Global Work Index correlates with established prognostic parameters of heart failure

AIM: Identification of patients with heart failure and a poor prognosis is paramount to ensure timely and adequate treatment. We investigated the relationship between the new measures of noninvasive pressure-strain analysis, such as the global work index (GWI), and established prognostic parameters of echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP). METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed data of 51 patients with heart failure. Echocardiography and CPX were performed, and NT-pro-BNP was determined. Patients with a GWI 1000 mm Hg% had an LVEDV of 147.9 +/- 39.6 mL, an LVEF of 42.6 +/- 4.8%, and a SV of 70.9 +/- 14.3 mL. The GWI also showed a significant correlation with peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2 ) (r = .521; P 1000 mm Hg% (NT-pro-BNP median 253 pg/mL [IQR 150, 549]; peak VO2 15.6 +/- 4.2 mL/min/kg). CONCLUSION: GWI correlates with known prognostic markers of heart failure. A GWI of <500 mm Hg% was a predictor of severely impaired ejection fraction, very low exercise capacity, and strongly elevated NT-pro-BNP, indicating a poor prognosis.