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Multicenter Study
. 2017 Dec;54(6):870-876.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.05.002. Epub 2017 Aug 12.

The Relationship Between Psychological Symptoms and Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Himali Weerahandi  1 , Nathan Goldstein  2 , Laura P Gelfman  2 , Ulrich Jorde  3 , James N Kirkpatrick  4 , Edith Meyerson  2 , Judith Marble  5 , Yoshifumi Naka  6 , Sean Pinney  7 , Mark S Slaughter  8 , Emilia Bagiella  9 , Deborah D Ascheim  10
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

The Relationship Between Psychological Symptoms and Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Himali Weerahandi et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Context: Ventricular assist devices (VADs) improve quality of life in advanced heart failure patients, but there are little data exploring psychological symptoms in this population.

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms and disease over time in VAD patients.

Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study enrolled patients immediately before or after VAD implant and followed them up to 48 weeks. Depression and anxiety were assessed with Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Short Form 8a questionnaires. The panic disorder, acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) modules of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM were used.

Results: Eighty-seven patients were enrolled. After implant, depression and anxiety scores decreased significantly over time (P = 0.03 and P < 0.001, respectively). Two patients met criteria for panic disorder early after implantation, but symptoms resolved over time. None met criteria for ASD or PTSD.

Conclusions: Our study suggests VADs do not cause serious psychological harms and may have a positive impact on depression and anxiety. Furthermore, VADs did not induce PTSD, panic disorder, or ASD in this cohort.

Keywords: Ventricular assist device; anxiety; depression.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT diagram of participant flow.
Figure 2
Figure 2
PROMIS Depression SF8a scores over time in a cohort of VAD implanted patients. The score decreased over time (p=.03), indicating less depressive symptoms over time.
Figure 3
Figure 3
PROMIS Anxiety SF8a scores over time in a cohort of VAD implanted patients. The score decreased over time (p<0.001), indicating less anxiety symptoms over time.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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