Dietary Sodium Intake and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Stable Heart Failure

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dietary sodium restriction is an essential component of self-care behavior for improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with heart failure (HF). However, there is little direct evidence about the impact of dietary sodium restriction on HRQoL. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of dietary sodium intake on HRQoL in HF patients with no cardiac events over 1-year of follow-up. METHODS: A total of 106 patients with HF completed a 3-day food diary to estimate daily sodium intake. Patients were divided into 4 groups (4 g). The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire was used to assess HRQoL at baseline and one year later. Hierarchical linear and logistic regressions were used to determine the relationship between dietary sodium intake and HRQoL. RESULTS: Thirty-seven (35%) patients had a daily sodium intake >3 g. Greater than 4 g of daily sodium intake was independently associated with a worse HRQoL at baseline and one year later (F=3.15, P=0.028; F=4.33, P=0.006) and an almost 5.2 times higher risk of a worsening HRQoL at one year follow-up (P=0.040) after controlling for age, gender, etiology, body mass index, New York Heart Association class, ejection fraction, total comorbidity score, and use of beta blockers. CONCLUSIONS: This finding provides additional evidence that greater than 4 g of daily sodium intake is associated with worsening HRQoL in stable HF patients who are free from cardiac events.