Health-related quality of life and anemia in hospitalized patients with heart failure

BackgroundAnemia is a serious and highly prevalent co-morbidity in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Its influence on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) has rarely been studied, and no data is available regarding the role it plays in hospitalized HF patients.MethodsBaseline data from the COACH study (Coordinating study evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counselling in Heart Failure) were used. HR-QoL was assessed by means of generic and disease-specific questionnaires. Analyses were performed using ANOVA and ANCOVA, with covariates of age, gender, eGFR, diabetes, and NYHA class.ResultsIn total, 1013 hospitalized patients with a mean age of 71 (SD 11) years were included; 70% of these patients had no anemia (n = 712), 14% had mild anemia (n = 141), and 16% had moderate-to-severe anemia (n = 160). Independent associations were found between anemia and physical functioning (p = 0.019), anemia and role limitations due to physical functioning (p = 0.002), anemia and general health (p = 0.024), and anemia and global well-being (p = 0.003).ConclusionIn addition to the burden of HF itself, anemia is an important factor which influences HR-QoL in hospitalized HF patients, and one that is most pronounced in the domain related to physical functioning and general health.