Hopelessness and cognitive impairment are risk markers for mortality in systolic heart failure patients.

Objective: Depression exacerbates the burden of heart failure and independently predicts mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate which specific symptoms of depression predict all-cause mortality in systolic heart failure patients.

Methods: Consecutive outpatients with heart failure and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), attending an Australian metropolitan heart function clinic between 2001 and 2011, were enrolled.

A nurse-led up-titration clinic improves chronic heart failure optimization of beta-adrenergic receptor blocking therapy--a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Beta-adrenergic blockade has been shown to improve left ventricular function, reduce hospital admissions and improve survival in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), with mortality reduction starting early after beta-adrenergic receptor blocker initiation and being dose-related. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the effectiveness of a nurse-led titration clinic in improving the time required for patients to reach optimal doses of the beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agents.

Method: We conducted a prospective pilot randomized controlled trial.

Effect of exercise training on left ventricular remodeling in diabetic patients with diastolic dysfunction: rationale and design.

Introduction: This study will examine the effects of combined aerobic and resistance training on left ventricular remodeling in diabetic patients with diastolic dysfunction. This is the first randomized controlled trial to look for effects of combined strength training and aerobic exercise on myocardial function as well as other clinical, functional, or psychological parameters in diabetic patients with isolated diastolic dysfunction, and will provide important insights into the potential management strategies for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Methods And Analysis: This is a prospective, randomized controlled investigator initiated single center trial.

Cardiorenal anemia syndrome as a prognosticator for death in heart failure.

Anemia and chronic kidney disease are common in patients with heart failure (HF) and are associated with adverse outcomes. We analyzed the effect of cardiorenal anemia (CRA) syndrome, defined as anemia (hemoglobin <130 g/L for men, <120 g/L for women) and stage 3 or greater chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)), in outpatients with HF.

Differential response to resistance training in CHF according to ACE genotype.

Background: The Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) gene may influence the risk of heart disease and the response to various forms of exercise training may be at least partly dependent on the ACE genotype. We aimed to determine the effect of ACE genotype on the response to moderate intensity circuit resistance training in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

Methods: The relationship between ACE genotype and the response to 11weeks of resistance exercise training was determined in 37 CHF patients (New York Heart Association Functional Class=2.

The reliability of the 1RM strength test for untrained middle-aged individuals.

The one-repetition maximum (1RM) test is considered the gold standard for assessing muscle strength in non-laboratory situations. Since most previous 1RM reliability studies have been conducted with experienced young participants, it is unclear if acceptable test-retest reliability exists for untrained middle-aged individuals. This study examined the reliability of the 1RM strength test of untrained middle-aged individuals.

Circuit resistance training in chronic heart failure improves skeletal muscle mitochondrial ATP production rate--a randomized controlled trial.

Background: We aimed to determine the role of skeletal muscle mitochondrial ATP production rate (MAPR) in relation to exercise tolerance after resistance training (RT) in chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods And Results: Thirteen CHF patients (New York Heart Association functional class 2.3 +/- 0.

Reduced exercise tolerance in CHF may be related to factors other than impaired skeletal muscle oxidative capacity.

Background: We sought to determine whether skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, fiber type proportions, and fiber size, capillary density or muscle mass might explain the impaired exercise tolerance in chronic heart failure (CHF). Previous studies are equivocal regarding the maladaptations that occur in the skeletal muscle of patients with CHF and their role in the observed exercise intolerance. Methods and results Total body O(2) uptake (VO(2peak)) was determined in 14 CHF patients and 8 healthy sedentary similar-age controls.

Moderate-intensity resistance exercise training in patients with chronic heart failure improves strength, endurance, heart rate variability, and forearm blood flow.

Background: Resistance exercise training was applied to patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) on the basis that it may partly reverse deficiencies in skeletal muscle strength and endurance, aerobic power (VO(2peak)), heart rate variability (HRV), and forearm blood flow (FBF) that are all putative factors in the syndrome.

Methods And Results: Thirty-nine CHF patients (New York Heart Association Functional Class=2.3+/-0.

Reliability of isokinetic strength and aerobic power testing for patients with chronic heart failure.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of testing skeletal muscle strength and peak aerobic power in a clinical population of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods: Thirty-three patients with CHF (New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class 2.3 +/- 0.