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Abstract
The aim of our study was to assess physical activitytolerance with a 6-minute walk test and assess quality of lifeusing the Minnesota Questionnaire in patients with heartfailure (HF) with or without iron deficiency. Materials andmethods: we studied 133 patients with heart failure: 78 (58.6%)had iron deficiency, the control group consisted of 55 (41.4%)patients with HF who did not have iron deficiency. To com-pare the data, we studied 30 people aged 60-66 who did nothave HF. We assessed exercise tolerance with a 6-minutewalk test (6-MWT) and assessed quality of life using theMinnesota Quality of Life Questionnaire. Comparison of theresults showed that the difference between the results of the6-MWT in functional classes II was not statistically signifi-cant, but was a significant difference in classes III and IV.Also, there was a significant difference between patientswith iron deficiency and non-deficient patients in all func-tional class groups. So, the increase in NYHA functionalclass is closely correlated with a decrease in 6-MWT scoresin all groups of patients. A quality-of-life study showed thatthe first group of patients had more pronounced discomfortand deterioration in quality of life predominantly during phys-ical activity (paragraphs 3,4,9,12). Also, patients in this grouphad a higher rate of 13,14,19,20,21 points. So, a decrease inexercise tolerance and quality of life is observed in all pa-tients with HF, although these changes are more pronouncedin patients with iron deficiency. Conclusion: The 6-MWT isan easily performed test and is reliably correlated with func-tional classes of HF in both iron deficiency and non-irondeficient patients. The Minnesota Quality of Life Score is areliable marker of HF severity in patients with iron deficiency