Sensitivity to clinical change in patients with syncope measured by the specific scale impact of syncope on quality of life

Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): CHULC (Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central), Hospital de Santa Marta.

Recurrent syncope has a significant impact on the quality of life (QL). Patients (P) identify better with specific scales to report their perception of their QL. We believe that sensitivity to changes in the clinical condition is an asset of this type of scale.

To assess the sensitivity of the specific scale "Impact of Syncope on Quality of Life" (ISQL) for measuring QL in P with syncope who have undergone changes in their clinical condition. Population and methodology: 57 P, 21 men and 36 women, mean age 54.4±17.3 (19 to 83 years), most married (65%) working (36.2%) or retired (46, 6%) whose answers to the ISQL were used to analyze the psychometric properties of this instrument (18 more individuals than in the preliminary validation) and 22 P who performed a tilt training program (TTr), 9 men and 11 women, with a mean age of 50.3±18,1 (18 to 78 years), mostly married (55%) working (50%) or retired (35%) who reported perception of their QL before TTr and 6 months after, responding to the ISQL.

Regarding fidelity, convergent validity and divergent validity, the statistically significant results measured in the validation of the scale for the Portuguese population that had 39 P are maintained, which strengthens this measure in relation to psychometric properties and its use in clinical context. The stability in time was tested in the preliminary validation by the test-retest method of the instrument at six months after tilt test with 22 P (from the initial sample of 39 P) not submitted to clinical intervention, which did not show statistically significant changes in QL. Sensitivity to clinical change was tested in a group of 20 P who integrated and completed a TTr, with statistically significant changes in QL reported using this specific measure referring worry, fear, doing less than they wanted and avoiding certain locations.

The results obtained reinforce the use of the ISQL in the evaluation of QL in the P with syncope and indicate that the ISQL identifies the alteration of the clinical condition, being a fundamental measure for the evaluation of the results of clinical interventions in these patients, as well as in others.