Objective:

To explore the transition in latent categories of home fluid management in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) over time and their correlation with symptom burden, highlighting its clinical significance.

Key Findings:

• 252 valid questionnaires were collected (94.03% effective rate).
• Three latent profiles of home fluid management were identified: high, medium, and low-level groups.
• 13.89%, 26.59%, and 9.91% of patients remained in high, medium, and low-level groups, respectively, with others transitioning between levels.
• Multivariate logistic regression indicated that all groups except the sustained high-level group had significantly increased risks of high symptom burden scores.

Interpretation:

50.39% of patients remained in their original latent state, 21.03% experienced deterioration, and 28.58% showed improvement in management status, indicating varied responses to fluid management.

Limitations:

• The study used convenience sampling, which may limit generalizability and introduce selection bias.
• The follow-up period was limited to three months post-discharge, which may not capture long-term trends.

Conclusion:

The severity of symptom burden was significantly higher in patients with persistent medium and low-level home fluid management compared to those in the persistent high-level group, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.