IntroductionAtrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital cardiac anomaly diagnosed in adults. It often remains asymptomatic until the fourth or fifth decade of life. Significant left-to-right interatrial shunting is associated with the risk of heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Percutaneous ASD closure is a recognized method of treatment.AimTo evaluate the clinical outcomes and physical capacity in patients undergoing transcatheter closure of ostium secundum ASD.Material and methodsOne hundred and twenty adult patients (75 females and 45 males) with a mean age of 43.1 ±13.3 (17–78) years who underwent transcatheter device closure of ostium secundum ASD were analyzed. Clinical evaluation and transthoracic color Doppler echocardiographic study were repeated in all patients before as well as 1 and 24 months after the procedure. To assess the physical capacity symptom-limited treadmill exercise tests with respiratory gas-exchange analysis were performed in all patients before the procedure and after 24 months of follow-up.ResultsThe devices were successfully implanted in all patients. During 24 months of follow-up all patients showed significant clinical and spiroergometric improvement of exercise capacity, and a significant decrease of right heart chamber overload features on echocardiography.ConclusionsTranscatheter closure of ASD in patients with significant shunt resulted in significant clinical and hemodynamic improvement regardless of the baseline functional class.

Background. Atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) are specific types of atrial septal communications (ASC). Objectives. We aimed to assess quality of life (QoL) in patients before and after percutaneous closure of ASC and determine the factors influencing QoL in this group of patients. Material and methods. We performed a clinical assessment and conducted an SF-36 questionnaire, electrocardiography and echocardiography studies in patients before and 6 months after percutaneous ASC closure. Results. Patients with ASD (n = 56) had a lower SF-36 total score than those with PFO (n = 73), before and after percutaneous ASC occlusion (both p < 0.001). After the procedure, the improvement of SF-36 total score in patients with ASD or atrial fibrillation was greater (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). We observed correlations between improvement of QoL and baseline supraventricular extrasystolic beats (r s = 0.28; p = 0.002), but not ventricular extrasystolic beats (r s = 0.03; p = 0.76). Quality of life improvement was predicted in patients with ASD by higher baseline tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricular longitudinal dimension R 2 = 0.38; p < 0.001. However, in patients with PFO, this was predicted by TAPSE, lack of arterial hypertension and usage of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, R 2 = 0.30; p < 0.001. Conclusions. Patients with ASD have lower QoL than those with PFO before and after percutaneous ASC occlusion. Six months after the procedure, the improvement of QoL in patients with ASD was higher than in those with PFO. The change in QoL self-assessed by patients after the procedure was associated with episodes of arrhythmia and was predicted with echocardiographic and clinical parameters.

No abstract

Background:The work presents a research project carried out in hospital with participation of 100 (50 female, 50 male) patients with congenital heart defects [atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO)]. The aim of the study was to identify specific personality traits of patients with congenital heart defects and to check the psychological functioning of patients by examining: the level of anxiety, impulsiveness, tendency to risk-taking, empathy, neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism and lying. The presented results and their statistical analyses showed specific personality traits of patients with congenital heart defects. Methods: The research was conducted by psychologist Adrianna Skoczek. We performed a psychological clinical assessment and conducted the psychological tests like Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Version [EPQ-R(S)] and Eysenck's Impulsivity Inventory (IVE) by Hans J. Eysenck and Sybil G. Eystenck, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) by C. D. Spielberger, R. L. Gorsuch, R. E. Lushene describing personality traits of patients.Results: The level of extraversion was statistically significantly higher than the level of all other variables. The level of lies was significantly different from the level of psychoticism, which in turn was statistically significantly lower than all other. In the case of the examined women, statistically significant differences were found only between the level of psychoticism and all other analyzed variables. Conclusions: The conducted research shows that patients suffering from ASD or PFO have specific personality traits what allow to better understanding of suffering patients.