Relationships between Symptom Group and Quality of Life in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

To investigate the symptoms of patients with atrial fibrillation, and to explore the types of symptoms and their correlation with quality of life. Provide a basis for the quality of life with atrial fibrillation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2020 to September 2021 on patients recruited from a tertiary hospital in Chengdu. The Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form (MOS SF-36), University of Toronto atrial fibrillation Severity Scale and personal information questionnaires was used as survey measurement. Participants with a physician diagnosis of AF, documented on medical records, were included in this study. Data was collected through a survey that was distributed to all eligible patients through face-to-face way. Results: There were slightly more female (65.1%) than male participants, with a mean (SD) age of 73.65 (11.08) years. Two symptom clusters were evident, including Fatigue symptoms cluster(shortness of breath at rest, shortness of breath with activity, exercise intolerance, fatigue at rest) and cardiac symptoms cluster (palpitations, dizziness，chest pain），There was a negative correlation between quality of life and the two symptom clusters. Multivariate linear analysis showed that fatigue symptoms cluster and cardiac symptoms cluster could significantly predict the quality of life of patients(P<0.01). Conclusion: Two unique atrial fibrillation symptom clusters were identified in this study population，which seriously affect the quality of life of patients. Nurses should timely evaluate patients' symptoms and actively manage patients' symptom clusters, so as to effectively improve the quality of life of patients.