ArticleFrontiers in cardiovascular medicine2026
Trajectories of symptom scores and risk of cardiovascular events in the vulnerable phase of heart failure: an analysis using a latent class trajectory model.
Article in Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The first 2-3 months after discharge for acute or decompensated chronic heart failure (HF) constitute a "vulnerable phase" marked by high risks of rehospitalization and death. Symptom fluctuations during this period may be associated with adverse outcomes, yet evidence on post-discharge symptom trajectories is limited. This study applied a latent class trajectory model to characterize KCCQ symptom evolution and its association with early cardiovascular events. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 1,109 patients with chronic HF admitted to a tertiary hospital in Nanchang, China (August 2020-July 2025), completed the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) at six time points: day 3 after admission, at discharge, and 1, 2, 3, and 6 months post-discharge. Symptom trajectories were identified using latent class trajectory modeling. Associations between trajectory groups and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression, and an exploratory mediation analysis was conducted to examine whether trajectory patterns partly accounted for the association between KCCQ scores and MACEs. Results: During follow-up, 207 patients (18.7%) experienced MACEs. Latent class trajectory analysis identified four distinct groups: persistently declining, slowly improving, stable-moderate, and stable-high. Relative to the stable-moderate group, patients in the persistently declining group had higher odds of MACEs (OR = 2.242, 95% CI: 1.073-4.718, Conclusions: Symptom recovery after HF hospitalization is heterogeneous and was associated with cardiovascular outcomes. Persistently worsening symptoms predict the highest risk, while stable or improving trajectories indicate favorable recovery. Tracking KCCQ trajectories may support early risk stratification and personalized management during the vulnerable phase.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.