Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Changes in 6‐min walk test is an independent predictor of death in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
- Cohort study
- multicentre
Authors' conclusion
Improvement in 6MWT in patients with HFrEF is associated with increased survival, independent of changes in NT-proBNP and NYHA class.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with chronic HFrEF referred to heart failure (HF) outpatient clinics in Norway
- Participants
- 3,636 patients
- Exposure
- Change in 6MWT and mortality
- Outcome
- All-cause mortality by absolute and relative change in 6MWT
- Follow-up
- Mean 845 ± 595 days
Main finding
Mortality per 50 m increase in 6MWT
Hazard ratio
0.84
95% CI 0.77–0.90
P < 0.001
50 m increase in 6MWT
HR 0.84 (95% CI 0.77–0.90); P < 0.001
Per 50 m increase in 6MWT, as printed
As reported in the abstract
- Deaths
- 419 (11.5%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Change in 6MWT after GDMT optimisation · median 147 [86-240] days
- Mean 6MWT increase (m)
- 40 ± 74
- Median NT-proBNP decrease (ng/L)
- 425 (14-1322)
- New York Heart Association (NYHA) class improved
- 38%
Correlates of 6MWT improvement
- Improvement in NYHA class
- r = 0.27, p < 0.001
- Reduction in NT-proBNP
- r = 0.19, p < 0.001
Mortality association by subgroup
- More pronounced with lower baseline 6MWT and higher age
Original publication
Changes in 6‐min walk test is an independent predictor of death in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Eur J Heart Fail. Published 26 July 2024. doi:10.1002/ejhf.3391
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it