Impact of Anaemia on Functional Status in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Objectives: Chronic heart failure (CHF) restricts daily functioning and quality of life. Anaemia is frequent in CHF and can impair functional outcomes. This research evaluated the effectiveness of anaemia on functional status among Pakistani CHF patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 310 patients aged 18 years and above who attended outpatient clinics and community health centres in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The structured questionnaire was used to gather data on demographics, self-reported anaemia, and medical history. Functional status was assessed using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12). Descriptive statistics, chi-square, t-tests, correlation, two-way ANOVA, and multiple regression were analysed. Results: 239 respondents (77%) were anaemic. The KCCQ-12 scores (30.9 ± 3.9) were lower in anaemic patients (34.1 ± 3.2), and there was an inverse relationship between functional status and anaemia (r = -0.338, p < 0.001). There were significant effects of anaemia (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), and both (p < 0.001) in two-way ANOVA, with older anaemic patients more impaired. Regression revealed that anaemia (B = -2.10), age (B = -1.25), female gender (B = -0.95), comorbidities (B = -0.48), and smoking (B = -0.65) were the predictors of poor functional status (p = 0.05). Conclusions: Anaemia is ubiquitous among CHF patients in Pakistan and closely associated with diminished functional capacity, especially in the elderly. Anaemia screening and treatment should be part of CHF management to enhance the quality of life.