Decompensation is frequent in heart failure (HF) patients and predicts poor prognosis.
Volume-overload events in HF patients are preceded by changes in intrathoracic impedance (Z) and body weight (BW); monitoring these parameters may be useful to predict decompensation.
Forty-three HF patients (LVEF 25%?±?12%) with a recent HF event and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator providing daily Z were equipped with telemonitoring scales submitting daily BW. Changes in BW and Z 30 days prior to major (HF hospitalization) and minor (ambulatory adjustment of diuretics) were analyzed.
During median of 427 days follow-up 25 major and 41 minor events occurred. Z decreased by -4.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: CI -6.7 to -3.0) and -4.3 (95% CI: -5.5 to -3.2) within 30 days prior to major and minor events respectively (P?