Fatigue and anaemia in patients with chronic heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Fatigue is common in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and has great impact on functional ability and daily activity. Although anaemia is associated with fatigue, the relationship between fatigue and anaemia is unclear in CHF. The aim of this study was to describe the fatigue experience and its relationship to haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and to evaluate its effect on health-related quality of life in an unselected hospitalised CHF population.


METHODS
Ninety three consecutive patients hospitalised with a diagnosis of CHF, enrolled in the EuroHeart Failure Survey, completed the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory Scale (MFI-20). New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, quality of life and haemoglobin were also assessed.


RESULTS
Anaemia (Hb < or = 125 g/L) was found in 31 (33%) patients. The perception of fatigue differed significantly between patients with CHF and healthy individuals. Anaemic patients reported significantly more fatigue compared to non-anaemic patients. Decreased haemoglobin and higher NYHA class explained 30% of the variance in General Fatigue. Perceived fatigue was also inversely related to global health and quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the subjective experience of fatigue in patients with CHF is associated with low haemoglobin concentration and reduced functional status after controlling for age and sex.
Falk
Kristin
K
Institute of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Caring Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Box 457, S-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. Kristin.Falk@fhs.gu.se
Swedberg
Karl
K
Gaston-Johansson
Fannie
F
Ekman
Inger
I
D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006454:Hemoglobins