Health-related quality of life in a large cohort of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices A registry-based study.

AIM

The association of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), namely pacemaker (PM), implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy with (CRT-D) or without defibrillator (CRT-P) with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is lacking.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data from the Swedish Pacemaker and ICD Registry collected from January 2019 to February 2022 was used to analyze the responses to the European Quality of Life-5 Dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) before and after one year of the CIED implant. Descriptive analysis was performed using Pearson's chi-square test, the analysis of variance ANOVA, the Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test when appropriate. A multivariable regression analysis was used to compare the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS variation after 1 year. Of 1,479 who completed the EQ-5D, 80% had a PM, 10% an ICD, 5% a CRT-P and 6% a CRT-D. The median age was 77 years with females constituting 38% of the PM group and 17% of the ICD group. The EQ-VAS and the EQ-5D index significantly increased after one year from the PM and CRT-P implant (EQ-VAS +2.8, standard deviations (SD) 23 and +5.8, SD 24.9; EQ-5D index +0.019, SD 0.114 and +0.051, SD 0.125) while only the EQ-5D index increased after one year from the ICD implant (+0.002, SD 0.104). After adjusting for age, sex and HRQoL at baseline, the presence of defibrillator was associated with lower EQ-VAS (ICD EQ-VAS variation: -3.4, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -6.7; -0.1 and CRT-D EQ-VAS variation -4.8, 95% CI -8.8;-0.7) and EQ-5D index (ICD EQ-5D index variation: -0.018, 95% CI -0.035; -0.0003 and CRT-D EQ-5D index variation -0.025 95% CI 0.046;0.004) after one year compared to PM.

CONCLUSION

These findings, showing the HRQoL associated with CIED, are important to support physicians' and pacemaker nurses' care after device implantation by embracing the patients' perspectives.