Cardiac rehabilitation for old-old patients with heart failure and severe functional impairment

Background: The effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in old patients with heart failure (HF) and severe functional impairment (SFI) are not well established. Methods: We studied 1397 patients with HF and severe functional impairment, defined as a six-minute walking distance (6MWD) <300 m, admitted to inpatient CR. The patients were divided into three groups: Group A (young, <= 65 years), Group B (old-young, 66 to 75 years), and Group C (old-old, >75 years). The primary outcome was an increase in 6MWD to 300 m or more after CR. We used multivariable Cox modeling to determine the association of the primary outcome with three-year mortality after discharge from CR. Results: At admission to CR, 38.5 % of the patients in group A, 40.0 % in group B, and 46.3 % in group C (p = .029) were unable to walk unassisted. Of these patients, 29.5 %, 32.6 %, and 30.2 % (p = .835), respectively, regained the ability to walk independently. Overall, 370 (26.5 %) patients achieved the primary outcome, 49.1 % in group A, 32.2 % in group B, and 15.7 % in group C (p < .001). The adjusted HR of 3-year mortality for the patients who achieved the primary outcome was 0.53 (95 %CI 0.34-0.83; p = .005) in group A, 0.49 (95 %CI 0.33-0.74; p = .001) in group B, and 0.68 (95 %CI 0.47-0.98; p = .037) in group C. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that old-old patients with HF and severe functional impairment may benefit from CR and that functional improvement may predict improved survival.