Purpose: Evaluation of the impact of catheter ablation for ventricular extrasystoles (VES) in structurally normal hearts on quality of life (QOL) and symptomatology.
Methods: Symptom analysis assessed with a disease-specific questionnaire, EHRA score for AF, and QOL analysis at baseline and 1 year after ablation.
Results: The study enrolled 39 patients between April 2016 and November 2019. Two patients were excluded from further analysis. At baseline, palpitations were reported in 31/37 (84%); syncope in 12/37 (32%); other cardiac symptoms in 33/37 (89%) of patients. The EHRA score was 3 or 4 in 13 patients (35%). With the modified arrhythmia-specific questionnaire (MASQ) psychological and physical scores were 46 and 39%. The overall perception of health in the SF-36 was 56 ± 16%. Ablation was performed in 35/37 (95%). At regular follow-up, symptoms were reported in 14/37 (38%) patients. ECG suggested a good procedural outcome in 65% with VES burden on Holter < 1% in 68%. At follow-up, palpitations were reported in 61% (P < 0.07); syncope in only 1 patient (P < 0.05). The EHRA score was 3 or 4 in only one patient (P < 0.05). MASQ scores improved to 62 and 60% (both p < 0.001). The overall perception of health in the SF-36 became 64 ± 17% (P < 0.02).
Conclusions: Patients with VES suffer from a wide variety of symptoms and have a low quality of life, as demonstrated by the EHRA score and conventional questionnaires. After catheter ablation, palpitations are still reported, but become less frequently present. Syncope becomes rare. Quality of life improves significantly from all perspectives.
Keywords: Catheter ablation; Quality of life; Symptoms; Ventricular extrasystoles.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.