title: Incremental Value of Gait Speed in Predicting Prognosis of Older Adults With Heart Failure: Insights From the IMAGE-HF Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between gait speed and the risk for death and/or hospital admission in older patients with heart failure (HF).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Gait speed is a reliable single marker of frailty in older people and can predict falls, disability, hospital admissions, and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 331 community-living patients ≥70 years of age (mean age 78 ± 6 years, 43% women, mean ejection fraction 35 ± 11%, mean New York Heart Association functional class 2.7 ± 0.6) in stable condition and receiving optimized therapy for chronic HF were prospectively enrolled and followed for 1 year. Gait speed was measured at the usual pace over 4 m, and cutoffs were defined by tertiles: ≤0.65, 0.66 to 0.99, and ≥1.0 m/s.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant association between gait speed tertiles and 1-year mortality: 38.3%, 21.9%, and 9.1% (p < 0.001), respectively. On multivariate analysis, gait speed was associated with a lower risk for all-cause death (hazard ratio: 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.43 to 0.88) independently of age, ejection fraction <20%, systolic blood pressure, anemia, and absence of beta-blocker therapy. Gait speed was also associated with a lower risk for hospitalization for HF and all-cause hospitalization. When gait speed was added to the multiparametric Cardiac and Comorbid Conditions Heart Failure risk score, it improved the accuracy of risk stratification for all-cause death (net reclassification improvement 0.49; 95% confidence interval: 0.26 to 0.73, p < 0.001) and HF admissions (net reclassification improvement 0.37; 95% confidence interval: 0.15 to 0.58; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gait speed is independently associated with death, hospitalization for HF, and all-cause hospitalization and improves risk stratification in older patients with HF evaluated using the Cardiac and Comorbid Conditions Heart Failure score. Assessment of frailty using gait speed is simple and should be part of the clinical evaluation process.
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, Division of Cardiology/C.C.U., San Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: gipulig@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pulignano
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Nuovo Regina Margherita Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Del Sindaco
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Center and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Lenarda
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alunni
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, S. Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Senni
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, Division of Cardiology, San Martino Hospital, Belluno, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tarantini
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Villa Bianca Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cioffi
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, Division of Cardiology/C.C.U., San Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Denitza
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tinti
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Center and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbati
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, Division of Cardiology/C.C.U., San Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, Division of Cardiology/C.C.U., San Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uguccioni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D000072797:Walking Speed / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: elderly; gait speed; heart failure; hospitalization; prognosis