Objectives: Congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are increasing in prevalence. There are conflicting data regarding the crosstalk of DM and CHF with respect to the prognostic impact for the patients. Health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL) has been reported to be useful for risk stratification. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of DM on Hr-QoL in a CHF population.
Methods: 325 consecutive patients with CHF were retrospectively analyzed (age 49 ± 12 years, 74.2% male, 18% had diabetes). After a median follow-up time of 7.4 years, we compared Hr-QoL of patients with and without DM. Hr-QoL was assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare survival.
Results: The presence of DM reduced Hr-QoL in patients with CHF, indicated by a higher overall MLHFQ score (43.5 vs. 21, P = 0.013). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed a significant survival difference (P = 0.024). Survival rates of both groups differed significantly after 3 (P = 0.031), 5 (P = 0.006), and 10 years (P = 0.047) favoring the group without DM.
Conclusions: In patients with CHF, the coexistence of DM is associated with a reduced Hr-QoL and a particularly poor long-term survival. Our results indicate that CHF patients with DM are at increased risk.