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Quality of Life in Patients with Recurrent Vasovagal or Unexplained Syncope: Influence of Sex, Syncope Type and Illness Representations

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Abstract

Health-related quality of life (QoL) is reduced in patients with recurrent vasovagal (VVS) or unexplained (US) syncope. Little is known regarding these patients’ QoL as pertains to their capacity to attain their life goals. Factors influencing QoL, such as sex, syncope type and illness representations have not been studied. Our objective is to examine the relationship between illness representations and QoL, as well as possible sex and syncope type differences. One hundred and four patients undergoing tilt-table testing (TTT) for recurrent syncope were interviewed one month before TTT, using questionnaires. Data were analysed using ANCOVAs, a-priori Helmert contrasts for illness representations, and regressions. Patients with US had a poor QoL compared to those with VVS [F(1, 91) = 10.46; p < 0.01], particularly in men (p < 0.01). Patients with higher perceived syncope severity showed an impoverished QoL relative to those with less severe perceptions [F(1, 91) = 5.47; p < 0.05]. A hierarchical regression revealed that illness representations mediate the impact of lifetime number of syncope on QoL. In conclusion, QoL is reduced in these patients, and is influenced by illness representations. Helping patients change their perceptions about their syncope may be an efficient way to promote QoL.

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Abbreviations

ANCOVA:

Analysis of covariance

HRQoL:

Health-related quality of life

IPQ-R:

Illness Perceptions Questionnaire–Revised

LNS:

Lifetime number of syncope

QLSI:

Quality of Life Systemic Inventory

QoL:

Quality of life

TTT:

Tilt-table test

VVS:

Recurrent vasovagal

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant and a research scholarship awarded to Dr. D’Antono and Dr. St-Jean respectively, by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. We also thank the “Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec” for salary support of Dr. D’Antono. Finally, we wish to acknowledge the collaboration of Dr. Gendreau at the Centre Hospitalier Ambulatoire de la Région de Laval for his implication in this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute/Université de Montréal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada

    Karine St-Jean, Gilles Dupuis, Karine Lévesque & Bianca D’Antono

  2. Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Karine St-Jean, Gilles Dupuis, Karine Lévesque & Bianca D’Antono

  3. Department of Cardiology, Sacré-Coeur Hospital of Montreal, 5400 boul. Gouin Quest, Montreal, QC, H4J 1C5, Canada

    Teresa Kus & Reginald Nadeau

  4. Department of Pharmacology, Université de Montreal, 2900 boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada

    Teresa Kus

  5. Research Center and Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute/Université de Montréal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada

    Bernard Thibault & Peter G. Guerra

  6. Departments of Medicine and Physiology, Université de Montreal, 2900 boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada

    Reginald Nadeau

  7. Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Bianca D’Antono

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  1. Karine St-Jean
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  2. Teresa Kus
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  3. Gilles Dupuis
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Correspondence to Bianca D’Antono.

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St-Jean, K., Kus, T., Dupuis, G. et al. Quality of Life in Patients with Recurrent Vasovagal or Unexplained Syncope: Influence of Sex, Syncope Type and Illness Representations. Applied Research Quality Life 3, 235–249 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-009-9058-x

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