Association between DLCO index and the severity of heart failure: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The prognostic role of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in heart failure has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate DLCO variation in different systolic and diastolic heart failure stages.

Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study on 51 patients with systolic (reduced LVEF) or diastolic (preserved LVEF) chronic heart failure (CHF).