Cancer history and physical function in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Both cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) cause skeletal muscle mass loss, thereby increasing the likelihood of a poor prognosis. We investigated the association between cancer history and physical function and their combined association with prognosis in patients with CVD. We retrospectively reviewed 3,796 patients with CVD (median age: 70 years; interquartile range [IQR]: 61-77 years) who had undergone physical function tests (gait speed and 6-minute walk distance [6MWD]) at discharge. We performed multiple linear regression analyses to assess potential associations between cancer history and physical function. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate prognostic associations in four groups of patients categorized by the absence or presence of cancer history and of high or low physical function. Multiple regression analyses showed that cancer history was significantly and independently associated with a lower gait speed and 6MWD performance. A total of 610 deaths occurred during the follow-up period (median: 3.1 years; IQR: 1.4-5.4 years). The coexistence of low physical function and cancer history in patients with CVD was associated with a significantly higher mortality risk, even after adjusting for covariates (cancer history/low gait speed, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.93, P < 0.001; and cancer history/low 6MWD, HR: 1.61, P = 0.002). Cancer history is associated with low physical function in patients with CVD, and the combination of both factors is associated with a poor prognosis.

Screening for sarcopenia with SARC-F in older patients hospitalized with cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVES: SARC-F ≥ 4 points are used for detecting sarcopenia; however, finding a lower SARC-F cut-off value may lead to early detection of sarcopenia. We investigated the SARC-F score with the highest sensitivity and specificity value to identify sarcopenia in older patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Motor performances were also examined for each SARC-F score. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study examined the sensitivity and specificity of every 1-point increase in SARC-F score to predict sarcopenia. Eligible participants included patients with CVD (≥ 65 years old) who were admitted for acute CVD treatment and participated in cardiac rehabilitation. Patients completed the SARC-F questionnaire and the sarcopenia assessment. Areas under the curves (AUCs) were investigated for the ability to predict sarcopenia. Multivariable linear regression was used to compare the mean value of physical functions (e.g., Walking speed, leg strength, and 6-minute walking distance) of each SARC-F score. RESULTS: A total of 1066 participants (63.8% male; median age: 78 years) were included. Sarcopenia was present in 401 patients. SARC-F cut-off ≥ 2 presented the optimal balance between sensitivity (68.3%) and specificity (55.6%) to detect sarcopenia (the AUCs = 0.658; 95% confidence interval: 0.625-0.691). Even when the patients have low scores (1-3), increasing every 1 point of SARC-F score was associated with lower physical functions, such as lower muscle strength and shorter walking distance (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SARC-F cut-off ≥ 2 was optimal for screening sarcopenia, and even a low SARC-F score is helpful in finding earlier sarcopenia and low physical function in patients with CVD.

Clinical Impact of Improvement in Sarcopenia through Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVES: Sarcopenia in patients with heart failure (HF) is associated with poor prognosis. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) decreases the incidence of adverse events in patients with HF. However, the clinical implications of improving sarcopenia status through CR remain unclear. This study investigated the relationship between the changes in sarcopenia status in patients with HF undergoing outpatient CR and the risk of mortality and adverse events. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized at the Kitasato University Hospital Cardiovascular Center for the treatment of HF between January 2007 and December 2020. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Patients with HF whose sarcopenia status was assessed at hospital discharge and following at least 3 months of outpatient CR were included. Based on the sarcopenia status, all patients were divided into 3 groups: patients without sarcopenia at discharge (ie, robust), patients with sarcopenia at discharge but no sarcopenia following CR (ie, improved), and patients with sarcopenia at discharge and following CR (ie, unimproved). METHODS: Cox regression analysis was used to examine the risk of all-cause death associated with the 3 sarcopenia status groups. RESULTS: Of 546 patients with HF (median age: 70 years; male: 63.6%), 377 (69.0%), 54 (9.9%), and 115 (21.1%) were classified as robust, improved, and unimproved, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the unimproved group had a significantly greater risk of all-cause death when compared to the robust group [hazard ratio (HR) 2.603, 95% CI 1.375-4.930, P = .004], but it did not differ from the improved group (HR 1.403, 95% CI 0.598-3.293, P = .43). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: No improvement in sarcopenia status in patients with HF undergoing outpatient CR was associated with a higher risk of all-cause death. Sarcopenia may be an important target to improve the prognosis of patients with HF.

Predictive value of the Ishii score for sarcopenia and the prognosis of older patients hospitalized with heart failure.

AIMS: Although sarcopenia is common and associated with poor outcomes in patients with heart failure, its simple screening methods remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the predictive value of the Ishii score, which includes age, grip strength, and calf circumference, for sarcopenia and its prognostic predictability in patients with heart failure. METHODS: This was a subanalysis of the FRAGILE-HF study. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the predictive value for sarcopenia. Patients were stratified into the high and low Ishii score groups based on the cutoff values of the Ishii score determined by the Youden index for sarcopenia, and the 1-year mortality rates were compared. RESULTS: Of the 1262 study participants, 936 were evaluated with sarcopenia, and 184 (55 women, 129 men) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for sarcopenia were 0.73 and 0.87 for women and men, respectively. The optimal cutoff values for predicting sarcopenia were 165 and 141 for women and men, respectively. Using these cutoff values, the sensitivity and specificity for sarcopenia were 70.9% and 68.5% for women and 88.4% and 69.7% for men, respectively. At 1 year, 151 (low Ishii score group, 98; high Ishii score group, 53) deaths were observed. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that the high Ishii score group was significantly associated with 1-year mortality. CONCLUSION: Among older patients hospitalized for heart failure, the Ishii score is useful for predicting sarcopenia and 1-year mortality. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 147-153.

Trajectory of Abdominal Skeletal Muscle Changes During Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Aortic Disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study focused on routine computed tomography imaging for aortic disease management and evaluated the trajectory of skeletal muscle changes through inpatient and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation. DESIGN: Prospective observational study included patients who underwent abdominal computed tomography three times (baseline, postacute care, and follow-up). The area and density of the all-abdominal and erector spine muscles and intramuscular adipose tissue were measured. A generalized linear model with patients as random effects was used to investigate skeletal muscle changes. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients completed outpatient cardiac rehabilitation, and 60 were incomplete. Skeletal muscle area significantly decreased from baseline to the follow-up period only in the incomplete rehabilitation group. Skeletal muscle density significantly decreased from baseline to postacute care and increased at the follow-up period, but only patients who completed rehabilitation showed recovery up to baseline at the follow-up period. These trajectories were more pronounced in the erector spine muscle. Intramuscular adipose tissue showed a trend of gradual increase, but only the incomplete rehabilitation group showed a significant difference from baseline to the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: The density of skeletal muscle may reflect the most common clinical course; skeletal muscle area and intramuscular adipose tissue are unlikely to improve positively, and their maintenance seemed optimal.

The Association between the Level of Ankle-Brachial Index and the Risk of Poor Physical Function in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

AIMS: The progression of atherosclerosis and decline in physical function are poor prognostic factors in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a widely used indicator of the degree of progression of atherosclerosis, which may be used to identify patients with CVD who are at risk of poor physical function. This study examined the association between ABI and poor physical function in patients with CVD. METHODS: We reviewed the data of patients with CVD who completed the ABI assessment and physical function tests (6-min walking distance, gait speed, quadriceps isometric strength, and short physical performance battery). Patients were divided into five categories according to the level of ABI, and the association between ABI and poor physical function was examined using multiple logistic regression analysis. Additionally, restricted cubic splines were used to examine the nonlinear association between ABI and physical function. RESULTS: A total of 2982 patients (median [interquartile range] age: 71[62-78] years, 65.8% males) were included in this study. Using an ABI range of 1.11-1.20 as a reference, logistic regression analysis showed that ABI ≤ 1.10 was associated with poor physical function. The restricted cubic spline analysis showed that all physical functions increased with an increase in ABI level. The increase in physical function plateaued at an ABI level of approximately 1.1. CONCLUSIONS: ABI may be used to identify patients with poor physical function. ABI levels below 1.1 are potentially associated with poor physical function in patients with CVD.

Leg strength and incidence of heart failure in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

AIMS: The risk of developing heart failure (HF) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains high. It is unclear whether skeletal muscle strength, in addition to existing risk factors, is a predictor for developing HF after ACS. We aimed to clarify the relationship between quadriceps isometric strength (QIS), a skeletal muscle strength indicator, and the risk of developing HF in patients with ACS. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 1053 patients with ACS without a prior HF or complications of HF during hospitalization. The median (interquartile range) age was 67 (57-74) years. The patients were classified into two groups-high and low QIS-using the sex-specific median QIS. The endpoint was HF admissions. During a mean follow-up period of 4.4 ± 3.7 years, 75 (7.1%) HF admissions were observed. After multivariate adjustment, a high QIS was associated with a lower risk of HF [hazard ratio: 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.32-0.87]. Hazard ratio (95% CI) per 5% body weight increment increase of QIS for HF incidents was 0.87 (0.80-0.95). Even when competing risks of death were taken into account, the results did not change. The inclusion of QIS was associated with increases in net reclassification improvement (0.26; 95% CI: 0.002-0.52) and an integrated discrimination index (0.01; 95% CI: 0.004-0.02) for HF. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that a higher level of QIS was strongly associated with a lower risk of developing HF after ACS. These findings suggest that skeletal muscle strength could be one of the factors contributing to the risk of developing HF after ACS.

The risk of developing heart failure (HF) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains high. Basic attributes, coronary risk factors, and cardiac and renal function have been reported as risk factors for developing HF after ACS. However, the association between skeletal muscle strength and the development of HF after ACS is unclear. We included 1053 patients with ACS without a prior HF or complications of HF during hospitalization and used quadriceps isometric strength (QIS) as a measure of skeletal muscle strength. We found that higher QIS was associated with a lower risk of developing HF after ACS. The results of our study suggest the benefit of assessing skeletal muscle strength in addition to basic attributes, coronary risk factors, and cardiac and renal function to assess the risk of developing HF after ACS.

Association of sarcopenia defined by different skeletal muscle mass measurements with prognosis and quality of life in older patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing sarcopenia in heart failure (HF) patients is important, but how to assess skeletal muscle mass in HF patients with fluid retention is controversial. We aimed to examine the association between sarcopenia, defined by different skeletal muscle mass measurements, and clinical outcomes in older HF patients. METHODS: We included 546 older HF patients (≥ 65 years) who were assessed for sarcopenia at discharge (median age 77 years, 309 males). Sarcopenia was diagnosed using grip strength, usual gait speed, and skeletal muscle mass according to international criteria. We used mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), mid-upper arm muscle circumference (MAMC), calf circumference (CC), and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis to assess skeletal muscle mass and defined sarcopenia in each of these measurements. Prognostic outcomes were composite events (all-cause death and HF rehospitalization) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events (CVD death and CVD rehospitalization). Quality of life (QOL) was assessed using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey physical functioning (SF-36PF) score. RESULTS: The sarcopenia defined by MUAC [hazard ratio (HR): 2.50; 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI): 1.64-3.81; p < 0.001] or MAMC (HR: 1.98; 95 % CI: 1.35-2.92; p = 0.001) were associated with higher composite event rates than the non-sarcopenia. The sarcopenia defined by MUAC (HR: 1.88; 95 % CI: 1.25-2.83; p = 0.002) or MAMC (HR: 1.70; 95 % CI: 1.16-2.49; p = 0.007) were associated with higher CVD event rates than the non-sarcopenia. The sarcopenia defined by CC or SMI were not associated with prognoses. The sarcopenia defined by MUAC, MAMC, or CC were associated with low SF-36PF scores (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a diagnosis of sarcopenia based on MUAC or MAMC rather than CC or SMI reflects prognosis and QOL in older HF patients.

Effects of Acute Phase Intensive Physical Activity (ACTIVE-PA) Monitoring and Education for Cardiac Patients: Pilot Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Although physical activity (PA) decreases dramatically during hospitalization, an effective intervention method has not yet been established for this issue. We recently developed a multiperson PA monitoring system using information and communication technology (ICT) that can provide appropriate management and feedback about PA at the bedside or during rehabilitation. This ICT-based PA monitoring system can store accelerometer data on a tablet device within a few seconds and automatically display a graphical representation of activity trends during hospitalization. OBJECTIVE: This randomized pilot study aims to estimate the feasibility and effect size of an educational PA intervention using our ICT monitoring system for in-hospital patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation. METHODS: A total of 41 patients (median age 70 years; 24 men) undergoing inpatient cardiac rehabilitation were randomly assigned to 2 groups as follows: wearing an accelerometer only (control) and using both an accelerometer and an ICT-based PA monitoring system. Patients assigned to the ICT group were instructed to gradually increase their step counts according to their conditions. Adherence to wearing the accelerometer was defined as having enough wear records for at least 2 days to allow for adequate analysis during the lending period. An analysis of covariance was performed to compare the change in average step count during hospitalization as a primary outcome and the 6-minute walking distance at discharge. RESULTS: The median duration of wearing the accelerometer was 4 days in the ICT group and 6 days in the control group. Adherence was 100% (n=22) in the ICT group but 83% (n=20) in the control group. The ICT group was more active (mean difference=1370 steps, 95% CI 437-2303) and had longer 6-minute walking distances (mean difference=81.6 m, 95% CI 18.1-145.2) than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Through this study, the possibility of introducing a multiperson PA monitoring system in a hospital and promoting PA during hospitalization was demonstrated. These findings support the rationale and feasibility of a future clinical trial to test the efficacy of this educational intervention in improving the PA and physical function of in-hospital patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network UMIN000043312; http://tinyurl.com/m2bw8vkz.

Trends and Outcomes of Early Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit for Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: A Cohort Study With Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of acute-phase cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) in intensive care settings remains unclear in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to investigate the trends and outcomes of acute-phase CR in the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients with CVD, including in-hospital and long-term clinical outcomes. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study reviewed a total of 1,948 consecutive patients who were admitted to a tertiary academic ICU for CVD treatment and underwent CR during hospitalisation. The endpoints of this study were the following: in-hospital outcomes: probabilities of walking independence and returning home; and long-term outcomes: clinical events 5 years following hospital discharge, including all-cause readmission or cardiovascular events. It evaluated the associations of CR implementation during ICU treatment (ICU-CR) with in-hospital and long-term outcomes using propensity score-matched analysis. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1,092 received ICU-CR, the rate of which tended to increase with year trend (p for trend <0.001). After propensity score matching, 758 patients were included for analysis (pairs of n=379 ICU-CR and non-ICU-CR). ICU-CR was significantly associated with higher probabilities of walking independence (rate ratio, 2.04; 95% CI 1.77-2.36) and returning home (rate ratio, 1.22; 95% CI 1.05-1.41). These associations were consistently observed in subgroups aged >65 years, after surgery, emergency, and prolonged ICU stay. ICU-CR showed significantly lower incidences of all-cause (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.56-0.89) and cardiovascular events (HR 0.69; 95% CI 0.50-0.95) than non-ICU-CR. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of acute-phase CR in ICU increased with year trend, and is considered beneficial to improving in-hospital and long-term outcomes in patients with CVD and various subgroups.

Prognostic Utility of Skeletal Muscle Mass Metrics in Patients With Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is associated with risks of various adverse outcomes, and the assessment of skeletal muscle mass is necessary for its diagnosis. However, heart failure (HF) is a syndrome characterised by fluid retention, which affects muscle mass measurements. Different measurement methods have been reported to have different prognostic implications. We investigated the association between skeletal muscle mass metrics measured with the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and anthropometric measures and prognosis in patients with HF. METHODS: The findings of 869 consecutive patients with HF were reviewed. We investigated the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) measured with the use of BIA, the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), the arm muscle circumference (AMC), and the calf circumference (CC), and the patients were divided into 3 groups according to the sex-specific tertiles of the skeletal muscle mass metrics. The end points were all-cause death and readmission due to HF. RESULTS: The high MUAC and AMC groups showed significantly better prognoses than their respective low groups (combined events: high MUAC group hazard ratio [HR] 0.559, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.395-0.789 [P < 0.01]; high AMC group HR 0.505, 95% CI 0.359-0.710 [P < 0.01]), although high SMI and high CC were not associated with better prognoses. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with HF, MUAC and AMC are more associated with prognosis than SMI and CC, which are recommended in preexisting sarcopenia guidelines. MUAC and AMC may also be useful measures in sarcopenia assessments.

Predictive value of cholinesterase in patients with heart failure: A new blood biochemical marker of undernutrition.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study was conducted to verify whether serum cholinesterase (ChE) is useful in predicting prognosis and discriminating undernutrition status compared to existing low-nutrition indices of blood chemical tests in patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1617 patients (1204 older patients) with HF who evaluated ChE during hospitalization were recruited for this study. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and multivariate survival analysis was performed. We drew a receiver operating characteristic curve for all-cause death, some undernutrition status, such as low body mass index, thin mid-upper arm circumference, low grip strength, and slow gait speed. The area under the curve was used to compare the predictive ability of ChE with some existing nutritional parameters, such as blood biochemical tests, controlling nutritional status (CONUT), and the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI). After adjusting for 29 variables, higher ChE significantly decreased the risk of all-cause death (per 10 increase, hazard ratio: 0.975, 95% confidence interval: 0.952-0.998), and this trend was maintained for older patients (per 10 increase, hazard ratio: 0.972, 95% confidence interval: 0.947-0.997). ChE was moderately correlated with CONUT and GNRI, but the predictive ability for all-cause death was higher for ChE relative to both scores. ChE tended to have an almost consistently high predictive ability compared with other blood biochemical tests. CONCLUSIONS: ChE was associated with all-cause death and an almost consistently higher predictive ability for all-cause death and undernutrition status in comparison to existing blood chemical tests and nutritional scores.

Prognostic impact of cachexia by multi-assessment in older adults with heart failure: FRAGILE-HF cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cachexia substantially impacts the prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF); however, there is no standard method for cachexia diagnosis. This study aimed to investigate the association of Evans's criteria, consisting of multiple assessments, with the prognosis of HF in older adults. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of the data from the FRAGILE-HF study, a prospective multicentre cohort study that enrolled consecutive hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years with HF. Patients were divided into two groups: the cachexia and non-cachexia groups. Cachexia was defined according to Evans's criteria by assessing weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, anorexia, a decreased fat-free mass index and an abnormal biochemical profile. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, as assessed in the survival analysis. RESULTS: Cachexia was present in 35.5% of the 1306 enrolled patients (median age [inter-quartile range], 81 [74-86] years; 57.0% male); 59.6%, 73.2%, 15.6%, 71.0%, 44.9% and 64.6% had weight loss, decreased muscle strength, a low fat-free mass index, abnormal biochemistry, anorexia and fatigue, respectively. All-cause mortality occurred in 270 patients (21.0%) over 2 years. The cachexia group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.494; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.173-1.903; P = 0.001) had a higher mortality risk than the non-cachexia group after adjusting for the severity of HF. Cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths occurred in 148 (11.3%) and 122 patients (9.3%), respectively. The adjusted HRs for cachexia in cardiovascular mortality and non-cardiovascular mortality were 1.456 (95% CI, 1.048-2.023; P = 0.025) and 1.561 (95% CI, 1.086-2.243; P = 0.017), respectively. Among the cachexia diagnostic criteria, decreased muscle strength (HR, 1.514; 95% CI, 1.095-2.093; P = 0.012) and low fat-free mass index (HR, 1.424; 95% CI, 1.052-1.926; P = 0.022) were significantly associated with high all-cause mortality, but there was no significant association between weight loss alone (HR, 1.147; 95% CI, 0.895-1.471; P = 0.277) and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Cachexia evaluated by multi-assessment was present in one third of older adults with HF and was associated with a worse prognosis. A multimodal assessment of cachexia may be helpful for risk stratification in older patients with HF.

Oral Administration of Lipopolysaccharide Enhances Insulin Signaling-Related Factors in the KK/Ay Mouse Model of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin, induces systemic inflammation by injection and is thought to be a causative agent of chronic inflammatory diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, our previous studies found that oral LPS administration does not exacerbate T2DM conditions in KK/Ay mice, which is the opposite of the response from LPS injection. Therefore, this study aims to confirm that oral LPS administration does not aggravate T2DM and to investigate the possible mechanisms. In this study, KK/Ay mice with T2DM were orally administered LPS (1 mg/kg BW/day) for 8 weeks, and blood glucose parameters before and after oral administration were compared. Abnormal glucose tolerance, insulin resistance progression, and progression of T2DM symptoms were suppressed by oral LPS administration. Furthermore, the expressions of factors involved in insulin signaling, such as insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate 1, thymoma viral proto-oncogene, and glucose transporter type 4, were upregulated in the adipose tissues of KK/Ay mice, where this effect was observed. For the first time, oral LPS administration induces the expression of adiponectin in adipose tissues, which is involved in the increased expression of these molecules. Briefly, oral LPS administration may prevent T2DM by inducing an increase in the expressions of insulin signaling-related factors based on adiponectin production in adipose tissues.

Prognostic value of liver damage assessed through direct bilirubin levels and skeletal muscle weakness in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Patients with heart failure (HF) often exhibit signs of liver dysfunction such as high bilirubin concentrations, leading to physical dysfunction and poor prognosis. Nevertheless, the relationship between direct bilirubin (DB), a fractionated form of total bilirubin, and dynapenia remains unclear, as does their effect on prognosis. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between DB concentrations and dynapenia in patients with HF. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with HF who underwent assessments for DB concentration, and handgrip and leg strengths to evaluate dynapenia and muscle weakness, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the associations of DB with muscle strength and dynapenia. Additionally, we examined the prognostic value of comorbid high DB concentrations (≥0.5 mg/dL) and dynapenia. The endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 853 inpatients, high DB was identified in 147 and dynapenia in 377 (44.2%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that high DB was independently associated with decreased muscle strength (handgrip strength, P = 0.027; leg strength, P = 0.002). After adjusting for covariates, the high DB group (odds ratio: 1.800, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.203-2.695, P = 0.004) had a significantly higher risk of dynapenia than the low DB group. During the follow-up period, 189 patients died (median, 1.77 years; interquartile range, 0.64-3.81 years). The risk of death was significantly higher in the high DB and dynapenia group, even after adjusting for HF severity (hazard ratio: 2.610, 95% CI: 1.680-4.051, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High DB is associated with muscle weakness, and when combined with dynapenia, DB predicts a poorer prognosis in patients with HF.

The interaction between physical frailty and prognostic impact of heart failure medication in elderly patients.

AIMS: Frailty is highly prevalent and associated with poor prognoses in elderly patients with heart failure (HF). However, the potential effects of physical frailty on the benefits of HF medications in elderly patients with HF are unclear. We aimed to determine the influence of physical frailty on the prognosis of HF medications in elderly patients with HF with reduced and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFr/mrEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: From the combined HF database of the FRAGILE-HF and Kitasato cohorts, hospitalized HF patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% and age ≥ 65 years were analysed. Patients treated with or without renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) and beta-blockers at discharge were compared. Physical frailty was defined by the presence of ≥3 items on the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality rate. Among the 1021 enrolled patients, 604 patients (59%) received both RAASi and beta-blockers, and 604 patients (59%) were diagnosed as physically frail. Patients receiving both RAASi and beta-blockers showed a significantly lower 1 year mortality than those not receiving either, even after adjusting for covariates (hazard ratio: 0.50, 95% confidence interval: 0.34-0.75). This beneficial effect of both medications on 1 year mortality was comparable between patients with and without physical frailty (hazard ratio: 0.53 and 0.51, respectively; P for interaction = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of physical frailty did not interact with the beneficial prognostic impact of RAASi and beta-blocker combination therapy in elderly patients with HFr/mrEF.

Protocols and Features of Goal-Setting-Based Intervention for Frail Older Adults in Community Exercise Facilities.

Appropriate goal setting for frail older adults is important because it drives effective rehabilitation. However, more insights into the types and degrees of frailty and goal-setting trends should be obtained. We conducted a multicenter prospective study to qualitatively examine the relation between each frailty domain (physical, social, and cognitive) and the goals of 201 subjects (median age: 79, 43.8% male) who began rehabilitation at a long-term care prevention facility. Goal setting was determined by the specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time to goal (SMART) framework up to three months, categorized according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. The results showed that approximately 90% of the subjects had frailty in at least one domain, and about half had frailties in two or more domains. In total, 176 (87.6%) subjects had goals corresponding to activities and participation. The tendency to set goals to improve mobility was confirmed when the number of overlapping frailties was high, especially those in the physical and social domains. Those with milder frailties were more likely to establish goals targeting improvements in community, social, and civic life. These findings will lead to the development of practical goal-setting guidelines for frail older adults.

SARC-F predicts poor motor function, quality of life, and prognosis in older patients with cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether SARC-F scores were associated with motor function, quality of life (QOL) related to physical function, and prognosis in older patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cognitive impairment. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. The study population consisted of 408 patients with CVD (≥60 years old) who completed the SARC-F questionnaire and Mini-Cog, a cognitive function test, at discharge. Sarcopenia was defined as a total SARC-F score ≥ 4 points. Patients who were cognitively-preserved (Mini-Cog score ≥ 3 points) were excluded. Patients completed the handgrip strength, leg strength, usual gait speed, 6-minute walking distance, short physical performance battery score, and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey Physical Functioning (SF-36PF) tests before discharge. Associations of SARC-F with physical function, QOL, and prognoses (i.e., composite of all-cause death and emergency CVD rehospitalization and the number of CVD rehospitalizations) were investigated. RESULTS: Sarcopenia (SARC-F score ≥ 4 points) was associated with poorer motor function test outcomes and SF-36PF scores (all P < 0.001). The correlations remained significant after adjusting for comorbidities (e.g., anemia, prior heart failure, and renal dysfunction). Sarcopenia was also associated with a poorer prognosis (hazard ratio: 1.574; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.011-2.445) and an increased risk of CVD rehospitalization (incidence rate ratio: 1.911; 95 % CI, 1.312-2.782) after adjusting for comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In older patients with CVD and cognitive impairment, the SARC-F questionnaire may be a simple and inexpensive tool for identifying patients with decreased motor function and a poor prognosis.

Relationship between the spread of COVID-19, social frailty, and depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure.

In community-dwelling older people, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to be associated with the development of frailty and depressive symptoms. We aimed to investigate whether the spread of COVID-19 is associated with the development of frailty in patients with heart failure (HF). The presence of the multi-domain of frailty in 257 patients with HF was assessed at hospital discharge. The spread of COVID-19 was significantly associated with the development of social frailty and depressive symptoms. Evaluation of these symptoms during hospitalization would support disease management and understanding of their social and psychological conditions.

Prognostic impact of the coexistence of hepato-renal dysfunction and frailty in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Complex multi-organ interactions such as coexistence of hepato-renal dysfunction in heart failure (HF) adversely affects patient prognosis. However, the association between liver/kidney dysfunction and frailty and effects of their coexistence on HF prognosis remain unclear. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 922 patients with HF (median age, 72 years; interquartile range: 62-79 years). All patients underwent hepato-renal function testing using the model for end-stage liver disease, excluding international normalized ratio (MELD-XI) score and frailty score. Frailty was measured using a composite of four markers: handgrip strength, gait speed, serum albumin, and activities of daily living status, combined into a total frailty score (range 0-12). Patients were assigned to a frailty score <5 (without frailty) or ≥5 (frailty) group. The multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between MELD-XI score and frailty; the prognostic value of high MELD-XI score and frailty coexistence was investigated. The endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates and dividing by the median MELD-XI score, the high MELD-XI score group [odds ratio: 1.663, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.200-2.304, p = 0.002] was significantly associated with frailty, compared with the low MELD-XI score group. One hundred and fifty deaths occurred during follow-up (median, 2.13 years; interquartile range, 0.93-4.09 years). Patients in the high MELD-XI score/frailty group had a significantly higher mortality risk, even after adjusting for HF severity (hazard ratio: 4.326, 95 % CI: 2.527-7.403, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hepato-renal dysfunction is associated with frailty in patients with HF, which affects patient prognosis. BRIEF SUMMARY: This study showed that hepato-renal dysfunction in patients with HF, as assessed by the model for end-stage liver disease excluding international normalized ratio (MELD-XI) score, is associated with frailty, even after adjusting for factors involved in the frailty or severity of HF. Additionally, high MELD-XI score combined with frailty is associated with a poorer prognosis. These results suggest that hepato-renal dysfunction and frailty can be used for risk stratification in patients with HF.