Atrial fibrillation (AF) is often associated with troubling symptoms leading to impaired quality of life (QoL) and high health care use.
The study about evaluating the effect of online cognitive behavior therapy (AF-CBT) on QoL in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF was published June, 26 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF (n = 127) were randomly assigned to receive AF-CBT (n = 65) or standardized AF education (n = 62). Online AF-CBT lasted 10 weeks and was therapist guided. Patients were evaluated at baseline, posttreatment, and at the 3-month follow-up.
Primary outcome was AF-specific QoL as assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life summary score (range: 0-100) at the 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included AF-specific health care consumption.
AF-CBT led to large improvements in AF-specific QoL (Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life summary score) by 15.0 points (95% CI: 10.1-19.8; P < 0.001). Furthermore, AF-CBT reduced health care consumption by 56% (95% CI: 22-90; P = 0.025). The AF burden remained unchanged.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may deserve a place alongside ablation and rhythm- and rate-control drugs as a management option for some people with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), a new study suggests.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2023.04.044 