Key result
Heart failure treatment over a six-month period was associated with a significant improvement in overall quality of life compared to baseline (p = 0.020).
Why the study?
Does quality of life change over a six-month period in patients with heart failure?
Cohort (n=56)
No
Does quality of life change over a six-month period in patients with heart failure?
p-value: p=0.020
The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire can detect small but significant changes in quality of life over a 6-month period in heart failure patients.
Supports serial QoL assessment in HF; leaves open whether changes are causal or apply beyond this cohort.
INTRODUCTION: The quality of life in patients with heart failure is diminished by symptoms of disease, affected social connections, frequent hospitalisations, side effects caused by medication, and costs of treatment borne by the patient himself. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to measure the quality of life of patients with heart failure and assess any potential changes during a six-month period. METHOD: This research is a follow-up study, and comprised 56 patients who were treated from September 1998 to August 1999 at the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases of the Clinical Centre of Serbia. During the first hospitalisation, an initial baseline measurement of quality of life was conducted. The measurement was then repeated after three and six months, during check-ups. The measurement was conducted by using a special questionnaire for patients suffering from heart disorders, the "Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire." RESULTS: The results showed a considerable improvement in the overall quality of life between the baseline and second measurements (F = 6.263; p = 0.020), as well as considerable improvement in the physical dimension of quality of life between the baseline and first measurements (F = 6.797; p = 0.016) and between the baseline and second measurements (F = 5.351; p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Thanks to the application of the special Minnesota questionnaire, it was possible to measure small but considerable changes in the patients' quality of life.
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Terzić-Šupić et al. (2005) conducted a cohort in heart failure (n=56). Heart failure treatment vs. Baseline was evaluated on Overall quality of life measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (p=0.020). Heart failure treatment over a six-month period was associated with a significant improvement in overall quality of life compared to baseline (p = 0.020).
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