Open Access
ARTICLE
Quality of Life in Congenital Heart Disease Patients According to Their Anatomical and Physiological Classification
Efrén Martínez-Quintana1,2,*, Hiurma Estupiñán-León2, Ana Beatriz Rojas-Brito2, Liuva Déniz-Déniz2, Alejandro Barreto-Martín2, Fayna Rodríguez-González3
1
Cardiology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular-Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016, Spain
2
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas
de Gran Canaria, 35016, Spain
3
Ophthalmology Service, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35012, Spain
* Corresponding Author: Efrén Martínez-Quintana. Email:
Congenital Heart Disease 2023, 18(2), 197-206. https://doi.org/10.32604/CHD.2021.013308
Received 01 August 2020; Accepted 13 November 2020; Issue published 15 March 2023
Abstract
Background: Living well is as important as living longer. The objective of this study is to assess quality of life
(QoL) in congenital heart disease (CHD) according to current AHA/ACC anatomical and physiological classifi-
cation.
Methods: Cross-sectional study examining the World Health Organization QoL Bref questionnaire
(WHOQoL-Bref) in consecutive outpatient CHD patients from a single unit.
Results: 191 CHD patients were
studied. Median age was 28 ± 13 years and 59% were male. 44 (23%), 115 (60%) and 33 (17%) CHD patients
showed mild, moderate and great anatomical defects respectively while 69 (36%) patients were in physiological
Stage A, 27 (14%) in Stage B, 84 (44%) in Stage C and 11 (6%) in Stage D. No significant differences were seen
in relation the anatomical classification and the different sections of the WHOQoL-Bref questionnaire. CHD
patients in Stages C and D had significant lower physical domain scores than patients in the Stage A (p <
0.05). However, no significant differences were seen in the psychological, social relationships and environmental
domains. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that having a higher educational level was a protective
factor [OR 0.32 (95% CI, 0.12–0.87),
p = 0.026] while being married or cohabit was a risk factor [OR 3.46
(95% CI, 1.13–10.63),
p = 0.030] for having a worse rated QoL. Meanwhile, having a worse functional class
(NYHA ≥2) [OR 3.44 (95% CI, 1.20–9.81),
p = 0.021] was associated with dissatisfaction with health.
Conclusion:
Patients with advanced physiological stages scored lower on the physiological domain. No statistical significance
was seen, according to the anatomical and physiological classification, in the psychological, social relationship and
environmental domains.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Martínez-Quintana, E., Estupiñán-León, H., Rojas-Brito, A. B., Déniz-Déniz, L., Barreto-Martín, A. et al. (2023). Quality of Life in Congenital Heart Disease Patients According to Their Anatomical and Physiological Classification.
Congenital Heart Disease, 18(2), 197–206.