Quality of life of patients with atrial septal defect following percutaneous closure

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Congenital Heart Disease
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Quality of life (QoL) is a critical outcome in congenital heart disease (CHD) management, alongside survival and morbidity.
• Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a prevalent CHD, with percutaneous closure as a standard treatment.
• Assessing QoL post-intervention is crucial for understanding treatment efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the quality of life in patients with atrial septal defect after percutaneous closure.
• To compare the QoL of these patients with a matched healthy control group.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 69 patients with atrial septal defect who underwent percutaneous closure was studied.
• Quality of life was assessed using the Turkish version of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire.
• A control group of 69 healthy individuals, matched for age, sex, education, and socioeconomic factors, was included.

Main Results:

• The study included patients with a mean age of 39.7 years (26% male).
• QoL assessments were conducted at a mean follow-up of 18 months post-procedure.
• No significant differences in SF-36 domain scores (physical functioning, role, social, mental health, vitality, pain, general health) were found between the patient and control groups.

Conclusions:

• Adults undergoing percutaneous atrial septal defect closure experience a quality of life comparable to healthy individuals.
• Percutaneous closure is an effective method for maintaining or restoring quality of life in adults with atrial septal defects.