In the experimental group, the decrease in the Minnesota questionnaire score was positively correlated with a decrease in Selleck Alectinib the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (r = 0.539, p = 0.01), indicating that the improvement in quality of life was moderately strongly related to the improvement in the level of anxiety. In this study, we found that baseline anxiety

and depression were moderately correlated with disability and moderately inversely correlated with functional exercise capacity and quality of life in outpatients with mild to moderate chronic heart failure. The 8-week individualised home-based exercise intervention significantly improved functional exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. The improvement in quality of life was moderately strongly associated with the improvement in anxiety after the home-based exercise in these patients. Clinically important levels of anxiety and depression were identified in a small but substantial number of the participants at baseline. Depression has been found to be more prevalent among people with chronic heart failure than in people with other cardiac conditions (11% versus 5%) (Turvey et al 2002). Several sources of stress associated with chronic heart failure appear to contribute to depression. Unemployment

due to illness, negative attitude about impairment, and more severe illness (as indicated by the New York Heart Association classification) each correlate significantly with depression in heart failure patients (Adewuya et al 2006, Gottlieb et al 2009, Turvey et al 2003). Reduced activity level and self-care ability as NU7441 price well as poor psychosocial support also predispose people with chronic heart failure to depression (Holzapfel et al 2009, Tousoulis et al 2010). A recent GBA3 study has also demonstrated a correlation between reduced heart rate recovery indicative of impaired

vagal tone and psychological distress (von Kanel et al 2009). Furthermore, increased activity of the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and hypothalamus-hypophysis axis, increased serotonin and catecholamine level, alternation of the autonomic nervous system, and activation of systemic inflammation were associated with depression in chronic heart failure (Tousoulis et al 2010). In our results, anxiety and depression scores correlated with disability and inversely correlated with functional exercise capacity and quality of life. Correlations among some of these outcomes are supported by previous research (Ola et al 2006). Thus it appears important to address psychological issues in the management of people with chronic heart failure. Our study showed that after 8 weeks individualised home-based exercise training improves functional exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure. Home-based training therefore provides an effective alternative for those who have no access to hospital-based exercise programs.