Discordance in prognostic ability between physician assessed NYHA classification and self-reported health status in patients with acute heart failure

Abstract Background Especially in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) the NYHA classification remains of uncertain representation of patients' actual health state. Alternatively, patient's subjective well-being, in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQL), showed to have an excellent prognostic ability in out clinic patients with chronic heart failure. Objectives It is unknown whether HRQL instruments can assess a more reliable prognostication in patients hospitalized due to AHF than the NYHA classification. Methods Goal Directed Afterload Reduction in Acute Congestive Cardiac Decompensation Study (GALACTIC) was a multicenter, randomized, open-label blinded-end-point trial that em…