title: The psychological impact of implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation on Brugada syndrome patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a hereditary arrhythmic disease, responsible for sudden death in patients without known heart disease. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is recommended in patients at high risk of sudden death, but the resulting psychological impact has never been studied. The aim of our study was to assess the impact on quality of life of BrS and ICD implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were selected from the reference centre for hereditary arrhythmic disease database in Nantes. This population was divided into three groups: Group 1 (G1), symptomatic implanted patients; Group 2 (G2), asymptomatic implanted patients; and Group 3 (G3), asymptomatic patients without ICD. One hundred and ninety questionnaires [36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) and subsidiary questions] were analysed (60 in G1, 78 in G2, and 52 in G3). We failed to identify any difference in the evaluation of the SF-36 between the three groups and the SF-36 score was similar to the French population score. However, specific questions regarding tolerance of the ICD showed that ICD implantation resulted in significant negative impact, especially for professional careers and purchasing insurance, even though the patient considered ICD implantation as reassuring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whatever the group, BrS patients have a good quality of life with no difference between implanted and non-implanted patients. However, ICD implantation is accompanied by difficulties in their social and professional life. This work emphasizes the need to propose specific recommendations applicable to insurance to reduce the complications experienced by these patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of thorax, Service de Cardiologie, INSERM U915, Nantes, France. vincent.probst@chu-nantes.fr
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Plassard-Kerdoncuf
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mansourati
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mabo
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sacher
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fruchet
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babuty
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lande
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guyomarc'h
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Le Marec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires