Echocardiography Parameters and Self-Care Among Patients With Heart Failure

The clinical syndrome of heart failure (HF) is associated with high morbidity and frequent hospitalizations. Echocardiography, widely known as cardiac ultrasound, is a noninvasive diagnostic method that provides detailed information on cardiac structure and function. Therefore, the rationale for this study was that objective echocardiography parameters may reflect the clinical status and severity of symptoms which in turn help identify HF patients at risk for poor self-care. The aim of the present study was to explore which echocardiographic parameters are associated with self-care among HF patients.

In this cross-sectional study, 130 HF outpatients were enrolled. Data collection was performed by the completion of the European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour Scale (EHFScBS). Also, patients' echocardiography parameters were recorded. Participants were selected using the method of convenience sampling. Statistical significance was set at 0.05%.

The mean self-care score, as measured by the EHFScBS, was 25.5±7.3 (range 9-45), indicating moderate levels of self-care. The EHFScBS score was weakly but statistically significantly positively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (rho=0.199; p=0.029), indicating that higher LVEF values were associated with better self-care. On the contrary, the EHFScBS score was weakly but significantly negatively correlated with the early diastolic transmitral flow velocity-to-early diastolic mitral annular velocity ratio (E/e' ratio) (rho=-0.290; p=0.001), inferior vena cava (IVC) (rho=-0.289; p=0.001), and left atrium (LA) diameter (rho=-0.305; p=0.001), suggesting that higher values of these indicators were associated with poorer patients' self-care.

An improved understanding of the link between echocardiographic factors and self-care can help healthcare providers develop targeted interventions and support programs to improve self-care.