EFFECT OF RADIOFREQUENCY CATHETER ABLATION AN HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT ARRHYTHMIAS

Background Although radiofrequency catheter ablation can be used to ef fectively treat a variety of arrhythmias, the effects of this procedur e on health-related quality of life have not been systematically studi ed. Methods and Results The SF-36 (a measure of general health status) , the Symptom Checklist-Frequency and Severity Scale (an instrument sp ecific for cardiac arrhythmias), and an Activities of Daily Living que stionnaire were used to assess quality of life in 161 patients before radiofrequency catheter ablation. These same instruments were used to measure quality of life 1 and 6 months after ablation with complete da ta in 159 of the original 161 patients. Before ablation, SF-36 scores of the study population were low compared with the US normative data b ase reflecting significant impairment in physical functioning and well -being. The lowest scores were reported by patients with atrial fibril lation and atrial flutter. Catheter ablation was associated with signi ficant improvement in quality of life that was sustained over the 6 mo nths after ablation. Improvements were measured in both the generic SF -36 health status questionnaire and the disease-specific Symptom Check list-Frequency and Severity Scale. Catheter ablation was followed by i mproved performance of activities of daily living and a marked decreas e in the number of visits to physicians and emergency rooms in the 6 m onths after ablation compared with the 6 months before ablation. Concl usions Radiofrequency catheter ablation improves the health-related qu ality of life for patients with a variety of cardiac arrhythmias.