title: The effect of radiofrequency ablation treatment on quality of life and anxiety in patients with supraventricular tachycardia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) has been shown to be associated with poor outcome in psychological status and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the quality-of-life and anxiety in patients with PSVT and to investigate the influence of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment on these parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with newly diagnosed PSVT with electrophysiologic study and treated with RFA, were enrolled in the study and 50 healthy age-and sex-matched individuals. The brief version of World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale and the state-trait anxiety inventory were administered to controls and all patients before and three months after the RFA procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, in comparison with the control group, the patients with PSVT exhibited greater anxiety average scores (p < 0.05). After RFA procedure, the patients with PSVT exhibited significant improvement in anxiety, quality of life and health satisfaction scores. Statistically significant difference between the controls and the patients in respect to state and trait anxiety average scores disappeared after treatment (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, normalization of anxiety and quality of life is associated with RFA treatment for patients with PSVT. This finding need to be confirmed by larger scale clinical trials with long-term quality of life follow-up in higher number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Yontar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Semiz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Canan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yontar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuğu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*