The relationship between clinical parameters and natriuretic peptides and quality of life in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Abstract

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Heart failure (HF) patients are exposed to severe symptoms of the disease, fatal prognosis, rehospitalizations and low quality of life status. Furthermore, it was observed that more patients with HF would rather live better than longer. Purpose The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between clinical parameters, natriuretic peptides level and quality of life (QoL) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Methods 111 patients hospitalized due to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were examined using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and divided into three groups of similar quantity due to their transformed score of somatic domain of QoL: first group with score <45 - worst QoL (n = 33), second group with score between 45 and 55 (n = 42), and third with score >55 - best QoL (n = 36). Then the group with highest scores, with best somatic QoL, was compared with those with lowest scores in respect of chosen clinical and biochemical parameters. Results Patients with the highest somatic domain score, comparing with the lowest, had significantly higher BMI (mean 29.8 ± 5.5 vs. 26.8 ± 5.7 kg/m2, p = 0.016), lower BNP level (465 vs. 967 pg/ml, median 275 vs. 690, p =0.005), higher LVEF (30.7 ± 12.0 vs. 23.9 ± 10.8%, p = 0.006), higher triglycerides level (2.02 ± 1.22 vs. 1.43 ± 0.76 mmol/l, p = 0.027) and iron level (17.8 ± 6.6 vs. 13.6 ± 5.5 µmol/l, p = 0.019) as well as transferrin saturation (28.0 ± 11.0 vs. 21.3 ± 8.9 %, p = 0.015). The percentage of patients with NYHA class I and II was higher in the group with the highest somatic domain score in comparison with the lowest (66.6% vs. 33.3% respectively, p = 0.034). Conclusions The somatic domain of WHOQOL-BREF in patients with HFrEF correlates with patients’ clinical state assessed with the NYHA class and BNP level. QoL status was not associated with age and gender which are depicted in the literature as the important aspects influencing QoL of the community.