Key result
NYHA class, comorbidities, and patient information level linked to quality of life in pacemaker patients.
Why the study?
Measurement of quality of life provides insights into pacing therapy and guides patient-centered care, prompting evaluation of factors affecting quality of life in permanent cardiac pacemaker patients using two generic questionnaires.
What factors are associated with quality of life in patients with permanent cardiac pacemakers?
What factors are associated with quality of life in patients with permanent cardiac pacemakers?
In patients with permanent pacemakers, quality of life is significantly influenced by NYHA functional class, comorbidities, and the patient's level of information about their device.
Supports routine consideration of functional class, comorbidities, and information level in pacemaker management; reinforces prior patient-centered QoL evidence.
Background/Objectives: Permanent cardiac pacemakers (PPMs) are small electronic implanted devices that regulate cardiac rhythm. Measurement of quality of life (QoL) serves as a powerful tool for gaining in-depth insights into pacing therapy and ultimately guiding patient-centered management strategies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate factors affecting QoL among PPM patients by applying the two generic questionnaires: SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 patients with PPM were enrolled. QoL data were collected through interviews using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Euro QoL 5-Dimensions 5-Levels Health Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Patients’ characteristics were also recorded. Results: The majority of participants were male (54.2%), retired (83.3%) residents in urban areas (75.5%), had a DDD pacemaker (82.5%), had rate response programmed on (77.5%), and had comorbidities (83.3%). Regarding QoL measured by SF-36, the Physical Component Summary Score (PCS) was significantly associated with programming rate response in their pacemaker (p = 0.046), comorbidities (p = 0.047), and the NYHA functional class (p = 0.047). The Mental Component Summary Score (MCS) was significantly associated with sex (p = 0.034), place of residence (p = 0.003), NYHA functional class (p = 0.001), and patients’ level of information about the device (p = 0.039). Patients’ QoL, as measured by the EQ-5D-5L, was significantly associated with sex (p = 0.001), age (p = 0.019), occupation (p = 0.040), pacing mode (p = 0.034), comorbidities (p = 0.019), NYHA functional class (p = 0.047), and level of information about the device (p = 0.005). Conclusions: NYHA functional class, comorbidities, and level of information as reported by patients were the factors associated with QoL, as shown by the two scales. All three factors guide a personalized care plan since NYHA class shows the burden of disease, comorbidities add to the complexity, and patient information determines the effectiveness of management.
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Stavrou et al. (2026) studied this question. NYHA class, comorbidities, and patient information level significantly impact quality of life in pacemaker patients measured by SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L (p ≤ 0.047).
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