title: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and SF-36 in patients with atrial septal defect type secundum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although exercise capacity is impaired, atrial septal defect (ASD) patients report satisfactory exercise tolerance. This study aimed at (1) evaluating cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) and (2) evaluating the impact of exercise capacity on perceived health status using a self-reported health questionnaire (SF-36) in patients with open and closed ASD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients (mean age 37 ± 17, 9 males) with open ASD and 24 (mean age 37 ± 14, 6 male) with closed ASD were included. All underwent CPX and completed a SF-36 questionnaire. Age- and gender-matched controls were selected for comparison of CPX variables and SF-36 was compared with results from a general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with open ASD had lower peak oxygen uptake (VO(2)) (27.9 ± 9.7 vs 38.5 ± 9.5 mL · kg(-1) · min(-1). P = .009) and higher VE/VCO(2) slope (31.0 ± 7.7 vs 24.1 ± 4.8; P = .004) than controls. Patients with closed ASD had lower peak VO(2) (26.2 ± 8.4 vs 34.8 ± 9.7 mL · kg(-1) · min(-1). P = .014) and peak heart rate (163 ± 25 vs 178 ± 16 bpm; P = .035) than controls. Perceived health-status was lower in patients with open ASD than the general population. Peak VO(2) correlated significantly with physical functioning, emotional functioning, and bodily pain in open ASD and with physical functioning, bodily pain, role limitation, vitality, and mental health in closed ASD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with open and closed ASD had decreased peak VO(2). Patients with open ASD had lower ventilatory efficiency. Closed ASD patients had chronotropic incompetence because of β-blockers. SF-36 was reduced in patients with open ASD but not closed ASD. Reduced exercise capacity affected several domains of perceived health-status in ASD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural and Congenital Cardiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van De Bruaene
authors.forename: Roselien
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buys
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vanhees
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delcroix
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moons
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Budts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D055815:Young Adult