Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2008, 214(1)

Health Related Quality of Life in Patients Awaiting Heart Transplantation

HALE KARAPOLAT,¹ SIBEL EYIGOR,¹ MEHDI ZOGHI,² SANEM NALBANTGIL,² TAHIR YAGDI,³ BERRIN DURMAZ¹ and MUSTAFA OZBARAN³

¹Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ege University Medical Faculty, Izmir, Turkey
²Department of Cardiology, Ege University Medical Faculty, Izmir, Turkey
³Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ege University Medical Faculty, Izmir, Turkey

Quality of life is an important outcome measure in patients with end-stage heart failure waiting for heart transplantation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between aspects of quality of life and physiological and psychosocial variables in patients with end-stage heart failure. A total of 123 patients participated in the study. The functional status was assessed with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, a 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) and peak oxygen uptake (pVO₂). Health related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured with Medical Outcomes Study, 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess psychological symptoms. A significant relationship was found between HRQOL (SF-36 and MLHFQ) and functional status (NYHA, 6 MWT and pVO₂) (p < 0.05). Psychological symptoms (BDI) were associated with HRQOL (p < 0.05). In addition to clinical derangements, functional limitation and psychological distress can lead to limitations in activities of daily life through impairment of quality of life. It would be helpful to evaluate psychological symptoms and quality of life in patients with end-stage heart failure besides routine clinical evaluations.

keywords —— health related quality of life; heart failure; functional capacity; psychological variables.

© 2008 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2008, 214, 17-25

Correspondence: Hale Karapolat, M.D., Ege University Medical Faculty Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.

e-mail: haleuzum76@hotmail.com