Key Points
- To assess the prevalence and clinical determinants of cognitive impairment in patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure decompensation.
- Prospective cohort study of N=83 patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure decompensation during a 3-month period.
- Cognitive function was assessed using the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), alongside standardized assessments for cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and transient ischemic attacks (TIA).
- Overall, 61% (n=51) of patients had an MMSE score ≤28 (or ≤26 if schooling ≤8 years), and 31% (n=26) had an MMSE score <24.
- Factors independently associated with MMSE <24 were atrial fibrillation or flutter (OR 8.1, 95% CI 1.9–34.6), NYHA class IV (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.0–16.4), and schooling >8 years (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.0–0.8).
- Associations remained robust after adjusting for or entirely excluding patients with a prior history of CVA or TIA.
Structured PICO
PPopulation83 patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure (CHF) decompensation
OOutcomePrevalence and determinants of cognitive impairment assessed by the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Cognitive impairment is highly prevalent in patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure and its severity correlates with heart failure severity and atrial fibrillation, independent of prior stroke or TIA.