Abstract
Background: The REHAB-HF randomized, controlled trial demonstrated that a transitional, tailored, progressive rehabilitation intervention improved physical function, 6-minute walk distance, frailty, quality-of-life, and depression in older patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with HF and associated with poor exercise tolerance. However, exercise has proven safe and effective in improving quality of life in AF patients. It is unknown if AF impacts the benefit gained by rehabilitation intervention. Question: We hypothesized that patients with AF and ADHF would significantly improve physical function outcomes, and these improvements would not differ significantly from those gained by patients without AF. Methods: REHAB-HF enrolled 349 patients hospitalized for ADHF. Mean age was 72.7 ± 8.1 years. Participants were randomly assigned to the 12-week progressive rehabilitation intervention or attention control. The trial’s primary outcome was change in short physical performance battery (SPPB) score between baseline and 3 months. Secondary outcomes were clinical endpoints (rehospitalization or death). Results: AF was prevalent in 176 patients (50.4%). Participants with AF were significantly older than those without (74.4 ± 8.3 vs. 70.8 ± 7.5, p<0.001) and had higher prevalence of HFpEF (58.5% vs 47.4%, p=0.037). Patients with and without AF had similar improvement in SPPB score (mean between-group difference, 1.5; 95% CI 0.4-2.5; p=0.001). There was no significant difference in mean SPPB between the two groups (p=0.98). KCCQ score and 6-minute walk distance significantly improved in patients with AF (p<.05). The interaction P-values for 3-month outcomes by AF status were not significant (P >0.1). There were no significant differences in deaths, all-cause rehospitalizations, or HF hospitalizations at 6 months. Conclusions: In older, hospitalized patients with ADHF, the presence of AF did not significantly affect the benefit of the transitional, tailored, progressive rehabilitation intervention. These findings suggest the intervention is safe to use to improve physical function and quality of life in patients hospitalized for ADHF regardless of AF status.
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