Heart failure & cardiomyopathies
Sex differences in patients with advanced heart failure: an analysis of the HELP-HF registry
Authors' conclusion
In our registry enrolling patients with markers of advanced HF, despite differences in clinical and echocardiographic characteristics, no sex-related differences in clinical outcomes were observed.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with heart failure (HF) and at least one high-risk ‘I NEED HELP’ marker, evaluated at four Italian centres between 1 January 2020 and 30 November 2021patients included (mean age 75.1 ± 11.5 years, median left ventricular ejection fraction 35%)
- Participants
- 1,149 patients
- Exposure
- Patients’ characteristics and outcomes were compared in men vs women.
- Malesn = 773
- Outcome
- Composite of:
- All-cause mortality
- First HF hospitalization
- Follow-up
- 1-year
Methodological detailsconsecutive patients, four Italian centres
- Consecutive patients
- Four Italian centres
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Impact of sex on the primary endpoint, multivariable analysis (adjusted hazard ratio; direction not stated)
- 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.85-1.27, P = .740
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline characteristics: left ventricular ejection fraction | 32% (IQR 25–45) | 45% (IQR 30–55) |
Individual endpoints
- No significant differences in men vs women for the individual endpoints
Baseline characteristics: left ventricular ejection fraction
- Males were younger, had more cardiovascular diseases and a lower left ventricular ejection fraction
- Females showed a higher prevalence of non-cardiac conditions, neurocognitive and depressive disorders
Original publication
Sex differences in patients with advanced heart failure: an analysis of the HELP-HF registry. ESC Heart Fail. Published 16 February 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it