Quality of life analysis of children with patent ductus arteriosus after closure treatment: A single-centre study

Aim To explore the changes in quality of life (QoL) in children who underwent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure and the difference in the QoL between the post-operative patients and healthy children. Methods The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 scale was used to assess the QoL of 48 children before and after receiving PDA closure and 50 healthy children who underwent physical examination in our hospital. Relevant clinical data were collected and analysed. Results In this study, a total of 45 patients completed the follow-up, and all the children in the control group completed the follow-up. The results showed that the patients' QoL had been improved after PDA closure, and the scores of emotional functioning and social functioning had been significantly improved compared with those in the pre-operative status. In comparing the QoL between the patient group and the control group, the results before treatment were worse than those of the control group. After treatment, the gap between the score of QoL of the patients and the healthy control group was reduced to some extent. However, in terms of social functioning, the patients' feedback was not as positive as healthy children. Conclusion For children with PDA, closure treatment can significantly improve their clinical symptoms and QoL. However, there is still a gap compared with healthy children, so health education and further intervention after treatment are still necessary.