New HFpEF-ABA Score Simplifies Screening for Undiagnosed HFpEF with Basic Patient Data: Study

The following were the main findings of the study:

• In a derivation cohort (n = 414, 249 women), a clinical model using age, body mass index, and history of atrial fibrillation (termed the HFpEF-ABA score) showed good discrimination (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.839).
• The performance of the model was validated in an international, multicenter cohort (n = 736, 443 women; AUC = 0.813) and further validated in two additional cohorts: a cohort including patients with unexplained dyspnea (n = 228, 136 women; AUC = 0.840) and a cohort for which HF hospitalization was used instead of hemodynamics to establish an HFpEF diagnosis (n = 456, 272 women; AUC = 0.929).
• Model-based probabilities were also associated with increased risk of HF hospitalization or death among patients from the Mayo Clinic (n = 790) and a US national cohort across the Veteran Affairs health system (n = 3076, 110 women).

The HFpEF-ABA score represents a significant step forward in managing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. By offering a reliable and evidence-based method for screening, it promises to enhance diagnostic accuracy and ultimately improve patient outcomes in the fight against heart failure, the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Reddy, Y. N., Carter, R. E., Sundaram, V., Kaye, D. M., Handoko, M. L., Tedford, R. J., Andersen, M. J., Sharma, K., Obokata, M., Verbrugge, F. H., & Borlaug, B. A. (2024). An evidence-based screening tool for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: The HFpEF-ABA score. Nature Medicine, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03140-1