Cross-cultural adaptation of the Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire for German-speaking patients

We performed a cross-cultural adaptation of the "Minnesota Living with Hear t Failure Questionnaire" (LHFQ) for use in German-speaking chronic heart fa ilure patients. The instrument was translated and back translated, pre-test ed and reviewed by a committee, The German version was tested in 114 patien ts with chronic heart failure. Reliability was assessed by a test-retest pr ocedure and Cronbach's coefficient alpha of internal consistency (0.94). To assess concurrent validity, we compared the LHFQ sum scores with the New Y ork Heart Association classification rating (r = 0.53; p < 0.0001), the 6-m inute walk (r = -0.39; p < 0.0001), the left ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.24; p = 0.011) and big-endothelin (r = 0.27; p = 0.004). Construct validity on the LHFQ scores in comparison with the Medical Outcomes Study S F-36 Health Survey (MOS SF-36) was significant (-0.41 to -0.74; all p < 0.0 001). The reliability and validity of the German version of the LHFQ was pr oved; the questionnaire can be recommended for use in future clinical trial s.