Impacts of social inequalities on the survival of heart transplant recipients in a developing country.

BACKGROUND: Heart transplant (HT) is an alternative for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). Social inequalities may influence survival, but are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of social and clinical inequalities on the survival of HT recipients. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study conducted at a Brazilian hospital from 2006 to 2018. RESULTS: Three hundred and two patients were analyzed. Most HT recipients were male (205, 67.9%), mixed race 146 (48.3%), retired (166, 56.5%), median age 47 (38-57) years, and had studied no more than eight years (191, 65.8%), were younger than 60 years old (256, 84.7%). 149 (51.7%) had per capita monthly income inferior to one Brazilian minimum wage, equivalent to US$250. 123 (95.4%) out of 129 patients had allograft cellular rejection 2R or 3R. Median donor age was 32 (23-39) years. The overall survival was 76.6%, 62.2%, and 58.2%, at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Age <60 years old and higher income were associated with a greater chance of survival (p-values .009 and <.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Younger age and higher per capita income had positive impact on HT recipient survival. The level of education did not affect survival in this cohort.

Longitudinal invariance and validity of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised under COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian sample.

Although the Impact Event Scale-Revised is widely used, its factor structure is still controversial. In addition, its longitudinal measurement invariance (LMI) remains uninvestigated. In this sense, we carried out three studies to investigate its psychometric properties. In Study 1, we evaluated the factorial structure of the scale comparing the different models existing in the literature in Brazilian samples who responded to the instrument during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Study 2, we provide support for a five-factor model throughout convergent validity with psychological distress and sleep problems, and criterion validity between people with diagnostic of mental disorders. Finally, we evaluated the LMI over a 6-month interval. The results indicated that the five-factor model has excellent goodness of fit and holds strict longitudinal invariance. Additionally, internal consistency and stability coefficients indicate that the scale is appropriate to measure posttraumatic stress symptomatology) in nonclinical samples across multiple assessments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Health-Related Quality of Life of Heart Transplant Recipients Living in a Developing Country.

BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation (HT) is the treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure (HF). It is hoped that the procedure increases both survival rates and the level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which may, however, be compromised by post-transplant complications. The objective of this study was to analyze the level of HRQoL in HT recipients and considered the influence of variables from social and clinical contexts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of HT recipients. The level of HRQoL was assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire during outpatient consultation. RESULTS: This study analyzed 186 HT recipients from a total of 192 eligible patients. The median level of HRQoL was ≥67.8 points in all domains of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire (physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment) and general score of perception of the level of quality of life (QoL) and health. Variables such as age, ethnicity, per capita income, time from last hospitalization, number of current medications, and number of hospitalizations after HT were significantly related to at least 1 domain of the WHOQOL-BREF. CONCLUSION: In this study, HRQoL of HT recipients living in a developing country can be considered satisfactory given the high score obtained in all domains of WHOQOL-BREF and in the perception of the level of QoL and health.

Análise da qualidade de vida de pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca avançada candidatos ou não ao transplante cardíaco / Analysis of the quality of life of patients with advanced heart failure candidates or not for heart transplantation / Análisis de la calidad de vida de los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca avanzada, candidatos o no a trasplante de corazón

Introdução: a insuficiência cardíaca (IC) é um grave problema de saúde. Pacientes com IC em estágio avançado apresentam, além de baixa expectativa de vida, alteração no nível de qualidade de vida (QV). Objetivo: analisar o nível de QV de pacientes com IC avançada, candidatos ou não ao transplante cardíaco (TC). Método: estudo transversal realizado em um hospital universitário brasileiro, em que os pacientes foram submetidos à avaliação da QV pelo Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Resultados: participaram do estudo 76 pacientes. A principal etiologia da IC foi a chagásica (25 pacientes). As classes funcionais mais frequentes foram NYHA II (26 pacientes) e III (33 pacientes). Pacientes em avaliação para TC e aqueles em fila para TC não apresentaram diferença estatisticamente significativa na avaliação do nível de QV. A pontuação dos pacientes segundo as dimensões avaliadas no MLHFQ foram: dimensão física com mediana 28,5; emocional, 13; outras questões, 21; e, no escore total, 61. O modelo final na análise multivariada demonstrou que a QV está associada a variáveis como classe funcional da IC, número de medicações em uso, número de comorbidades e a ocupação do lar. Discussão e Conclusão: a IC é doença grave, que impacta negativamente na sobrevida e na QV. Neste estudo, o nível de QV dos pacientes esteve associado à classe funcional da IC - NYHA, ao número de medicações em uso e à ocupação do lar. Ações que estimulem e favoreçam a adesão ao tratamento otimizado devem ser incentivadas.(AU)

Introduction: heart Failure (HF) is a serious health problem. Patients with an advanced stage of HF present, besides low life expectancy, a change in the Quality of Life (QoL) level. Objective: to analyze the QoL level of advanced HF patients, candidates or not for Heart Transplantation (HT). Method: a cross-sectional study carried out in a Brazilian university hospital, in which patients were submitted to QoL evaluation by the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Results: 76 patients participated in the study. The main etiology of HF was chagasic (25 patients). The most frequent functional classes were NYHA II (26 patients) and III (33 patients). Patients under evaluation for HT and those in the queue for HT did not show a statistically significant difference in the evaluation of the QoL level. The score of the patients according to the dimensions assessed in the MLHFQ were the following: physical dimension with a median of 28.5; emotional, 13; other questions, 21; and, in the total score, 61. The final model in the multivariate analysis showed that QoL is associated with variables such as HF functional class, number of using medications, number of comorbidities and household occupation. Discussion and Conclusion: HF is a serious disease that ...(AU)

Introducción: la insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) es un problema de salud grave. Los pacientes con IC avanzada tienen, además de baja esperanza de vida, alteraciones en su calidad de vida (CV). Objetivo: analizar la calidad de vida de pacientes con IC avanzada, candidatos o no para trasplante de corazón (TC). Método: estudio transversal realizado en un hospital universitario brasileño, en el que los pacientes se sometieron a una evaluación de calidad de vida mediante el cuestionario Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Resultados: 76 pacientes participaron en el estudio. La etiología principal de la insuficiencia cardíaca fue mal de Chagas (25 pacientes). Las clases funcionales más frecuentes fueron NYHA II (26 pacientes) y III (33 pacientes). Los pacientes bajo evaluación para TC y aquellos en fila de espera para TC no mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la evaluación del nivel de calidad de vida. Las puntuaciones de los pacientes según las dimensiones evaluadas en el MLHFQ fueron: dimensión física con promedio de 28,5; emocional, 13; otros asuntos, 21; y, en el puntaje total, 61. El modelo final en el análisis multivariado demostró que la calidad de vida está asociada con variables como la clase funcional de IC, la cantidad de medicamentos en uso, la cantidad de comorbilidades y la ocupación dueña de casa. Discusión y conclusión: la insuficiencia cardíaca es una enfermedad grave que afecta negativamente la supervivencia y la calidad de vida. En este estudio, el nivel de calidad de vida de los pacientes se asoció con la clase funcional de IC - NYHA, la cantidad de medicamentos en uso y la ocupación dueña de casa. Deben fomentarse acciones que estimulen y favorezcan la adherencia al tratamiento optimizado.(AU)