[Analysis of quality of life using the generic SF-36 questionnaire in patients with heart failure]

Objective: Heart failure is one of the major chronic diseases that affect health related quality of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of life in patients with New York Heart Association functional class I-III using the SF-36 on a cohort of survivors of the EPICOUR Study Group and compare the quality of life with the general Spanish population of the same sex and age group.

Material and methods: A cohort study, observational, and prospective study was conducted on survivors of the EPICOUR Study Group, on whom a clinical-progression-outcome review was performed along with the SF-36.

Results: The quality of life was studied in 50 patients (60% male). The average age of men was 64.8 years and women 68.3. When analyzing the SF-36, it was observed that the results were lower in the physical dimensions than in the mental dimensions. The quality of life worsened with increasing functional class (statistically significant differences for scales of physical functioning, social functioning and borderline significance in mental health scale). When comparing patients with the general population of the same age and sex, patients with heart failure showed lower scores on all scales (significant differences in physical functioning, body pain, vitality, and social role for men, and physical function and emotional role for women).

Conclusions: Heart failure causes a negative impact on quality of life, physical functioning, as well as psychosocial function, with the impairment becoming worse with increased functional class.