title: Predictors of quality of life in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
abstract: Few studies have prospectively examined characteristics of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients as predictors of postimplant outcome. In this study the authors considered the association between preimplant psychological characteristics, ICD shocks, and postimplant quality of life at short- and long-term follow-ups, controlling for age and ejection fraction (N=88). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that history of depression, trait anxiety, optimism, social support, and ICD shocks accounted for 41.8% to 64.5% of the variance in quality of life indices at 8- and 14-month follow-ups, depending on the outcome assessed. Further, psychological variables were as strong as, or stronger than, age, ejection fraction, and ICD shocks in predicting quality of life outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Box 100165, UF Health Science Center, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. ssears@phhp.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Samuel F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: Tara Saia
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kuhl
authors.forename: Jamie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation