Ejection fraction, peak exercise oxygen consumption, cardiothoracic ratio, ventricular arrhythmias, and plasma norepinephrine as determinants of prognosis in heart failure

Abstract

Background. Recognition of the complex pathophysiology of heart failure and its high mortality has emphasized the need for prognostic markers that can be used in clinical assessment as well as in the design of mortality trials. Data from the Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Vasodilator-Heart Failure Trials (V-HeFT I, 641 patients; V-HeFT II, 804 patients) were therefore examined to determine the influence of prerandomization measurements on subsequent mortality. Methods and Results. Patients entered into these trials were men with cardiac dysfunction and reduced peak exercise capacity