Changes in walking speed 6 months after discharge may be more sensitive to subsequent prognosis than handgrip strength in patients hospitalized for heart failure

• Published in: International journal of cardiology Vol. 400; p. 131778
• Main Authors: Hanada, Satoru, Adachi, Takuji, Iwatsu, Kotaro, Kamisaka, Kenta, Kamiya, Kuniyasu, Yamada, Sumio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Cohort study; Handgrip strength; Heart failure; Physical function; Prognosis; Walking speed; Heart failure; eGFR; NYHA; Prognosis; OR; BNP; CI; LVEF; HR; Handgrip strength; IQR; cNRI; AUC; NT-proBNP; HGS; Cohort study; MMSE; WS; Walking speed; Physical function; HF
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2024.131778

Despite the prognostic importance of walking speed (WS) and handgrip strength (HGS) in patients with heart failure (HF), no study has reported the prognostic impact of changes in these parameters. This study aimed to examine the association between changes after discharge and the subsequent prognosis. This study included 881 elderly patients hospitalized for HF. WS and HGS were measured at discharge and 6 months after discharge. Based on the presence of slowness (WS <0.98 m/s) or weakness (HGS <30.0 kg for men and < 17.5 kg for women) at both points, patients were divided into four groups (WS: A = −/−, B = −/+, C = +/−, D = +/+; HGS: E = −/−, F = −/+, G = +/−, H = +/+). The study endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality and HF rehospitalization during the 18 months after 6 months of discharge. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the association between the groups and study outcomes. Stratified by the WS change patterns, groups B and D showed higher risk of the study outcomes than group A [B: hazard ratio 2.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29–4.28; D: 2.38, 1.67–3.39], whereas group C was not. When stratified by the HGS change in patterns, only group H was associated with a worse prognosis (HR; 1.85, 95%CI; 1.31–2.60). Changes in WS were related to HF prognosis, suggesting that changes in WS may be more sensitive to further risk stratification than changes in HGS. [Display omitted] •We explored WS & HGS changes' prognostic impact in elderly patients.•Patients were divided into four groups based on WS & HGS measurements.•Increasing WS showed good prognosis, but as the HGS increased, the prognosis remained poor.•Changes in WS were more sensitive for risk stratification than changes in HGS.•WS change patterns significantly linked to all-cause mortality & HF rehospitalization.