Adverse events in patients with a left ventricular assist device : Are patient-reported outcomes affected?

Aims
Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are used to treat advanced heart failure, and the use of these devices in ever increasing, with over 19 000 people having had a device. However, during device therapy over 50% of patients will have some type of major adverse event. The aim of this study was to examine whether having a major adverse event, including major infection and major bleed, would alter patient-reported outcomes over time, including depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life.

Methods and results
T-tests and χ2 analyses were used to determine significant differences between patients who had an adverse event and those who did not. Latent curve growth modelling was used to evaluate change over time in those patients with and without and adverse event. The only difference between those with and without an adverse event was pre-implant depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life. The trajectories of both groups were also similar, with only differences at the pre-implant time point.

Conclusion
In response to an adverse event occurring post-LVAD implantation, we found that patient-reported outcomes, including depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life were not significantly impacted.