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Quality of life and survival in patients with heart failure
Author(s) -
Hoekstra Tialda,
Jaarsma Tiny,
Veldhuisen Dirk J.,
Hillege Hans L.,
Sanderman Robbert,
LesmanLeegte Ivonne
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1093/eurjhf/hfs148
Subject(s) - medicine , heart failure , hazard ratio , ejection fraction , quality of life (healthcare) , cohort , confidence interval , population , cohort study , cardiology , medical prescription , nursing , environmental health , pharmacology
Aims To examine whether self‐rated disease‐specific and generic quality of life predicts long‐term mortality, independent of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, and to explore factors related to low quality of life in a well‐defined heart failure (HF) population. Methods and results A cohort of 661 patients (62% male; age 71 years; left ventricular ejection fraction 34%) was followed prospectively for 3 years. Quality of life questionnaires (Ladder of Life, RAND36, and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire) and BNP levels were assessed at discharge after a hospital admission for HF. Three‐year mortality was 42%. After adjustment for demographic variables, clinical variables, and BNP levels, poor quality of life scores predicted higher mortality; per 10 units on the physical functioning [hazard ratio (HR) 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.14] and general health (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.16) dimensions of the RAND36. Patients with low scores on these dimensions were more likely to be in New York Heart Association class III–IV, diagnosed with co‐morbidities, have suffered longer from HF, have lower estimated glomerular filtration rates, and have fewer beta‐blocker prescriptions. Conclusion Quality of life was independently related to survival in a cohort of hospitalized patients with HF. Trial registration: NCT 98675639.