Comparison of generic health survey SF-36 and arrhythmia related symptom severity check list in relation to post-therapy AF recurrence

Abstract

We conclude that SSCL is more specific instrument for a measurement of PVI success or failure.

Quality of life in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation

“…Results of the SF-36 questionnaire in patients who had a recurrence of atrial fibrillation after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA); p < 0.05 for bodily pain (BP) and general health (GH); abbreviations as in Table 2 Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation and as median for abnormally distributed variables; NR -non-recurrence group; R -recurrence group; G -group, I -intervention (CPVA), GxI -interaction of the group and intervention; QoL -quality of life; other abbreviations as in Table 2 process or cardiac denervation, or may originate from the placebo effect. Further studies suggest that the improvement in QoL seems to be caused by changing previously symptomatic events into asymptomatic ones [12,13]; however, in our study we did not observe asymptomatic episodes of AF during Holter monitoring.…”

“…The population that was studied in this research was relatively young (54.2 ± 9 years) and had not experienced significant symptoms of other co-morbid health conditions that may have had an impact on the SF-36 questionnaire results. The effect of the therapy that was applied on health-related QoL in patients with AF has been investigated in several studies [7,12,13], and these data are consistent with our findings.…”

“…The results are consistent and describe a health-related improvement of the QoL in patients with highly symptomatic drug-resistant AF after CPVA [7,12,13]. Eighteen per cent of the patients had documented episodes of AF after CPVA (R group); however, their symptoms were limited.…”

“…Thus, it has been suggested that the ablation procedure can modulate the feeling of arrhythmia without entirely curing it. Similarly, data reported by Berkowitsch et al [12] about the QoL outcomes in patients with paroxysmal AF after ablation indicated that the improvement in patients with a recurrence of AF may be caused by a modification of the underlying arrhythmogenic Figure 2. Results of the SF-36 questionnaire in patients who had a recurrence of atrial fibrillation after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA); p < 0.05 for bodily pain (BP) and general health (GH); abbreviations as in Table 2 Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation and as median for abnormally distributed variables; NR -non-recurrence group; R -recurrence group; G -group, I -intervention (CPVA), GxI -interaction of the group and intervention; QoL -quality of life; other abbreviations as in Table 2 process or cardiac denervation, or may originate from the placebo effect.…”

2012 HRS/EHRA/ECAS Expert Consensus Statement on Catheter and Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Recommendations for Patient Selection, Procedural Techniques, Patient Management and Follow-up, Definitions, Endpoints, and Research Trial Design

“…Two studies demonstrated that over a 12-month period following treatment, changes in QOL scores were strongly related to the presence or absence of documented AF recurrence within the previous 30 days. 1093,1094 …”