Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesRandomised controlled trial
Lifestyle Walking Intervention for Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: The WATCHFUL Trial
- Randomised controlled trial
- multicentre
- parallel-group
- 6 centres in the Czech Republic
Authors' conclusion
Whereas the lifestyle intervention in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction improved daily steps by about 25%, it failed to demonstrate a corresponding improvement in functional capacity.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with stable HFrEF (LVEF <40%, NYHA II–III on guideline-recommended medication; baseline 6MWT ≤450 m)186 analysed
- Participants
- 202 adults
- Comparison
- Lifestyle walking intervention vs usual care
- Primary endpoint
- Between-group difference in 6-minute walk test distance
- Follow-up
- 6 months
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
6MWT distance
No between-group difference in 6MWT distance
7.4 (mean between-group difference 7.4 m [95% CI −8.0 to 22.7]; P=0.345)
Secondary outcomes
| Outcome | increase (steps/day) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily step count · 6 months | 1420 (749–2091) | |
| −10000100020003000Difference, steps/day (linear scale) |
| Outcome | increase (minutes/day) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity · 6 months | 8.2 (3.0–13.3) | |
| −1001020Difference, minutes/day (linear scale) |
Other secondary outcomes (NT-proBNP, hs-CRP, EF, anthropometrics, depression, self-efficacy, quality of life, survival risk score) · 6 months
- No between-group differences
Original publication
Lifestyle Walking Intervention for Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: The WATCHFUL Trial. Circulation. Published 13 November 2023. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.123.067395
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it