title: Symptomatic improvement after catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardia measured by the arrhythmia-specific questionnaire U22.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main indication for ablation of supraventricular tachycardia is symptomatic relief. Generic measures of quality of life are not suitable for direct evaluation of arrhythmia-related symptoms, and a specific tool is needed. The questionnaire U22 quantifies symptoms associated with arrhythmic events. It uses discrete 0-10 scales for quantification of influence of arrhythmia on well-being, intensity of discomfort, type of dominant symptom, and a time aspect that summarizes duration and frequency of spells. We evaluated U22 in a well defined group of patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, undergoing an intervention with a distinct end-point and a high success rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Symptoms in patients with accessory pathway and atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia scheduled for ablation were measured with U22 and SF-36 on admission. The evaluation was repeated after 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether 58 patients successfully ablated in 2006-2008 completed the four forms (U22 and SF-36 at base-line and follow-up, 210 ± 35 days after ablation). The score for well-being (0-10; 10 being best) increased from 5.9 ± 2.6 to 7.9 ± 1.9 (P < 0.0005). The score for arrhythmia as cause for impairment in well-being (0-10; 10 being highest) decreased from 7.5 ± 2.8 to 2.0 ± 3.1 (P < 0.0005). The time aspect score (0-10) decreased from 4.7 ± 1.5 to 1.4 ± 1.8 (P < 0.0005). The two SF-36 summary measures PCS and MCS increased from 46.9 ± 9.4 to 48.4 ± 10.7 and from 44.9 ± 12.5 to 49.1 ± 9.9 (P = 0.04 and 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After successful ablation of accessory pathway and atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia, the U22 protocol detected a relevant increase in arrhythmia-related well-being. Modest improvement in general well-being was detected by the SF-36 protocol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Heart Centre, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden. milos.kesek@medicin.umu.se
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kesek
authors.forename: Folke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rönn
authors.forename: Titti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tollefsen
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Höglund
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Näslund
authors.forename: Steen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D058606:Accessory Atrioventricular Bundle / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000601:surgery; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents