Psychological adjustment and quality of life in children and adolescents following open-heart surgery for congenital heart disease: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Children with congenital heart defects (CHD) requiring open-heart surgery are a group at high risk for health-related sequelae. Little consensus exists regarding their long-term psychological adjustment (PA) and health-related quality of life (QoL). Thus, we conducted a systematic review to determine the current knowledge on long-term outcome in this population.

Methods

We included randomized controlled trials, case control, or cohort studies published between 1990-2008 evaluating self- and proxy-reported PA and QoL in patients aged between two and 17 years with a follow-up of at least two years after open heart surgery for CHD.

Results

Twenty-three studies assessing psychological parameters and 12 studies assessing QoL were included. Methodological quality

SUBMITTER: Latal B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2642822 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature