Systemic Inflammation and Cognitive Decrements in Patients With Stage B Heart Failure

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Immunology

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) is associated with cognitive dysfunction.
• The role of systemic inflammation in early-stage HF cognitive impairment is not fully understood.
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may influence cognitive function in HF patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between systemic inflammation and cognitive functioning in early-stage heart failure (HF).
• To determine the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and cognitive performance in HF patients.
• To explore the influence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and psychological risk factors on this association.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 270 patients with stage B HF, assessing CVD, psychological factors, CRP, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores.
• Longitudinal follow-up of 83 high-risk patients (stage C HF risk) for 12 months to examine CRP and cognitive function relationships.
• Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, t-tests, regression analyses, and odds ratios to evaluate associations.

Main Results:

• Higher CRP levels were associated with baseline smoking, being unmarried, hypertension, greater body mass index, and physical fatigue.
• CRP levels were negatively correlated with MoCA scores, independent of CVD and psychological risk factors.
• Elevated CRP levels at baseline predicted mild cognitive impairment and were associated with lower MoCA scores at 12-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Heightened CRP levels in stage B HF patients are linked to greater cognitive impairment at baseline and follow-up.
• Low-grade systemic inflammation may be a key mechanism contributing to cognitive dysfunction in early HF stages.
• These findings highlight the importance of managing inflammation in HF to potentially preserve cognitive function.