Background: We compared severity of heart failure (HF) between men and women at entry to the multidisciplinary HF clinic based on 3 measures: New York Heart Association functional class, norm-referenced 6-minute walk distance, and health-related quality of life.
Methods: Newly admitted patients to 1 of 6 HF clinics were enrolled. Data were collected from a clinical database, questionnaires were administered to patients, and tests were administered by clinic nurses. We compared men and women with respect to the 3 severity indicators at entry to the clinic.
Results: In adjusted analyses, women had a lower health-related quality of life (P = 0.04) but did not have lower norm-referenced 6-minute walk distance or lower New York Heart Association functional class on entry to the clinic. Having more comorbid conditions, being on medication, and having visited the emergency department or been admitted to hospital in the past 6 months were associated with higher severity at entry according to all 3 indicators.
Conclusions: Women report a lower health-related quality of life at entry to the clinic, although functional capacity does not seem to differ between women and men. Reasons for these discrepancies will need to be elucidated to better address women's health needs.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.