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. 2023 Aug 2;25(9):euad205.
doi: 10.1093/europace/euad205.

Patient-reported outcome measures on mental health and psychosocial factors in patients with Brugada syndrome

Stefaan Six  1 , Peter Theuns  2 , Pieter Libin  3   4 , Ann Nowé  3 , Luigi Pannone  5 , Bart Bogaerts  3 , Simon Jaxy  3 , Catharina Olsen  6   7   8 , Gudrun Pappaert  5 , Isel Grau  3   9 , Juan Sieira  5 , Sonia Van Dooren  10 , Esther Scheirlynck  11 , Julie Nekkebroeck  12 , Marina Mallefroy  13 , Carlo de Asmundis  5 , Johan Bilsen  1
Affiliations

Patient-reported outcome measures on mental health and psychosocial factors in patients with Brugada syndrome

Stefaan Six et al. Europace. .

Abstract

Aims: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a hereditary arrhythmic disease, associated with sudden cardiac death. To date, little is known about the psychosocial correlates and impacts associated with this disease. The aim of this study was to assess a set of patient-reported psychosocial outcomes, to better profile these patients, and to propose a tailored psychosocial care.

Methods and results: Patients were recruited at the European reference Centre for BrS at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Belgium. Recruitment was undertaken in two phases: phase 1 (retrospective), patients with confirmed BrS, and phase 2 (prospective), patients referred for ajmaline testing who had an either positive or negative diagnosis. BrS patients were compared to controls from the general population. Two hundred and nine questionnaires were analysed (144 retrospective and 65 prospective). Collected patient-reported outcomes were on mental health (12 item General Health Questionnaire; GHQ-12), social support (Oslo Social Support Scale), health-related quality of life, presence of Type-D personality (Type-D Scale; DS14), coping styles (Brief-COPE), and personality dimensions (Ten Item Personality Inventory). Results showed higher mental distress (GHQ-12) in BrS patients (2.53 ± 3.03) than in the general population (P < 0.001) and higher prevalence (32.7%) of Type D personality (P < 0.001) in patients with confirmed Brugada syndrome (BrS +). A strong correlation was found in the BrS + group (0.611, P < 0.001) between DS14 negative affectivity subscale and mental distress (GHQ-12).

Conclusion: Mental distress and type D personality are significantly more common in BrS patients compared to the general population. This clearly illustrates the necessity to include mental health screening and care as standard for BrS.

Keywords: Brugada syndrome; Type D personality; mental health; patient-reported outcome measures.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: C.d.A. receives research grants on behalf of the centre from Biotronik, Medtronic, Abbott, LivaNova, Boston Scientific, AtriCure, Philips, and Acutus; C.d.A. received compensation for teaching purposes and proctoring from Medtronic, Abbott, Biotronik, Livanova, Boston Scientific, Atricure, Acutus Medical, and Daiichi Sankyo. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

Figures

Graphical abstract
Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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