Introduction and objectives: Heart failure (HF) is associated with a poor prognosis, both in terms of survival and ongoing symptoms. The objectives of this study were to investigate trends in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of a heterogeneous group of HF patients, with a focus on subgroups of particular clinical interest, and to identify determinants of mortality.
Methods: Prospective study of 883 HF patients discharged from 50 Spanish hospitals and followed for 1 year, during which six HRQoL assessments were carried out using the generic Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire and the specific Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ).
Results: A marked change was noted at the beginning of the study on all dimensions of the SF-36, in its physical (mean 34.1) and mental (mean 40.1) component summary scores, and in the MLHFQ score (mean 37.5). There was a clear improvement in the first month, which subsequently remained unchanged, except in younger patients aged under 40 years whose HRQoL continued to improve progressively. The following predictors of mortality were identified: age, functional class, co-morbidity and baseline HRQoL.
Conclusions: In patients with HF, HRQoL showed a clear improvement during the first month after hospital discharge but subsequently remained unchanged, except in younger patients, whose HRQoL continued to improve progressively.