Objective: To assess the risk profile associated with the combined endpoint of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalizations in HF patients with LVEF >0.40.~Study design: Single-center, prospective, study.~Study population: We aim 200 patients with symptomatic heart failure (NYHA class II-III), and a recent HF hospitalization, emergency room visit or symptom relief with diuretics who have a left ventricular ejection fraction >0.40, echocardiographic evidence of left atrial enlargement or left ventricular hypertrophy, and elevated concentrations of BNP or NT-proBNP.~Study procedures: All patients will undergo echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, Holter recording and blood sampling at inclusion. The 99mTc-HDP scan is optional.There is no control group.~Total follow up: Up to five years.~Main study endpoint: incidence of the combined endpoint of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalizations.
Heart failure (HF) with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >0.40 is a large medical problem, for which no drug or device has a recommendation in current HF guidelines. The prevalence of mortality and HF hospitalizations in HF with LVEF >0.40 is high, but the identification of predictors for increased risk of mortality and HF hospitalizations in this patient category remains difficult. The hypothesis of this study is that the risk of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalizations can be measured by clinical factors, imaging parameters and circulating biomarkers, and that these factors can be used in a risk profile