Amy M. Pastva, PT, MA, PhD, and colleagues in the National Institute of Aging-funded multisite trial, REHAB-HF (NCT02196038), published “Frailty and Effects of a Multidomain Physical Rehabilitation Intervention Among Older Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.” Results showed that older patients with acute heart failure and worse baseline frailty status had a more robust improvement in physical function (short physical performance battery, six-minute walk distance) and quality of life in response to the transitional, tailored, multidomain physical rehabilitation intervention than those who were prefrail.
The findings suggest that the REHAB-HF intervention may be most effective among frail older patients with HF with a high burden of functional impairment and, thus, most need such rehabilitative therapy.
Doctor Radio logoGiven the impact of this work, Dr. Pastva and her PT-cardiologist colleague, Gordon Reeves, MD, were interviewed live on Feb. 6 via Doctor Radio – Rehabilitative Medicine, hosted by Jonathan Whiteson, MD, FAAPMR, Vice Chair, Clinical Operations Medical Director, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Rusk Rehabilitation.