Study was considered not useful and competing with another study in clinical context

This study aims to evaluate cardiopulmonary interactions in patients with heat failure

Heart failure is one of the most common diseases, especially in ageing populations, affecting ≥10% of persons 70 years of age or older. There is a growing body of evidence that dyspnea in patients with heart failure is not only related to low cardiac output and pulmonary venous congestion, but also to functional and structural alterations of the lungs.Pulmonary hypertension is a well-known complication of heart failure, but recent evidence suggests that the alveolo-capillary membrane is also affected, at least in subgroups of patients with heart failure.

Damage to the alveolo-capillary membrane is reflected by a low diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO).

In this study we aim to describe the alteration of lung function and obtain morphometric data of the capillary bed of patients with heart failure.

Inclusion criteria

• Written informed consent prior to initiation of any study-mandated procedures
• Male or female ≥40 years at screening
• Confirmed diagnosis of HFpEF (Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction), HFmrEF (heart failure with mid range ejection fraction) or HFrEF (Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction) in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class II, III or IV

Exclusion criteria

• Significant lung disease according to the judgment of the investigator; as a rule, the total lung capacity (TLC) should be >70% of the predicted value and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) should be >60% of the predicted value
• Significant co-morbidities expected to limit life expectancy to less than 2 years, according to the judgment of the investigator

Male or female patients with heart failure ≥40 years at screening.