Beyond the Initial Insult: Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Heart Failure with Improved Ejection Fraction.

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Predictive value of heart rate for prognosis in patients with cerebral infarction without atrial fibrillation comorbidity analyzed according to the MIMIC-IV database.Frontiers in neurology · 2025
Article

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Israel GotsmanHeart Institute, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Donna R ZwasHeart Institute, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Andre KerenHeart Institute, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Offer AmirHeart Institute, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

David LeibowitzHeart Institute, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHeart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) is a recently defined subtype of HF, characterized by an increase in ejection fraction (EF) after a prior diagnosis of reduced EF. There are limited data on the characteristics and outcome of this patient subset. The study aimed to investigate the clinical profile and prognosis of this patient group.

methodsHFimpEF patients from a large echocardiography database with comprehensive clinical and outcome data were evaluated for clinical characteristics and outcomes including mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations. HFimpEF was defined as prior HF diagnosis with EF ≤40% followed by an EF increase of ≥10% to >40%.

resultsThe study included 2,883 patients with an EF ≤40%. 27% (777) fulfilled criteria of HFimpEF. Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, female sex, and smaller left ventricular dimensions were associated with EF improvement. Median follow-up duration was 1,346 days. Patients with HFimpEF had a significantly improved prognosis compared to those without EF improvement. Patients with a significant improvement in the EF (≥50%) experienced a 30% lower mortality rate (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.57-0.86, p < 0.001) and a decreased risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations.

conclusionsHFimpEF is a distinct clinical entity observed in 27% of patients with initially reduced EF and conveys a better prognosis. However, even with improvement, EF in most patients does not fully recover, and clinical events can still occur.

introductionHeart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) is a recently defined subtype of HF, characterized by an increase in ejection fraction (EF) after a prior diagnosis of reduced EF. There are limited data on the characteristics and outcome of this patient subset. The study aimed to investigate the clinical profile and prognosis of this patient group.

methodsHFimpEF patients from a large echocardiography database with comprehensive clinical and outcome data were evaluated for clinical characteristics and outcomes including mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations. HFimpEF was defined as prior HF diagnosis with EF ≤40% followed by an EF increase of ≥10% to >40%.

resultsThe study included 2,883 patients with an EF ≤40%. 27% (777) fulfilled criteria of HFimpEF. Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, female sex, and smaller left ventricular dimensions were associated with EF improvement. Median follow-up duration was 1,346 days. Patients with HFimpEF had a significantly improved prognosis compared to those without EF improvement. Patients with a significant improvement in the EF (≥50%) experienced a 30% lower mortality rate (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.57-0.86, p < 0.001) and a decreased risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations.

conclusionsHFimpEF is a distinct clinical entity observed in 27% of patients with initially reduced EF and conveys a better prognosis. However, even with improvement, EF in most patients does not fully recover, and clinical events can still occur.

Indexed as

Heart FailureStroke VolumeAgedEchocardiographyFemaleHospitalizationHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisEchocardiographyHeart failure with improved ejection fractionPrognosis