[Adolescent congenital heart disease: quality of life in patients not undergoing intracardiac repair].
The quality of life of adolescent patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) who have not undergone intracardiac repair was investigated by assessing the physical activity, complications, and the educational and occupational status of 69 patients (32 males and 37 females, average age 18 +/- 2 years) who had graduated from junior high school by April 1993. Group A consisted of 54 patients with mild CHD (small left-to-right shunt disease, mild aortic stenosis and/or regurgitation, and other CHD) who reported to have no symptoms. Group B consisted of 15 patients who complained of restrictions on physical activity associated with CHD (Eisenmenger syndrome, and CHD complicated with pulmonary atresia or severe pulmonary stenosis). All group A patients were in NYHA class I, and none had had serious complications due to CHD. Their heart condition had not been a disadvantage in terms of educational and occupational opportunities after graduation from junior high school. All group B patients in NYHA class II had reduced physical activity. Eleven patients suffered from complications associated with CHD, such as brain abscess, infective endocarditis, Down syndrome, supraventricular tachycardia, brain infarction, hemoptysis, mental retardation associated with conotruncal anomaly face syndrome, and I degree AV block without symptoms. Two remained at home after graduation from junior high school, and four after high school. Only two of 15 obtained full time jobs after graduation from high school. About half of the patients with symptomatic CHD are unable to participate actively in society since graduation from junior high or high school.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tomita
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Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life