Abstract
ABSTRACTObjective:to verify the association between the prognostic scores and the quality of life of candidates for heart transplantation. Method:a descriptive cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 32 outpatients applying to heart transplantation. The prognosis was rated by the Heart Failure Survival Score (HFSS) and the Seattle Heart Failure Model (SHFM); and the quality of life by the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ). The Pearson correlation test was applied. Results:the correlations found between general quality of life scores and prognostic scores were (HFSS/MLHFQ r = 0.21), (SHFM/MLHFQ r = 0.09), (HFSS/KCCQ r = -0.02), (SHFM/KCCQ r = -0.20). Conclusion:the weak correlation between the prognostic and quality of life scores suggests a lack of association between the measures, i.e., worse prognosis does not mean worse quality of life and the same statement is true in the opposite direction.
Highlights
The availability of solid organs for transplantation is a problem worldwide[1,2,3,4]
As the improvement of Quality of Life (QoL), in addition to increased survival, is one of the objectives to be achieved with the indication of the cardiac transplantations (CT), and as heart failure (HF) has an impact on QoL, besides as a poor prognosis, this article aims to check the association between the prognostic scores and the QoL of candidates for CT
For the second phase of this research, a pilot test was carried out with the application of three questionnaires from the Minnesota Living Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), and we found that patients were unable to answer them alone, which can be explained by the schooling that ranged from elementary to higher education in this sample
Summary
The availability of solid organs for transplantation is a problem worldwide[1,2,3,4]. In Brazil, in 2016, of the 631 patients entered in the CT queue, 145 died before receiving a heart, with only 357 CT being performed, which reaches 1.7 transplants per million population[6]. These facts reinforce the need for an accurate indication for CT, considering the risk stratification of the patients and the patient’s desire to transplant. Studies have described the prognostic scores in HF as well-used and accurate measures to stratify risk[7,8] and when associated to the peak of oxygen consumption (VO2) can help the indication of transplantation, according to the suggestion of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation - ISHLT[9], whereas the specific instruments of Quality of Life (QoL) have shown to be accurate in assessing QoL in patients with HF[10,11]
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