Abstract 11916: Changes in Symptoms Predicted Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure

Abstract

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) have notably poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), which is associated with high hospitalization rates. Physical symptoms have been associated with poor HRQOL. However, whether improvement in physical symptoms actually leads to improvement in HRQOL has not fully examined in patients with HF. Purpose: To examine the effects of changes in physical symptoms on changes in HRQOL at 12 months, after controlling for age, comorbidities, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, and modifiable psychosocial and behavioral factors. Methods: Data on physical symptoms (Symptom Status Questionnaire-HF) and HRQOL (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure) were collected from 94 patients with HF (mean age 58 ± 14 years, 44% male, 58% NYHA functional class II/III) at baseline and 12 month follow-up. Age, comorbidities, and NYHA functional class were collected using standard questionnaires at baseline. Psychosocial variables (depressive symptoms [Patient Health Questionnaire], perceived control [Control Attitudes Scale-Revised], and social support [Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support]) and behavioral variables (medication adherence [Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems], sodium intake [24-hour urine], and self-care management [Self-care management subscale of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index]) were collected at baseline. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean score changes in physical symptoms and HRQOL were -3.8 (± 14.1) and -9.2 (± 24.1), respectively (negative scores indicate improvement.). Among the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, psychosocial variables, behavioral variables, baseline physical symptoms, and changes in physical symptoms, only changes in physical symptoms predicted changes in HRQOL at 12 months (F = 6.384, R2 = .46, p < .001). Improvement in physical symptoms led to improvement in HRQOL. Conclusion: It is critical to improve physical symptoms to improve HRQOL. Thus, development and delivery of effective interventions targeting improvement in physical symptoms are warranted in this population.