The impact of chronic heart failure on health related quality of life: data acquired in the baseline phase of the CARE-HF Study

AIMS: To assess the quality of life of patients with heart failure, due to left ventricular dysfunction (NYHA class III or IV), taking optimal medical therapy using baseline quality of life assessments from the CArdiac REsynchronisation in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) trial, and to evaluate the appropriateness of using the EQ-5D in patients with heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: The quality of life of patients enrolled in CARE-HF was evaluated using the EQ-5D and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Response rates for the instruments were >90% and statistical modelling revealed an association between EQ-5D and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure scores. Heart failure is shown to have an important impact on all aspects of quality of life, but particularly on patients' mobility and usual activities, and leads to significant reductions in comparison with a representative sample of the UK population. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of heart failure varies amongst patients but the overall burden of disease appears to be comparable to other chronic conditions such as motor neurone or Parkinson's disease. The EQ-5D appears to be an acceptable valid measure for use in patients with heart failure although further evidence of the responsiveness of this measure in such patients is required.