Table II.
Patients’ characteristics (demographic and self-reported) and their association with MLHF Questionnaire scores
| Parameter | N (%) | Total MINNESOTA | Physical State | Mental State | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median (IQR) | P-value | Median (IQR) | P-value | Median (IQR) | P-value | ||
| Sex: | 0.142 | 0.042 | 0.252 | ||||
| Male | 74 (61.7) | 66 (53–78) | 31.5 (25–35.5) | 14.5 (7.5–18.5) | |||
| Female | 46 (38.3) | 69 (62–76) | 35 (31–37) | 17 (13–19) | |||
| Age [years]: | 0.546 | 0.944 | 0.073 | ||||
| ≤ 70 | 44 (36.7) | 61.5 (57–72) | 28.5 (25–35) | 15 (9–17) | |||
| 70 | 76 (63.3) | 69 (60.5–78) | 34 (29.5–37) | 15.5 (11–19.5) | |||
| Marital status: | 0.384 | 0.307 | 0.204 | ||||
| Married/living together | 69 (57.5) | 67 (56–76) | 32 (26–35) | 14 (9–17) | |||
| Single/divorced/widowed | 51 (42.5) | 69 (60–79) | 34 (30–37) | 17 (12–21) | |||
| Education: | 0.277 | 0.313 | 0.173 | ||||
| Primary | 59 (49.6) | 69 (60–76) | 34 (29–37) | 16 (13–19) | |||
| Secondary | 31 (26.1) | 67 (50–77) | 33 (24–36) | 14 (4–17) | |||
| University | 24 (20.2) | 63 (58–79) | 31 (28–35) | 14 (6–19) | |||
| NYHA: | 0.002 | 0.001 | 0.066 | ||||
| I–III | 69 (58.5) | 63 (41–70) | 30 (18–33) | 12 (5–17) | |||
| IV | 49 (41.5) | 76 (64.5–80.5) | 35.5 (32.5–38) | 14.5 (11–20) | |||
| Previous hospitalization: | 0.117 | 0.068 | 0.144 | ||||
| No | 21 (19.3) | 64 (50–69) | 32 (24–36) | 14 (9–16) | |||
| Yes | 88 (80.7) | 68 (58–78) | 33 (28–36) | 15.5 (10.5–20) | |||
| Do you feel supported by nurses? | 0.149 | 0.579 | 0.029 | ||||
| Very | 40 (33.9) | 69 (56–78) | 34 (27–35.5) | 14.5 (5–18.5) | |||
| Enough | 43 (36.4) | 68 (59–77) | 32 (27–37) | 14 (13–19) | |||
| A little/not at all | 35 (29.7) | 67 (57–76) | 33 (28–36) | 17 (10–19) | |||
| Insomnia: | 0.060 | 0.007 | 0.122 | ||||
| No | 36 (30.5) | 59 (40.5–68.5) | 27.5 (24–32.5) | 13 (3–16) | |||
| Yes | 82 (69.5) | 70 (62–78) | 35 (29–37) | 17 (13–20) | |||
| Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea: | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.015 | ||||
| No | 30 (25.4) | 53.5 (37–66) | 25 (16–32) | 11.5 (5–15) | |||
| Yes | 88 (74.6) | 71 (61.5–79) | 35 (30–37) | 16.5 (13–20) | |||
| Leg edema: | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.002 | ||||
| No | 23 (19.8) | 56 (37–60) | 27 (16–31) | 10 (5–14) | |||
| Yes | 93 (80.2) | 70 (62–79) | 35 (30–37) | 17 (13–20) | |||
| Have you limited daily activities? | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.001 | ||||
| No | 16 (13.6) | 42 (17–58.5) | 18 (8–30) | 7 (3–10.5) | |||
| Yes | 102 (86.4) | 69 (61–78) | 34 (28–37) | 16 (13–19) | |||
| Do you experience uncertainty about the future? | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.001 | ||||
| Very much | 46 (39.0) | 73.5 (68–82) | 35 (33–37) | 17.5 (14–21) | |||
| Moderate | 46 (39.0) | 68 (60–77) | 33.5 (28–36) | 16 (13–18) | |||
| A little/not at all | 26 (22.0) | 50.5 (32–58) | 24 (14–30) | 5 (3–10) | |||
| Would you like early follow-up after hospital discharge? | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.003 | ||||
| No | 19 (16.1) | 56 (37–60) | 28 (16–32) | 10 (3–16) | |||
| Yes | 99 (83.9) | 70 (62–78) | 34 (28–37) | 16 (13–20) | |||
| How confident do you feel to manage symptoms after hospital discharge? | 0.005 | 0.042 | 0.005 | ||||
| Very | 23 (19.5) | 58 (44–68) | 30 (25–34) | 9 (4–17) | |||
| Enough | 61 (51.7) | 67 (58–74) | 33 (27–36) | 14 (11–17) | |||
| A little/not at all | 34 (28.85) | 74.5 (69–82) | 36 (32–37) | 18.5 (15–21) | |||
IQR – interquartile range.