Objective: The diagnosis of premature ventricular complex-induced cardiomyopathy (PVC-CMP) is based on the presence of common PVCs associated with cardiomyopathy without a reasonable etiology for the cardiomyopathy. The treatment strategies for PVCs include radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) and drug therapy. In addition to physiological symptoms, PVCs also cause psychological symptoms. Impaired quality of life and sleep quality parameters have been observed in these patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of RFCA treatment on cardiac function and psychiatric health parameters.
Patients and methods: A total of 60 consecutive patients undergoing catheter ablation for cardiomyopathy-associated idiopathic PVCs were included in this study. Each patient underwent a three-lead ECG recording over a 24-hour period during normal daily ambulatory activities at a screening visit before and 3 months after RFCA. The Beck Depression Inventory Index (BDI-I), Beck Anxiety Inventory Index (BAI-I), and Global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (GPSQI) were assessed before and after RFCA.
Results: PVC frequency decreased from 21.99±6.10 to 1.2% after RFCA. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased from 0.41±0.05 to 0.50±0.06 after RFCA (p<0.001). GPSQI (4.90±1.99 to 3.80±1.75, p <0.001), BDI-I (14.12±7.05 to 8.67±5.13, p<0.001), BAI-I (15.12±6.89 to 9.40±5.11, p<0.001) values decreased after RFCA. We found a moderate negative correlation between GPSQI, BDI-I, BAI-I and LVEF (rs=-0.56; p <0.001, rs=-0.55; p<0.001 and rs=-0.62; p<0.001).
Conclusions: In addition to the recovery of systolic and diastolic cardiac functions, mental and psychiatric health parameters also showed great improvement.