RESUMEN
Objective:To analyze the efficacy of nutrition intervention combined with rehabilitation exercise in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) complicated by sarcopenia.Methods:In this randomized controlled trial, seventy CHF patients with sarcopenia, aged 80 years or older, who had received standard CHF medication treatment and had stable conditions with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from June 2021 to October 2022 at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital outpatient clinic were continuously selected. The patients were randomly divided into a test group ( n=35) and a control group ( n=35) using a random number table. The test group continued the original heart failure medication treatment, and on the basis of daily meal, supplemented with whey protein powder [37 g per serving (including 16.2 g of whey protein, 145 kcal), twice a day]; they were given resistance exercise primarily focused on resistance training (5 sets of exercises, progressively increasing to 3 days per week, twice a day, 5 sets per session, 20 repetitions per set). The control group maintained the original heart failure medication treatment plan and lifestyle. The body mass index, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), grip strength, Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test, 6-meter walking speed, 6-minute walk test, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), left ventricular ejection fraction, ratio of early mitral flow peak velocity to early mitral annulus diastolic peak velocity (E/e′), serum albumin, hemoglobin, and serum creatinine were compared between the two groups before and after 3 months of intervention using t-tests and chi-square tests to analyze the efficacy of nutrition intervention combined with rehabilitation exercise in elderly patients with CHF complicated by sarcopenia. Results:Among the 70 patients, there were 42 males and 28 females. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the test group and the control group (all P>0.05). After 3 months of intervention, ASMI, grip strength and 6 min walking distance in the test group were all significantly higher than those in the control group [(6.43±1.07) vs (6.09±0.86) kg/m 2, (27.75±2.13) vs (23.45±0.47) kg, (361.51±58.71) vs (273.50±69.85) m], and significantly higher than those before intervention [(5.99±1.45) kg/m 2, (23.55±9.64) kg, (273.50±69.86) m]. The time of Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test, BNP and E/e′ in the test group were both significantly lower than those in the control group [(11.20±2.09) vs (15.36±0.46) s, (278.80±58.69) vs (400.80±87.86) ng/L, (11.10±0.81) vs (14.66±1.90)], and significantly lower than those before intervention [(18.51±2.90) s, (407.50±122.74) ng/L and (14.00±1.15)]. There was no significant difference in remaining indicators between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Nutritional intervention combined with rehabilitation exercise primarily focused on whey protein supplementation and resistance training can significantly improve limb muscle mass, muscle strength, muscle function, and cardiac function in elderly patients with CHF complicated by sarcopenia on the basis of heart failure medication treatment.