionnaire for QoL evaluation in SVT children.

COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest epidemiological problem of the 21st century. The severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is rare. Sometimes, especially in patients with chronic disease, COVID-19 may be insidious and life-threatening. This article presents the course of COVID-19 in a 17-year-old boy with Friedreich's ataxia-induced hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Despite that the main symptoms of COVID-19 (i.e., fever, cough) were moderate at the beginning of the illness, the patient condition deteriorated rapidly due to cardiac problems, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. He required antiarrhythmic treatment and pharmacological and electrical cardioversion. Moreover, because of pneumonia requiring supplemental oxygen, remdesivir and convalescent plasma therapy were utilized in this patient. For the patient recovery, the administration of the antiviral treatment was crucial.

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