Objective: to evaluate the role of cardiopulmonary test in the diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Material and Methods: 138 patients with atrial fibrillation were included in our study. Using HFA-PEFF algorithm (algorithm for diagnosis of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction) all patients were initially divided into 3 groups: low probability of heart failure - 23 patients, intermediate probability - 96 and high probability - 19 patients. The stress-test allowed to precisely assess of patients at intermediate risk and finally form the groups: Group 1 without heart failure, 85 patients (61.6%); Group 2 patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction, 53 patients (38.4%). The next diagnostic stage was cardiopulmonary test.
Results: during CPT, the maximum anaerobic exercise threshold was 6.8 and 4.85 METS for the first and second groups, respectively (p0.001), reflecting lower exercise tolerance in the second group of patients. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated a statistically significant increase in pro-BNP levels with a decrease in peak VO2 (p0.001). Also, analysis of variance demonstrated a significant statistical difference with respect to systolic pulmonary artery pressure in the subgroups with severely, moderately reduced oxygen consumption and in the group with normal peak VO2 (p=0.01). ROC analysis determined a peak VO2 of 20 ml/kg/min, above which the HFA-PEFF algorithm was unlikely to detect heart failure (AUC 0.73; confidence interval 0.65-0.82; p=0.043; sensitivity 85%; specificity 51%).
Conclusion: Cardiopulmonary test is a reliable instrumental noninvasive method of investigation in the diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Keywords: atrial fibrillation; chronic heart failure; cardiopulmonary test; ergospirometry