Congestive heart failure in the elderly: Comparison between reduced ejection fraction and preserved ejection fraction

SummaryBackgroundLittle has been known about clinical features and prognosis of very old patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). The aim of this study was to compare clinical features and clinical outcomes between HFPEF and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF) in patients older than 80 years.MethodsWe enrolled a total of 113 patients over 80 years old, who were admitted for heart failure between 2006 and 2009. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features including laboratory data and echocardiography parameters.ResultsIn 53 patients (49%) left ventricular ejection fraction was preserved. The clinical characteristics and treatment between HFPEF and HFREF showed that anemia was one of the risk factors for HFPEF, and the long-term outcomes of HFPEF in this population were not different from that of HFREF.ConclusionThese results suggest that anemia is one of the important risk factors for HFPEF in the very elderly.