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. 2023 Feb;10(1):167-176.
doi: 10.1002/ehf2.14175. Epub 2022 Sep 30.

Cardiovascular and metabolic determinants of quality of life in patients with cancer

Ruben Evertz  1   2 , Katharina Gödde  1 , Christine Diehl  1   3 , Miroslava Valentova  1   2 , Tania Garfias-Veitl  1   2 , Friederike Braulke  4   5 , Gerald G Wulf  4 , Tobias R Overbeck  4 , Annalen Bleckmann  4   6   7 , Alexander O König  8 , Pia Weinländer  9   10   11 , Sophia Potthoff  9   10   11 , Sara Hadzibegovic  9   10 , Alessia Lena  9   10   11 , Ulrich Keller  12   13   14 , Ulf Landmesser  9   10   15 , Andreas Schuster  1   2 , Markus S Anker  9   10   16 , Gerd Hasenfuß  1   2 , Stephan von Haehling  1   2
Affiliations

Cardiovascular and metabolic determinants of quality of life in patients with cancer

Ruben Evertz et al. ESC Heart Fail. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Aims: Maintaining quality of life (QoL) in patients with cancer has gathered significant interest, but little is known about its major determinants. We sought to identify determinants of QoL in patients undergoing cancer treatment as well as in treatment-naïve patients about to commence such therapy.

Methods and results: QoL was assessed in 283 patients with cancer using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 questionnaire. All patients underwent a battery of tests including physical examination, resting electrocardiogram, hand grip strength, and biochemistry assessment. Using multivariable logistic regression, we found that age [odds ratio (OR) 0.954, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.916-0.994], resting heart rate (OR 1.036, 95% CI 1.004-1.068), hand grip strength (OR 0.932, 95% CI 0.878-0.990), and the presence of cachexia (OR 4.334, 95% CI 1.767-10.631) and dyspnoea (OR 3.725, 95% CI 1.540-9.010; all P < 0.05) remained independently predictive of reduced QoL.

Conclusions: Therefore, it may be reasonable to address circumstances that are affecting muscle mass, body weight, and heart rate to maintaining QoL; however, prospective studies to test these endpoints are required.

Keywords: Cancer; Quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest with respect to this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tumour type distribution in the studied population. ENT, ear–nose–throat.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparative quality of life scores in tumour patients. The two groups are built by using the median summary score. Left: Values are reflecting functional scales. Higher values result in better ‘performance’. Right: Values are reflecting symptom scales. Higher values mean higher symptom burden. All components demonstrated statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). EORTC, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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