Key result
Females with advanced HF report ~6 points lower KCCQ scores than males.
Why the study?
Women appear underrepresented in heart failure and palliative care research, leaving their unique characteristics, needs, and outcomes in need of further investigation.
Are there gender differences in quality of life and mood among patients ≥50 years of age with advanced heart failure?
Cross-Sectional
Are there gender differences in quality of life and mood among patients ≥50 years of age with advanced heart failure?
Female patients with advanced heart failure experience significantly worse quality of life, physical health, mental health, and higher anxiety compared to male patients.
May signal need for gender-aware QoL assessment in advanced HF; leaves open whether differences are modifiable or prognostic.
Background: Women appear to be underrepresented in heart failure and palliative care research. Given this underrepresentation, their unique characteristics, needs, and outcomes require further investigation. Methods: A secondary analysis of baseline data of the Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends Comprehensive Heartcare for Patients and Caregivers study, a randomized clinical trial of Deep South patients ≥50 years of age with advanced HF. Differences in sociodemographics and measures of quality of life and mood between female and male patients were examined using bivariate tests and effect-size measures. Results: Statistically significant gender differences were observed with females reporting poorer quality of life-The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Measure (49.55 ± 20.04 vs. 55.37 ± 21.52, d = 0.28, p-adj = 0.01), Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Mental Health (44 ± 8.02 vs. 46.53 ± 9.01, d = 0.30, p-adj = 0.007), and PROMIS Global Physical Health (37.37 ± 7.65 vs. 39.2 ± 8.20, d = 0.23, p-adj = 0.034) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety (6.9 ± 4.38 vs. 4.72 ± 3.89, d = 0.53, p-adj = 0.003) compared with men at baseline. Conclusion: Further investigation of gender differences is necessary to improve outcomes and inform the refinement of PC-HF interventions for females.
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Aaron-Wade et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Advanced heart failure. Female gender vs. Male gender was evaluated on Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Measure (d = 0.28, p=0.01). Female patients with advanced heart failure reported significantly poorer quality of life on the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Measure compared to males (49.55 vs. 55.37, d=0.28, p=0.01) at baseline.
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