Event-free survival in adults with heart failure who engage in self-care management

Christopher S. Lee, Debra K. Moser, Terry A. Lennie, Barbara Riegel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

140 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Self-care management in heart failure (HF) involves decision-making to evaluate, and actions to ameliorate symptoms when they occur. This study sought to compare the risks of all-cause mortality, hospitalization, or emergency-room admission among HF patients who practice above-average self-care management, those who practice below-average self-care management, and those who are symptom-free. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted of data collected on 195 HF patients. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the association between self-care management and event risk. Results: The sample consisted of older (mean ± standard deviation = 61.3 ± 11 years), predominantly male (64.6%) adults, with an ejection fraction of 34.7% ± 15.3%; 60.1% fell within New York Heart Association class III or IV HF. During an average follow-up of 364 ± 288 days, 4 deaths, 82 hospitalizations, and 5 emergency-room visits occurred as first events. Controlling for 15 common confounders, those who engaged in above-average self-care management (hazard ratio, .44; 95% confidence interval, .22 to .88; P < .05) and those who were symptom-free (hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, .24 to .97; P < .05) ran a lower risk of an event during follow-up than those engaged in below-average self-care management. Conclusion: Symptomatic HF patients who practice above-average self-care management have an event-free survival benefit similar to that of symptom-free HF patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)12-20
Number of pages9
JournalHeart and Lung: Journal of Acute and Critical Care
Volume40
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adherence
  • Heart failure
  • Self-care
  • Self-management
  • Survival

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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