Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Incidence, medical therapy, and outcomes in heart failure with improved ejection fraction across guideline definitions
- Cohort of patients with incident heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) healthcare system
Authors' conclusion
Based on definition used, the prevalence of HFimpEF ranges widely from 28% to 40%. Irrespective of definition, patients with HFimpEF remain at residual risk for clinical deterioration and share a similar prognosis despite improvement in EF. These data highlight the persistence of heart failure rather than true recovery; trials to optimize available and new HF treatments are warranted.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with incident heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) between January 2013 and December 2024 within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) healthcare systempatients with newly diagnosed HFrEF
- Participants
- 37,443 patients
- Exposure
- Heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) across guideline definitions
- ACC/AHAn = 15,030
- HFA/HFSA/JHFSn = 13,253
- ESCn = 10,304
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
HFimpEF incidence
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mutually exclusive cumulative incidences of HF hospitalization or death · 10 years after HFimpEF
- Higher among patients whose EF improvement met the ACC/AHA definition but did not meet the other 2
- log-rank P < .001
Original publication
Incidence, medical therapy, and outcomes in heart failure with improved ejection fraction across guideline definitions. Am Heart J. Published 6 September 2026. doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2026.107595
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it