title: Assessment of quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure secondary to Chagas' cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Quality of Life was assessed by the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire in 61 patients with Chronic Systolic Heart Failure secondary to Chagas' cardiomyopathy. Mean total score was 37.3+/-21.4, mean physical dimension score 15.3+/-9.9 and mean emotional dimension score 7.4+/-5.2. A negative correlation between total score and hemoglobin levels, Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure and the 6-Minute Walk Test were observed. Total score was higher in patients in Class IV, on amiodarone, furosemide and carvedilol, and in non-sinus rhythm patients. Quality of Life Assessment in chagasic patients is similar to that found in patients with nonchagasic heart failure.
authors.forename: Kelly C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Dourado
authors.forename: Reinaldo B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Bestetti
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Tatiana A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life