The association between heart failure hospitalization and self-reported domains of health

We compared self-reported domains of health between patients who with vs. without a recent heart failure (HF) hospitalization.

We fielded a 59-item questionnaire that included the 12-item Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12) to age/sex-matched groups of 2000 HF patients who had and had not had a recent HF hospitalization. We entered questionnaire responses and electronic medical record data into multivariable logistic regression models to identify independent associations with a HF hospitalization.

After two mailings, we received 468 completed questionnaires for response rate of 23.4%. Patients with a recent HF hospitalization had significantly lower scores on the KCCQ-12 Quality of Life (52.6 vs. 59.6, p = 0.016) and Social Limitations (48.4 vs. 55.5, p = 0.009) scales as well as the Clinical Summary Scale (50.8 vs. 55.3, p = 0.048) and Total KCCQ-12 score (49.6 vs. 56.8, p = 0.003). In sequential logistic regression models designed to achieve parsimony, Total KCCQ was a strong predictor of being in the recent hospitalization group. When using the KCCQ-12 sub-scales, the Social Limitations scale was a strong predictor of being in the recent hospitalization group.

After accounting for comorbidities and other risk factors, a HF hospitalization appears to profoundly limit social activities which can increase the risk of poor outcomes.