KARDIOCHIRURGIA DOROSŁYCH
Long-Term Psychological Implications of Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease Operated Patients: a 10-15 year follow-up

Aim of the study: Results of surgical treatment in congenital heart defect patients should be assessed not only by long-term survival but also Quality of Life (QoL). We believe that congenital heart disease surgery affects the patient’s lifestyle. This study was aimed at assessing QoL, life satisfaction and disease acceptance in three age categories, separately for males and females.

Material and Methods: Patients with various types of congenital heart disease were contacted 10-15 years after their operation in the Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, Poland. They were asked to complete a questionnaire to assess their quality of life using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Of the original 1070 patients, 680 patients were randomly selected. From this group 269 completed and returned the surveys. Three patient age groups were established. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for means comparison. P value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The mean age for all patients was 40.1±15.3 years, for males 35.6±13.1, for females 43.3±15.9, p<0.0001. The mean follow-up from the operation was 13.3 years. The mean age at the time of the operation was 26.7±15.7. In the male group QoL, satisfaction with life and acceptance of illness depended on the age, although the acceptance of illness did not change significantly. Post-surgery male patients with congenital heart disease demonstrate slightly better, but not significantly so, acceptance of the illness, better QoL and higher life satisfaction level than female patients. Age in male patients has no effect on these parameters. In post-surgery female patients, the QoL and life satisfaction level deteriorate with the patient’s age. Acceptance of disease was not altered significantly.

Conclusions: Post-surgery female patients with congenital heart disease require psychological support many years after the operation.