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Optical Coherence Tomography Based Biomechanical Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of Coronary Atherosclerosis Progression
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The relationship of fatigue, cardiac structure and function, and outcomes in heart failure: The ARIC study

Noelle V Pavlovic1, Martha Abshire Saylor2, Cheryl R Himmelfarb2,3,4

  • 1Boston College Connell School of Nursing, Boston, MA, United States of America.

American Heart Journal Plus : Cardiology Research and Practice
|April 20, 2026
PubMed

Insights

In heart failure patients, fatigue symptoms were not linked to cardiac structure or function on echocardiograms. However, fatigue offered unique prognostic insights beyond echocardiographic data.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

  • Fatigue and echocardiographic measures are linked to poor outcomes in heart failure (HF).
  • The precise relationship between fatigue and echocardiographic findings in HF is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between fatigue and echocardiographic indices of cardiac structure and function in individuals with prevalent heart failure.
  • To determine if fatigue provides prognostic information independent of echocardiographic assessments.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 851 individuals with prevalent heart failure from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.
  • Assessment of general and exertional fatigue symptoms.
  • Evaluation of echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function.

Main Results:

  • No significant association was found between echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function and general or exertional fatigue.
  • Fatigue symptoms provided prognostic information that was complementary to echocardiographic assessments.

Conclusions:

  • Echocardiographic assessments of cardiac structure and function are not directly associated with fatigue in heart failure patients.
  • Fatigue symptoms represent a valuable, independent prognostic factor in heart failure management, offering insights beyond traditional imaging.

Keywords:
EchocardiographyFatigueHeart failureOutcomes

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