title: Impact of arrhythmias on health-related quality of life in adults with congenital cardiac disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health-related quality of life in adults with congenital cardiac disease appears to be impaired, but the determinants of this alteration remain largely unknown. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of arrhythmias on quality of life in patients late after the atrial redirection operation for transposition, or after complete correction of tetralogy of Fallot.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 32 patients with transposition, and 35 patients with tetralogy of Fallot, in a prospective study. Quality of life was assessed using RAND-36 questionnaires. Quality of life data were compared with those of an age-matched control population. Patients underwent 24-hour and 7-day electrocardiographic recordings, echocardiography, and exercise testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients without arrhythmias had quality of life comparable to that of the general population. All 8 domains in the questionnaire showed scores 22 to 51 percent lower in 12 patients with atrial tachyarrhythmias, and/or sinus nodal dysfunction, requiring insertion of a pacemaker in comparison with 55 patients without arrhythmias. In patients with transposition, low scores were not only associated with arrhythmias, but also correlated with impaired exercise capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atrial tachyarrhythmias, and sinus nodal dysfunction, requiring insertion of a pacemaker, were associated with impaired quality of life in adults late after atrial surgical correction of transposition or correction of tetralogy of Fallot.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thiemo A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Irtel
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vetter
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stuber
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuemin
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heimes
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pfammater
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tüller
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carrel
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delacrétaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004452:Echocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000601:surgery*; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000601:surgery*