ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE AS OBSERVED FROM THE BASE-LINE DATA OF THE STUDIES OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION (SOLVD) TRIAL QUALITY-OF-LIFE SUBSTUDY

The improvement of aspects of a patient's quality of life may be as im portant as prolonging survival in evaluating clinical trials of heart failure. The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric pro perties of the baseline measures from the quality-of-life substudy fro m the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD) trial. The measu res included the 6-Minute Walk Test, Dyspnea Scale, Living with Heart Failure, Physical Limitations, Psychologic Distress and Health Percept ions, as reported by both patients and staff. Cognitive functioning, s uch as Vocabulary, Digit Span and Trails Making, was also assessed. Pa tients were classified as New York Heart Association class I (n = 158) versus II or III (n = 150). The internal consistencies (i.e., reliabi lities) of the self-report measures were high, except for the Health P erceptions of Class II or III patients. Reliability of the SOLVD quali ty-of-life battery was confirmed by significantly better life quality among New York Heart Association class I patients versus class II or I II patients combined on the Walk Test, Physical Limitations, Dyspnea, Living with Heart Failure, Psycholologic Distress and staff perception s of patient health. In accordance with prior studies, the measures we re uncorrelated with left ventricular ejection fraction. By demonstrat ing strong internal consistencies, reliability based on physician repo rts, and independence of ejection fraction levels, use of this quality -of-life assessment battery in this and other clinical trials of compr omised ventricular functioning is supported.