Symptom clusters of heart failure.

Full Abstract

Patients with heart failure (HF) report multiple symptoms. Change in symptoms is an indicator of HF decompensation. Patients have difficulty differentiating HF symptoms from comorbid illness or aging. The study purpose was to identify the number, type, and combination of symptoms in hospitalized HF patients and test relationships with comorbid illness and age. A secondary analysis from a HF registry (N = 687) was conducted. The sample was 51.7% female, mean age 71 +/- 12.5 years. The theory of unpleasant symptoms informed the study regarding the multidimensional nature of symptoms. Factor analysis of nine items from the Minnesota Living with HF Questionnaire resulted in three factors, acute and chronic volume overload and emotional distress. Clusters occurred more frequently in older patients, but caused less impact.

Author information

Author/s: Jurgens, Corrine Y (CY); Moser, Debra K (DK); Armola, Rochelle (R); Carlson, Beverly (B); Sethares, Kristen (K); Riegel, Barbara (B); Heart Failure Quality of Life Trialist Collaborators;

Affiliation: School of Nursing, Stony Brook University, HSC L2-223, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8240, USA.

Grants: 1P20NR010679 (Agency:NINR NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Multicenter Study; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Research in nursing & health (Res Nurs Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 32 (issue 5) : pp 551-60

Dates: Created 2009/09/15; Completed 2009/09/24;

PMID: 19650069, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/24/2009, IMS Date: )

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