Introduction
Methods
Patients
Measures
WAICD-SF items (N = 30) | WAICD item no. 26 | Item–total correlation | Not at all true | A little true | Sort of true | Quite a bit true | Extremely true |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. It bothers me not knowing when the ICD will fire. | 1 | 0.45 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
2. I worry about the ICD firing and creating a scene. | 2 | 0.49 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
3. I am afraid of being alone if the ICD fires and I need help. | 3 | 0.63 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
4. I worry about the ICD not firing sometime when I need it. | 4 | 0.37 | 18 | 7 | 3 | – | 1 |
5. I can’t stop thinking about the ICD. | 6 | 0.42 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 1 | – |
6. I worry that the ICD will fire when it’s not supposed to. | 14 | 0.56 | 17 | 6 | 3 | – | 3 |
7. I worry about how I will feel when the ICD fires. | 15 | 0.66 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
8. I am nervous that if I exercise my heart might start beating faster and make the ICD fire. | 16 | 0.54 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
9. I worry about not being able to get a job in future because of the ICD. | 19 | 0.38 | 21 | 3 | 5 | – | – |
10. I worry about traveling to a place where there aren’t any doctors who know about ICDs. | 23 | 0.42 | 17 | 9 | 1 | – | 2 |
11. I worry that paramedics don’t know how the ICD works. | 24 | 0.59 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Statistical Analyses
Results
Study Subjects
No. of patients included | 30 |
Age at implant (years) | 13.7 ± 3.6a (range 4.8–22.4) |
Sex (male/female) | 15/15 |
Weight (kg) at implant | 48.4 ± 17.0 (range 15–94) |
Height (cm) at implant | 160.3 ± 19.5 (range 105–190) |
Beta-blockers used (no.) | 19 |
ICD indication | |
SCD survivor | 13 |
Primary prevention | 17 |
Cardiovascular disease | |
Cardiomyopathy | 6 |
Primary electrical disease | 17 |
Congenital | 7 |
Implant characteristics | |
Epicardial/transvenous approach | 2/28 |
Single/dual chamber | 26/4 |
Generator abdominal/subpectoral | 4/26 |
DFT at implant (mean) | 15.1 ± 5.7 |
Follow-up | |
Follow-up after implantation (y) | 3.6 ± 2.6 |
DRQoL of Pediatric Patients with an ICD
Groups | Mean (SD) depressive symptoms (N = 16 items [range 16–80]) | Mean (SD) anxiety (N = 10 items [range 10–50]) | Mean (SD) sleep problems (N = 3 items [range 3–15]) |
---|---|---|---|
ICD sample (N = 23) | 31.6* (6.2) | 17.3* (3.9) | 7.6* (1.9) |
Reference group (N = 2366)a
| 21.6 (7.6) | 12.8 (4.4) | 4.5 (2.2) |
Psychological Problems of Pediatric Patients with an ICD
Correlates of DRQOL
Variables | WAICD-SF mean (SD) p
| |
---|---|---|
Time since implantation | ||
<2 years (N = 11) | 5.6 (4.3) | |
>2 years (N = 19) | 11.9 (8.7) | 0.049* |
Number of shocks | ||
0 (N = 15) | 7.2 (5.3) | |
≥1 (N = 15) | 12.9 (9.6) | 0.045* |