Non-invasive cardiac power metrics (total, steady, and oscillatory power) predicted short-term all-cause mortality in decompensated heart failure patients, whereas established echocardiographic metrics (LVEF, GLS, and myocardial work indices) did not.
Key Findings
Results
The feasibility of obtaining non-invasive cardiac power metrics using combined Doppler echocardiography and finger-volume-clamp arterial pressure was 91%.
29 patients were prospectively included (mean age 76 ± 13 years, 24% women) hospitalized with decompensated heart failure
Left ventricular outflow tract flow waveforms were derived from Doppler echocardiography
Arterial pressure was measured continuously using a finger-volume-clamp device (INL382, Finapres Medical Systems B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands)
All measures were calculated from the same consecutive heartbeats covering three respiratory cycles
Results
Total power, steady power, and oscillatory power each predicted short-term all-cause mortality in patients with decompensated heart failure.
Log rank p < 0.015 for total, steady, and oscillatory power
This was a prospective proof-of-concept study in 29 hospitalized decompensated heart failure patients
Total power was computed as the integral of the instantaneous pressure-flow product per second
Steady power was calculated as mean arterial pressure multiplied by mean flow
Oscillatory power was calculated as the difference between total power and steady power
Results
Established echocardiographic metrics did not predict short-term all-cause mortality in this cohort.
Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal strain (GLS), and myocardial work indices failed to predict short-term all-cause mortality
This was in contrast to the cardiac power metrics (total, steady, and oscillatory power), which did achieve statistical significance (log rank p < 0.015)
The study included 29 patients with decompensated heart failure
Methods
Cardiac power metrics including oscillatory power fraction were evaluated as both prognostic and diagnostic tools compared to established echocardiographic measures.
Four cardiac power metrics were assessed: total power, steady power, oscillatory power, and oscillatory power fraction
These were compared against LVEF, global longitudinal strain, and myocardial work indices
The study was described as a proof-of-concept study, with authors noting findings 'warrant validation in larger cohorts'
Yttervoll I, Østvik A, Aadahl P, Mo R, Grenne B, Kirkeby-Garstad I. (2026). Non-invasive cardiac power measurements in decompensated heart failure in elderly adults: A prospective proof-of-concept study.. Physiological reports. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70795