Symptom Burden and Quality of Life After Successful Ablation in Patients With Low Burden of Symptomatic Premature Ventricular Complexes

Background: It is essential to enhance life quality in patients with premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) with the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The aim of the study was to assess symptom burden and life quality in patients with a low PVC burden following RFA. Methods: 31 individuals with a low PVC burden in whom RFA was indicated were included in the study. At baseline and after a year following RFA, the Arrhythmia-Specific questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA) scale was used for appraisal. A 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram was used to detect recurrent PVCs 12 months after the RFA intervention.Results: ASTA scores related to symptom burden, including the near-syncope score, healthrelated quality of life (HRQOL) scales pertaining to physical and mental health, and consequently the total HRQOL score, were all diminished a year after RFA (p<0.001). The ASTA score for syncope symptoms was also reduced (p<0.05). A fall in mean PVC burden was seen from 8.0% to 0.8% (p<0.001). Conclusion: The long-term clinical endpoint in individuals with a low PVC burden following RFA is reported. Symptom load, life quality and ultimate PVC burden were all enhanced. Additional studies incorporating longer follow-up and monitoring periods, respectively, would be beneficial.

Patient activation in adults with chronic conditions: A systematic review

Patient activation is an important aspect of self-management for adults with chronic non cancerous health conditions (CHC). However, there is limited evidence about which measures of patient activation and healthrelated quality of life are most useful to clinicians. This systematic review examined regarding the types of measures used to evaluate a patient’s readiness for self-management including patient activation and healthrelated quality of life (HRQOL). Two such as measurements are the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) and overall PROMIS® Global health. Ten articles were identified which included measurement of patient activation and HRQOL. The results indicate that HRQOL is evaluated with various measurement tools. Most researchers agree that patient activation and the measurement of global HRQOL positively contribute to successful self-management strategies.

Oral health-related quality of life among Belgrade adolescents

Background/Aim. Adolescents are vulnerable group in term of acquisition of oral health-related knowledge, habits and attitudes. That is why the aim of this study was to investigate the associations between dental status, dental anxiety and oral health-related behavior and oral healthrelated quality of life as captured by Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) index. Methods. This crosssectional survey included representative sample of 404 adolescents (15 years old), randomly recruited from high schools in Belgrade, Serbia. The adolescents were interviewed using Serbian versions of eight-item OIDP index, Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HUDBI) and modified Corah?s Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Three previously trained and calibrated dentists examined the subjects in the classrooms to determine the oral health status of adolescents [the Decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index and visual signs of gingivitis]. Results. At least one oral impact was reported in 49.50% of adolescents. Most frequently, oral health problems affected eating (26.73%), tooth cleaning (27.47%) and sleep and relaxation (16.83%). In comparison with adolescents without oral impacts, the adolescents with at least one oral impact reported, had higher DMFT score, more often reported problems with bleeding gums, usage of hard toothbrush, worries about the color of their teeth and seeing the dentist because of the symptoms. Logistic regression showed that dental anxiety (MDAS score), dental behavior (HUDBI score) and worrying about the color of the teeth significantly affected OIDP score. Conclusion. Oral healthrelated quality of life among adolescents was affected by their behavior and dental anxiety levels. Implementing public health policies that target adolescents with poor oral health or bad habits might be helpful in improving their oral health-related quality of life.