OBJECTIVE: Type D personality has been associated with impaired health status in 
chronic heart failure (CHF), but other psychological factors may also be 
important.
AIM: To determine whether non-Type D patients with low positive affect and Type 
D patients report lower health status, compared with non-Type D patients with 
high positive affect at 12-month follow-up in chronic heart failure.
METHODS: Consecutive CHF outpatients (n = 276) filled out the Short Form-12 
(health status) and Health Complaints Scale (disease-specific complaints) at 
inclusion and 12-month follow-up, and the DS14 (Type D personality) and positive 
affect (Global Mood Scale) at inclusion. Three groups were composed: non-Type D 
patients without anhedonia, non-Type D patients with anhedonia, and Type D 
patients.
RESULTS: After controlling for demographic and clinical confounders, and scores 
at inclusion, anhedonic non-Type D patients reported lower mental health status 
(beta = -.19, P < .004), and more feelings of disability (beta = .10, P = .04), 
marginally lower physical health status (beta = -.11, P = .07), and equal levels 
of cardiac symptoms (beta = .04, P = .43), when compared with non-Type D's 
without anhedonia. Type D patients reported lower levels of impaired mental 
health status, more cardiac symptoms and feelings of disability (-.31 < beta < 
.17, all Ps < .05). A trend was shown for physical health status (beta = -.11, P 
= .09).
CONCLUSION: Non-Type D patients low on positive affect and Type D patients 
report lower levels of health status in CHF, compared with non-Type D patients 
with high positive affect. Future studies need to determine whether lack of 
positive affect is associated with impaired clinical outcome.