Heart failure & cardiomyopathies
Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Patients With Advanced Heart Failure From Before to 2 Years After Heart Transplantation or Long-Term Mechanical Circulatory Support: Findings From the SUSTAIN-IT Study
Authors' conclusion
HT MCS improvement in HRQOL varied by measure; HT non-MCS and long-term MCS improvement occurred through 24 months, regardless of measure. Domains of HRQOL improved after these surgeries, varying by surgical strategy and postoperative time period. Long-term MCS was associated with a decrease in HRQOL across time. These findings provide important information for patients considering treatment options.
Study context
- Population
- Older (60–80 years) patients with advanced heart failure undergoing heart transplantation (HT) or long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS)underwent surgery, of 393 enrollees · HT MCS 69 · HT non-MCS 92 · long-term MCS 144
- Participants
- 305 participants
- Exposure
- Change in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) from before to 24 months after HT or long-term MCS, by surgical strategy
- HT MCSn = 69
- HT non-MCSn = 92
- long-term MCSn = 144
Methodological details13 US sites, multivariable linear mixed-effects models
- 13 US sites
- Multivariable linear mixed-effects models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
EuroQol-5-dimension-3L visual analog scale score · 6 to 24 months after surgery
- HT non-MCS and long-term MCS: significant improvement within 6 months after surgery, sustained through 24 months
- HT MCS: baseline score higher than the other 2 groups; did not improve significantly through 24 months
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Decrement (points) (CI) | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Main effect of long-term MCS vs HT non-MCS on HRQOL — long-term MCS vs HT non-MCS | −11.2 (−17.3 to −5.1) | P < 0.001 |
| Main effect of long-term MCS vs HT non-MCS on HRQOL — long-term MCS vs HT non-MCS | −9.9 (−16.1 to −3.8) | P = 0.002 |
- Main effect of long-term MCS vs HT non-MCS on HRQOL: Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12 overall summary score; lower with long-term MCS
- Main effect of long-term MCS vs HT non-MCS on HRQOL: EuroQol-5-dimension-3L visual analog scale; lower with long-term MCS
Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12 overall summary score · baseline-6 months, sustained through 24 months
- Improved in all 3 groups
Cohort characteristics
- Average age
- 66.9±4.7 years
- Male
- 78%
- White
- 83%
- Married/partnered
- 78%
- >high school education
- 71%
Original publication
Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Patients With Advanced Heart Failure From Before to 2 Years After Heart Transplantation or Long-Term Mechanical Circulatory Support: Findings From the SUSTAIN-IT Study. Circ Heart Fail. Published 21 September 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it