Heart failure prevalence in the general population: SOBOTA-HF study rationale and design.

Aims: Epidemiological heart failure (HF) data in the era of natriuretic peptides and echocardiography are scarce. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the HF prevalence in the general population. We will also investigate natriuretic peptide cut-off for diagnosis of HF. Finally, we will be able to identify left ventricular function phenotypes and study relations between cardiac function, clinical presentation, and health-related quality of life.

Methods And Results: Screening Of adult urBan pOpulation To diAgnose Heart Failure (SOBOTA-HF) is a cross-sectional prevalence study in a representative sample of Murska Sobota residents aged 55 years or more. Individuals will be invited to attend screening visit with point-of-care N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) testing. All subjects with NT-proBNP ≥ 125 pg/mL will be invited for a diagnostic visit that will include history and physical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, blood and urine sampling, ankle brachial index, pulmonary function tests, body composition measurement, physical performance tests, and questionnaires. To validate the screening procedure, a control group (NT-proBNP < 125 pg/mL) will undergo the same diagnostic evaluation. An external centre will validate echocardiography results, and the HF diagnosis will be adjudicated within an international HF expert panel. Overall and age-specific HF prevalence will be calculated in individuals ≥ 55 years and extrapolated to the whole population.

Conclusions: The SOBOTA-HF study will test the latest HF guideline diagnostic criteria in the general population sample. Next to HF prevalence, it will provide insight into left ventricular function and general patient phenotype; we will also extend current understanding of natriuretic peptides for HF screening.