BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cognitive decline and heart failure frequently coexist in the elderly. Although an epidemiologic association may partially explain this finding, cerebral hypoperfusion and cardioembolism have been advocated as pathophysiological links. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between mild cognitive decline and exercise capacity in older outpatients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: We studied 80 elderly outpatients with stable CHF, mainly of ischemic etiology, assessing total exercise capacity with the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and global cognitive function with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). CHF severity, emotional status, comorbidity, disability and disease-specific quality of life were also determined at the time of enrollment. RESULTS: A positive association was observed between the distance walked at 6MWT and MMSE score, even after adjusting for demographic parameters, indexes of CHF severity, comorbidities, level of disability, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: An easy and reliable measure of cardiovascular global performance is independently associated with cognitive function in older outpatients affected by CHF. In the context of global aging, this observation emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive assessment, encompassing a standard, brief and reliable cognitive evaluation, in elderly CHF outpatients.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cognitive decline and heart failure frequently coexist in the elderly. Although an epidemiologic association may partially explain this finding, cerebral hypoperfusion and cardioembolism have been advocated as pathophysiological links. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between mild cognitive decline and exercise capacity in older outpatients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: We studied 80 elderly outpatients with stable CHF, mainly of ischemic etiology, assessing total exercise capacity with the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and global cognitive function with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). CHF severity, emotional status, comorbidity, disability and disease-specific quality of life were also determined at the time of enrollment. RESULTS: A positive association was observed between the distance walked at 6MWT and MMSE score, even after adjusting for demographic parameters, indexes of CHF severity, comorbidities, level of disability, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: An easy and reliable measure of cardiovascular global performance is independently associated with cognitive function in older outpatients affected by CHF. In the context of global aging, this observation emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive assessment, encompassing a standard, brief and reliable cognitive evaluation, in elderly CHF outpatients.
Authors: Michael L Alosco; Mary Beth Spitznagel; Ronald Cohen; Lawrence H Sweet; Richard Josephson; Joel Hughes; Jim Rosneck; John Gunstad Journal: Acta Cardiol Date: 2014-08 Impact factor: 1.718
Authors: Michael L Alosco; Mary Beth Spitznagel; Naftali Raz; Ronald Cohen; Lawrence H Sweet; Lisa H Colbert; Richard Josephson; Donna Waechter; Joel Hughes; Jim Rosneck; John Gunstad Journal: Aging Clin Exp Res Date: 2011-12-19 Impact factor: 3.636
Authors: Michael L Alosco; Adam M Brickman; Mary Beth Spitznagel; Erica Y Griffith; Atul Narkhede; Naftali Raz; Ronald Cohen; Lawrence H Sweet; Lisa H Colbert; Richard Josephson; Joel Hughes; Jim Rosneck; John Gunstad Journal: J Neurol Sci Date: 2013-03-23 Impact factor: 3.181
Authors: Susan Graham; Siqin Ye; Min Qian; Alexandra R Sanford; Marco R Di Tullio; Ralph L Sacco; Douglas L Mann; Bruce Levin; Patrick M Pullicino; Ronald S Freudenberger; John R Teerlink; J P Mohr; Arthur J Labovitz; Gregory Y H Lip; Conrado J Estol; Dirk J Lok; Piotr Ponikowski; Stefan D Anker; John L P Thompson; Shunichi Homma Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-11-26 Impact factor: 3.240