Impaired Mental Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation

Background: Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (iVF) is diagnosed in cardiac arrest survivors without an identifiable cause. Data regarding the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in iVF patients are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the HRQoL of iVF patients and to compare it to patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) diagnosed with an underlying disease and healthy subjects. Methods: In 61 iVF patients with an ICD (iVF-ICD) and 59 ICD patients with a diagnosis (diagnosis-ICD), HRQoL was assessed using the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), the EuroQoL-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the ICD Patient Concerns (ICDC) Questionnaire. In addition, 860 healthy subjects completed the SF-12. Results: IVF-ICD showed similar SF-12 physical summary scores compared with diagnosis-ICD patients (50.8 [interquartile range (IQR) = 42.1–53.9] vs 54.1 [IQR = 46.5–58.3]; P = 0.080) and healthy subjects (51.8 [IQR = 45.9–54.1]; P = 0.691). The mental summary score was impaired in iVF-ICD patients compared with diagnosis-ICD patients (45.9 [IQR = 40.7–49.4] vs 54.6 [IQR = 46.0–57.9]; P < 0.001) and healthy subjects (47.7 [IQR = 43.0–50.4]; P = 0.027). Scores on all five EQ-5D domains were similar between iVF-ICD patients and diagnosis-ICD patients, as well as symptoms of severe depression (19% vs 12%; P = 0.101). ICD concerns were similar between iVF-ICD and diagnosis-ICD patients (ICDC-scores 2 vs 2; P = 0.494). Conclusions: Data suggest that there is a reduced mental HRQoL in patients with iVF compared to other cardiac arrest survivors. Screening and treatment of psychological distress should therefore be considered in iVF patients.