Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Heart Failure (CogImpairHF)

Universität des Saarlandes

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cognitive Impairment; Heart Failure

Treatments: Drug: diuretics, inotropica

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00837889

164/08

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the present study is threefold: investigating 1) specific cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure, 2) whether cognitive impairments in patients with decompensated heart failure improve after medical recompensation and 3) whether cognitive functioning is related to the long-term prognosis (mortality, rehospitalisation) of those patients.

Full description

The daily routine in clinical settings often shows cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure. Recent studies reported declines in cognitive functioning such as executive functions, episodic memory, perceptual speed and attention. However, less is known regarding the differential impairments of cognitive functioning in patients with decompensated heart failure.

Study objectives:

1. Identifying specific cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure compared to healthy controls
2. Evaluating the influence of acute decompensation in congestive heart failure on cognitive functioning
3. Investigating the effects of medical treatment on cognitive functioning in patients with decompensated heart failure
4. Exploring long-term effects of cognitive and physiological status on hospitalisation and/or mortality

Study design:

Cognitive functions of patients with decompensated heart (NYHA III-IV) failure are compared to age and gender matched patients with congestive heart failure (NYHA III-IV) without symptoms of cardiac decompensation and with healthy controls. Decompensated patients are tested before and after medical recompensation. For matched patients and controls, the pretest-posttest timing is based on the recompensation time of the respective patient with decompensated heart failure.

The neuropsychological test battery includes measures of episodic memory, working memory, short-term memory, executive functions, perceptual speed and intelligence. In addition, the study applied standardized questionnaires of self assessed quality of life and depression. Relevant physiological data, such as left ventricular systolic function and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), are recorded.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Criteria of decompensated heart failure patients

Inclusion Criteria:

• decompensated heart failure patients
• NYHA III-IV
• ejection fraction < 35%

Exclusion Criteria:

• psychosis
• dementia
• major depression
• reanimation (<3month)
• patients with assist device system

Trial design

60 participants in 3 patient groups

decompensated heart failure patients

Treatment:

Drug: diuretics, inotropica

chronic heart failure patients

healthy controls