Right heart failure as a risk factor for severe exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Prospective cohort study.

Background: The prognosis in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) depends, in large part, on the frequency of exacerbations. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure (HF), are the risk factors for exacerbations. However, the importance of HF type over the exacerbations in COPD patients is unknown.

Cachexia assessed by bioimpedance vector analysis as a prognostic indicator in chronic stable heart failure patients.

Background: This study explored whether the cachectic state assessed by bioimpedance vector analysis provides additional prognostic information about mortality from all causes.

Methods: We included 519 consecutive patients with stable chronic heart failure (mean age 62.5 ± 16.