The impact of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: the Leiden follow-up study of ICD patients and their partners.

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this study was to evaluate 1) the presence of psychosocial problems in both ICD patients and their partners, and 2) the relation between psychosocial problems and various clinical variables.

METHODS

Questionnaires were sent to 219 ICD patients and their partners.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight percent of the ICD patients, 122 (81%) male, aged 59±12 years, and 62% of their partners, 28 (21%) male, aged 58±11 years, returned the questionnaires. Anxiety, depression or nervousness was reported by 49%, 30% and 52% respectively of the patients and by 36%, 24% and 66% of the partners. In patients, mental health problems were associated with a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (p=0.006), younger age (p=0.029), employment (p=0.011), unpleasant experiences from ICD discharges (p=0.032), prior myocardial infarction (p=0.019) and a higher NYHA functional class (p=0.05). Nervousness was more often reported by partners of ICD patients with prior myocardial infarction (p=0.049). Sixty percent of the partners had a need for counselling or support groups.

CONCLUSION

Psychosocial problems are present in ICD patients and their partners and are associated with a number of clinical variables. A specific ICD rehabilitation programme should therefore not only be offered to ICD patients but to their partners as well.