Patient perception of symptoms and quality of life following ablation in patients with supraventricular tachycardia
published online 01 October 2009.
Objectives
It remains unclear which symptom experiences and aspects of quality of life (QOL) change after ablation in patients with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). To determine how patient perceptions of symptoms and QOL change after ablation, we used a single group pretest–posttest design.
Methods
Patients with SVT (n=52; mean age 41±17 years; 65% female) completed generic and disease-specific measures at baseline and 1 month after ablation.
Results
Significant improvement after ablation was noted on virtually all measures (P <.05). Patients reported decreases from baseline regarding frequency and duration of episodes, number of symptoms, and impact of SVT on routine activities. All symptoms decreased in prevalence; however, no symptoms were completely eliminated at 1-month follow-up. Women, more so than men, reported larger changes in symptom and QOL scores after ablation.
Conclusions
Despite the small sample, statistically significant improvement was found after ablation in a variety of patients with different symptoms and QOL indices.
aDuke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC, USA
bDepartment of Physiologic Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco
cInstitute For Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco
dDivision of Cardiology, Electrophysiology Section, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
Corresponding author: Kathryn A. Wood, RN, PhD, Duke University School of Nursing, 307 Trent Drive, Room 3065, DUMC Box 3322, Durham, NC 27710
ABSTRACT