Health Related Quality of Life in Patients Awaiting Heart Transplantation

Abstract

Quality of life is an important outcome measure in patients with end-stage heart failure waiting for heart transplantation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between aspects of quality of life and physiological and psychosocial variables in patients with end-stage heart failure. A total of 123 patients participated in the study. The functional status was assessed with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classifi cation, a 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) and peak oxygen uptake (pVO 2 ). Health related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured with Medical Outcomes Study, 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess psychological symptoms. A signifi cant relationship was found between HRQOL (SF-36 and MLHFQ) and functional status (NYHA, 6 MWT and pVO 2 ) ( p < 0.05). Psychological symptoms (BDI) were associated with HRQOL ( p < 0.05). In addition to clinical derangements, functional limitation and psychological distress can lead to limitations in activities of daily life through impairment of quality of life. It would be helpful to evaluate psychological symptoms and quality of life in patients with end-stage heart failure besides routine clinical evaluations.health related quality of life; heart failure; functional capacity; psychological variables. Tohoku

Congestive heart failure: Predictors of health-related quality of life in Iranian women

“…There was a significant relationship between the patients' functional capacity with all dimensions of the HR-QOL, which is consistent with previous investigations at both developed and developing countries (USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Germany) (Carels, 2004;Jeng, Yang, Chen, & Ho, 2004;Juenger et al, 2002;Karapolat et al, 2008;Stewart & Blue, 2004). Stewart and Blue stated that the patients' QOL worsened as the intensity of the disease increased (Stewart & Blue, 2004).…”

“…Stewart and Blue stated that the patients' QOL worsened as the intensity of the disease increased (Stewart & Blue, 2004). A reduction in the functional capacity is a common problem in other patients with CHF who have difficulty with their daily activities due to tiredness, dyspnea, psychological pressure, and pain, too, which in turn results in a decrease in HR-QOL scores (Jeng et al, 2004;Karapolat et al, 2008).…”

A Program of Physical Rehabilitation during Hemodialysis Sessions Improves the Fitness of Dialysis Patients

“…The ESRD population is as physically limited as patients with other chronic diseases. For example, speed gain by patients with heart failure NYHA III/IV waiting for heart transplantation in the study of Karapolat et al [15] was 3.2 km/h. In another group of patients (patients with chronic obstructive lung disease), the indoor walking speed after converting the unit of measure was 3.94 km/h [16].…”

Coping strategies, health-related quality of life and psychiatric history in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

“…Moreover, a psychiatric history has a significant impact on HRQoL after several somatic conditions [3, 14] and after surgery [1, 30, 41]. We have recently shown that a lifetime history of affective and anxiety disorders increases the risk of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of SAH (Hedlund et al, to be published).…”