Circulating Biomarkers as Predictors of Improvement in Physical Function in Hospitalized Older Adults With Geriatric Syndromes: Findings From the REHAB-HF Trial.
Publication/Presentation Date
1-7-2026
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Biomarkers in heart failure (HF) provide mechanistic and prognostic insights, but their role in predicting treatment response is less understood. We evaluated whether multiple baseline biomarker profiles from the REHAB-HF trial (Rehabilitation Therapy in Older Acute Heart Failure Patients) could stratify functional improvement following a 12-week physical rehabilitation intervention (RI).
METHODS: Participants ≥60 years hospitalized with heart failure were randomized to a 12-week outpatient RI or attention control. Functional outcomes included changes in the short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance. Blood collected at baseline and 12 weeks was analyzed for cardiac (cTnI and cTnT, NT-proBNP [N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide]), renal (creatinine), and inflammatory (CRP [C-reactive protein]) biomarkers. Associations between baseline biomarker levels and 12-week functional gains by treatment group were evaluated using adjusted linear regression models and machine learning-based decision trees.
RESULTS: Baseline biomarker data were available for 242 of 349 participants (69%). Using linear regression, higher cTnI and T were associated with greater 12-week gains in the short physical performance battery and 6-minute walk distance, respectively, among RI participants versus attention control (interaction
CONCLUSIONS: Higher inflammation, measured by CRP, may identify older adults recently hospitalized for heart failure with the greatest functional benefit from a physical RI. Biomarker profiling may predict the benefits of this treatment.
REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02196038.
First Page
013251
Last Page
013251
ISSN
1941-3297
Published In/Presented At
Damluji, A. A., Bruce, S. A., Reeves, G., Pastva, A. M., Bertoni, A. G., Mentz, R. J., Whellan, D. J., Kitzman, D. W., & deFilippi, C. R. (2026). Circulating Biomarkers as Predictors of Improvement in Physical Function in Hospitalized Older Adults With Geriatric Syndromes: Findings From the REHAB-HF Trial. Circulation. Heart failure, e013251. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.125.013251
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
41500239
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article