Cognitive Deficits and Related Brain Lesions in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to determine the spectrum of brain lesions seen in heart failure (HF) patients and the extent to which lesion type contributes to cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND

Cognitive deficits have been reported in patients with HF.

METHODS

A total of 148 systolic and diastolic HF patients (mean age 64 ± 11 years; 16% female; mean left ventricular ejection fraction 43 ± 8%) were extensively evaluated within 2 days by cardiological, neurological, and neuropsychological testing and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A total of 288 healthy, sex- and age-matched subjects sampled from the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study served as MRI controls.

RESULTS

Deficits in reaction times were apparent in 41% of patients and deficits in verbal memory in 46%. On brain MRI, patients showed more advanced medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) (Scheltens score) compared to controls (2.1 ± 0.9 vs. 1.0 ± 0.6; p < 0.001). The degree of MTA was strongly associated with the severity of cognitive impairment, whereas the extent of white matter hyperintensities was similar in patients and controls. Moreover, patients had a 2.7-fold increased risk for presence of clinically silent lacunes.

CONCLUSIONS

HF patients exhibit cognitive deficits in the domains of attention and memory. MTA but not white matter lesion load seems to be related to cognitive impairment.