Abstract
Purpose Cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography and plasma NT-proBNP levels assess patients (pts) with heart failure (HF). Quality of life (QoL) in HF is measured by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF) and Specific Activity Questionnaire (SAQ). It is not known whether changes in QoL questionnaire scores correlate to changes in the results of the aforementioned laboratory tests during the follow-up of pts with HF. Methods We performed repeat measurements after a median of 26 (21 - 34) months in 30 pts with HF. They underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test, an echocardiography test (LVEF) and a measurement of plasma NT-proBNP. Pts completed MLHF and SAQ. Changes were calculated in all measures between the first and the second measurement (Δ). All the patients were taking b-blockers, 83% ACE/ARBs and 83% diuretics. Results Nonsignificant increases were found in peak VO2 (21.47 ± 9.3 to 21.9 ± 4.9 ml/kgr/min; ΔpeakVO2= 1.14 ± 3.5; NS), VE/VCO2 slope (34.47 ± 7 to 35.13 ± 5.1; ΔVE/VCO2= 0.66 ± 5.8; NS), LVEF (32.17 ± 6.27 to 32.48 ± 7.6%; ΔLVEF= 0.16 ± 2.7; NS). NT-proBNP levels decreased nonsignificantly from a median value of 375.5 pg/ml to 235 pg/ml; median ΔNT-proBNP=-21 pg/ml; NS. SAQ scores improved significantly (6.86 ± 1 to 7.48 ± 1.15; ΔSAQ= 0.625 ± 1.43; p=0.029) and MLHF scores decreased significantly from 21.5 ± 9.3 to 16.6 ± 13 (ΔMLHF= -4.13 ± 9.5; p=0.033). ΔSAQ correlated with ΔMLHF (r=-0.417, p=0.03) and ΔpeakVO2 (r=0.448, p=0.017). ΔMLHF correlated with ΔLVEF (r=-0.557, p=0.007). ΔVE/VCO2 correlated with ΔpeakVO2 (r=-0.417, p=0.025). ΔNT-proBNP only correlated with ΔpeakVO2 (r=-0.518, p=0.004) and ΔVE/VCO2 (r=0.538, p=0.003), but with neither questionnaire. Conclusions Significant changes in quality of life expressed by MLHF scores relate to nonsignificant changes in left ventricular ejection fraction, while significant changes in activity capacity as measured by SAQ relate to nonsignificant changes in peak oxygen consumption.
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