HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE ASSESSMENT IN HEART FAILURE: INSIGHTS ACROSS TWO TERTIARY CARE CENTERS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Background. The growing burden of heart failure (HF) in Nigeria requires a shift from survival to optimizing functional well-being, and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been associated with increased emergency hospitalizations and cardiovascular death. This study aimed to evaluate HRQoL and its determinants among HF outpatients.

Methodology. A descriptive cross-sectional study assessed 255 persons with stable HF in HF clinics of two tertiary hospitals in Port Harcourt. HRQoL was measured using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12 (KCCQ-12). A total summary score <50 defined poor HRQoL. Data was analysed with SPSS version 22 and logistic regression identified independent predictors of poor HRQoL.

Results. Mean age was 57.1±14.7years and 131(51.4%) were men. The median overall summary KCCQ-12 score was 68.8(IQR=45.8-83.4), and 89(34.9%) persons had poor HRQoL. Independent predictors of poor HRQoL included increased prior acute HF hospitalizations as respondents who had been hospitalised once were 2.1 times (p=0.038) and respondents hospitalised twice or more were 2.8 times (p=0.010) more likely to have poor HRQoL when compared no hospitalisations; and advanced NYHA class as compared to individuals in class 1, patients in 2 (aOR=1.64, p=0.0019), 3 (aOR=3.75, p=0.001), and 4 (aOR=3.98, p=0.020) were more likely to have poor HRQoL.

Conclusions. Approximately one third of HF patients experience poor HRQoL. Routine HRQoL screening should be integrated into HF clinics to proactively identify patients experiencing silent physical or social decline before clinical decompensation occurs.