RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Quality of life and perceived health status in surviving adults with univentricular heart
JF Heart
JO Heart
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society
SP 69
OP 73
DO 10.1136/hrt.86.1.69
VO 86
IS 1
A1 Z Saliba
A1 G Butera
A1 D Bonnet
A1 P Bonhoeffer
A1 E Villain
A1 J Kachaner
A1 D Sidi
A1 L Iserin
YR 2001
UL http://heart.bmj.com/content/86/1/69.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE To evaluate the quality of life in patients with univentricular heart and to determine the impact of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective, cross sectional study conducted in a regional paediatric cardiology centre.PATIENTS The health records of 89 survivors with univentricular heart (median age 21 years; range 17–49 years) were reviewed. Sixty seven answered the Duke questionnaire. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were similar in the responders and non-responders. The impact of sociodemographic and clinical variables on individual Duke's measures was assessed.RESULTS The Duke scores of adults with univentricular heart were similar to the normal population. Cyanosis predicted a worse score for physical (p = 0.05) and perceived health measures (p = 0.02). A higher educational level predicted a better score for physical (p = 0.004), mental (p = 0.01), and general health measures (p = 0.02). Orthopaedic problems worsened the social score (p = 0.05). Psychosocial problems worsened the pain score (p = 0.04). In comparison with the other anatomical types, mitral atresia worsened the perceived health score (p = 0.02). Patients younger than 23 years scored better for almost all health and dysfunction measures.CONCLUSIONS Despite repeated interventions and other disease related everyday stresses, a selected group of adults with univentricular heart had a satisfying quality of life.