Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesRandomised controlled trial
Circulating Biomarkers as Predictors of Improvement in Physical Function in Hospitalized Older Adults With Geriatric Syndromes: Findings From the REHAB-HF Trial
- Randomized trial
- biomarker analysis of the REHAB-HF trial
- adjusted linear regression models and machine learning-based decision trees
Authors' conclusion
Higher inflammation, measured by CRP, may identify older adults recently hospitalized for heart failure with the greatest functional benefit from a physical RI. Biomarker profiling may predict the benefits of this treatment.
Study context
- Population
- Participants ≥60 years hospitalized with heart failurebaseline biomarker data available for 242 of 349 participants (69%)
- Participants
- 349 participants
- Comparison
- Rehabilitation intervention (RI) vs attention control
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance gains by baseline cTnI and cTnT (linear regression) · 12 weeks
- Higher cTnI and T associated with greater 12-week gains in the short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, respectively, among RI participants versus attention control
- interaction P =0.040 and 0.032
Further findings
| Outcome | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, participants with CRP ≥9.9 mg/L · 12 weeks — RI vs attention control | difference +2.4 point (95% CI 1.8–3.1) |
| Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, participants with CRP ≥9.9 mg/L · 12 weeks — RI vs attention control · greater increase in 6-minute walk distance with RI | difference +79 m (95% CI 50–109) |
| Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, participants with CRP <9.9 mg/L · 12 weeks — RI vs attention control | difference +0.8 (95% CI 0.1–1.6) |
| Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, participants with CRP <9.9 mg/L · 12 weeks — RI vs attention control · 6-minute walk distance; differential benefit limited | difference +30 m (95% CI −1.0 to 61) |
- Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, participants with CRP ≥9.9 mg/L: greater increase in short physical performance battery with RI
- Short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, participants with CRP <9.9 mg/L: short physical performance battery; differential benefit limited
Decision tree combining all biomarkers
- CRP emerged as the primary biomarker for both outcomes
Biomarker levels · 12 weeks posthospitalization
- Biomarker levels (except for creatinine) decreased, with no differences based on treatment assignment
Original publication
Circulating Biomarkers as Predictors of Improvement in Physical Function in Hospitalized Older Adults With Geriatric Syndromes: Findings From the REHAB-HF Trial. Circ Heart Fail. Published 7 January 2026. doi:10.1161/circheartfailure.125.013251
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it