Quality of Life Evaluation in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

To estimate quality of life (QoL) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) using the SF-36 Health Status Survey.

In a single-center study involving 6,630 patients, we defined a group of 97 patients having an incidental finding of atrial fibrillation (AF). The control group included 99 patients from the same primary cohort, but without paroxysmal AF. The two study groups matched closely in anthropometric parameters and comorbidity. All patients underwent standard laboratory and instrumental research methods. In the primary visit, at the time of AF detection, we evaluated the patients QoL using the classical SF-36 Health Status Survey. At the second visit (6±0.5 months follow-up) and third visit (12±0.5 months follow-up), we re-evaluated the QoL using the SF-36 Health Status Survey.

The absolute majority (95/97; 98%) of patients of the main group had a special variant of extrasystoles, namely the early atrial "P on T" type (versus 4.0% incidence in the control group) [OR 846 (382;187,000)]. The main group showed a significantly greater frequency of supraventricular extrasystoles. At the 1^st visit, there was no group differences in QoL scores between the main and control groups (p>0.05). However, at 6 and 12 months follow-up, metrics of physical and mental health differed significantly between groups stratified by low and high QoL (p<0.05). The asymptomatic patients with paroxysmal AF and high compliance in oral anticoagulant therapy showed higher physical activity and social functioning.

Paroxysmal AF in asymptomatic patients is a predictor for declining QoL during 12 months follow-up in patients with cardiovascular pathology. The paroxysmal AF patients who had high compliance of oral anticoagulant therapy proved to have improved physical activity and social functioning.