PCV98 Health Related Quality of Life and Age in Hypertensive Patients: Self-Perception and Evaluation by Professionals. The Equality Study

To analyse the association between Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and age, in hypertensive patients and the correlation between HRQoL reported by patients and evaluated by their doctors. Observational, cross-sectional, multi-centre study, in Primary and Specialised Care. Inclusion of 5,031 hypertensive patients, selected by quotes according to three age groups (<65, 65-79, ≥ 80 years) was planned. Selection criteria were: patients whose age was over 18, diagnosed as having hypertension at least one year before inclusion and attended a follow-up visit. Information related to hypertension, basic socio-demographic and clinical data, the self-administered specific questionnaire MINICHAL for the evaluation of HRQoL (higher scores indicative of lower HRQoL), and a visual analogue scale (VAS) for the general evaluation of HRQoL (higher scores indicative of higher HRQoL) by patients and doctors, were recorded. Data of 4,346 eligible patients were included. HRQoL-age correlation was analysed by Spearman's-rho, differences among age groups by Kruskal-Wallis and patient/doctor agreement by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Mean age (SD) was 68.35(12.60). 38.1% of patients were under 65, 36.9% between 65 and 80 and 25.0% were over 80 years old. 54.5% were men. Mean time since diagnosis was 10.33(7.68) years. 34.2% had a family history of high blood pressure. Mean scores in MINICHAL were: State of Mind dimension 8.07(5.83), Somatic Manifestations dimension 3.24(3.06). Worsening of both dimensions was found when comparing groups of higher age (p<0.001) as well as significant moderate correlations of both dimensions with age (0.335, p<0.001; 0.397 p<0.001). Mean(SD) VAS score for doctors' evaluation was 66.84(15.82) and 63.93(18.46) that of patients; ICC for agreement was 0.697 (0.672, 0.687 and 0.663 by age groups). An impact of age on HRQoL worsening is evidenced. Patient/doctor agreement in the evaluation of HRQoL is adequate; however doctors trend to overestimate the HRQoL of patients.