Comparative responsiveness of short-form 12 and Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire in patients with heart failure

Background: The Short-Form 12 (SF-12) and Living With Heart Failure Questio nnaire (LHFQ) are commonly used to measure quality of life (QOL) in heart f ailure outcomes research. Their comparative responsiveness, however, has no t been documented. Methods and Results: A prospective cohort study was conducted among patient s attending a university-based heart failure clinic between April 1997 and September 1998. All patients received comprehensive heart failure care mana gement. QOL of patients was assessed by the SF-12 and LHFQ at baseline and 3 months. Of 87 patients completing follow-up, the mean change score was 10 .1 for the LHFQ and 5.8 for the SF-12 (both Ps < .001). The change scores o f the instruments were correlated (r = 0.61; P < .001). The SF 12 had a gre ater ability than the LHFQ to statistically detect change in physical healt h but was less sensitive to changes in mental health. The LHFQ performed be tter than the SF-12 in the ability to distinguish the differences in percei ved global health transition. Conclusion: The LHFQ is more responsive than the SF-12 to changes in QOL. T he SF-12 should not be used alone to measure the changes in QOL of patients with heart failure.