Comparison with the general population
Compared with the healthy general population, the congestive
heart failure sample showed a global reduction in quality of
life in all the SF-36 scales. All indices of quality of life
decreased with NYHA functional class, the most pronounced
loss of quality of life being observed in the domains of physical
functioning, role function physical, and role function emotional.
In apparently asymptomatic patients with left ventricular
dysfunction, independently classified as NYHA
functional class I, the SF-36 revealed mild but significant
decreases in the scales representing somatic aspects and vitality.
In NYHA classes II and III all aspects of quality of life were
dramatically reduced, reflecting the severe impact of congestive
heart failure on daily life, even though the patients were
in a compensated stage and in an ambulatory setting.
Comparison of the present study sample with a sample of
patients with congestive heart failure of the medical outcome
study26 revealed a similar pattern of impairment. However, as
the latter did not include objective functional variables such as
the six minute walk test and peak oxygen uptake, a comparison
between the two samples can only be limited.