ObjectiveGrip strength is a well-characterised measure of weakness and of poor muscle performance, but there is a lack of consensus on its prognostic implications in terms of cardiac adverse events in patients with cardiac disorders.MethodsArticles were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, BioMed Central and EMBASE. The main inclusion criteria were patients with cardiac disorders (ischaemic heart disease, heart failure (HF), cardiomyopathies, valvulopathies, arrhythmias); evaluation of grip strength by handheld dynamometer; and relation between grip strength and outcomes. The endpoints of the study were cardiac death, all-cause mortality, hospital admission for HF, cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and myocardial infarction (MI). Data of interest were retrieved from the articles and after contact with authors, and then pooled in an individual patient meta-analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed to define predictors of outcomes.ResultsOverall, 23 480 patients were included from 7 studies. The mean age was 62.3±6.9 years and 70% were male. The mean follow-up was 2.82±1.7 years. After multivariate analysis grip strength (difference of 5 kg, 5× kg) emerged as an independent predictor of cardiac death (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.89, p<0.0001), all-cause death (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.89, p<0.0001) and hospital admission for HF (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.92, p<0.0001). On the contrary, we did not find any relationship between grip strength and occurrence of MI or CVA.ConclusionIn patients with cardiac disorders, grip strength predicted cardiac death, all-cause death and hospital admission for HF.Trial registration numberCRD42015025280.

Background The number of older adults admitted to hospital for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has increased worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine which scale of frailty or physical performance provides incremental improvements in risk stratification of older adults after ACS. Methods A prospective cohort of 402 older (≥70 years) ACS patients were enrolled. Data about baseline characteristics, Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE), and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk scores were collected. Before hospital discharge, seven scales of frailty and physical performance were measured. The 1-year occurrence of adverse events (cardiac death, reinfarction, and cerebrovascular accident [MACCE] and all-cause mortality) was recorded. Results Out of the 402 patients, 43 (10.5%) had a MACCE and 35 (8.7%) died. Following adjustment for confounding factors, scales of frailty and physical performance were associated with adverse events. Among the scales, the addition of short physical performance battery (SPPB) produced the highest incremental value over the initial model generated by baseline characteristics both for MACCE (ΔC-statistic 0.043, p = .04; integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) 0.054, p = .001; net reclassification improvement (NRI) 0.752, p &lt; .001) and all-cause mortality (ΔC-statistic 0.063, p = .02; IDI 0.061, p &lt; .001; NRI 1.022, p &lt; .001). The addition of SPPB scale on top of GRACE or TIMI risk scores led to a considerable improvement in the prediction of MACCE and all-cause mortality (about 15% and 20%, respectively). Conclusions The assessment of the physical performance with SPPB scale before hospital discharge increases the ability to predict adverse events in older ACS patients and may be useful in the clinical decision-making process. Clinical trial registration www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02386124.

BackgroundReduced physical performance and impaired mobility are common in elderly patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and they represent independent risk factors for disability, morbidity, hospital readmission and mortality. Regular physical exercise represents a means for improving functional capacity. Nevertheless, its clinical benefit has been less investigated in elderly patients in the early phase after ACS. The HULK trial aims to investigate the clinical benefit of an early, tailored low-cost physical activity intervention in comparison to standard of care in elderly ACS patients with reduced physical performance.DesignHULK is an investigator-initiated, prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial (NCT03021044). After successful management of the ACS acute phase and uneventful first 1 month, elderly (≥70 years) patients showing reduced physical performance are randomized (1:1 ratio) to either standard of care or physical activity intervention. Reduced physical performance is defined as a short physical performance battery (SPPB) score of 4–9. The early, tailored, low-cost physical intervention includes 4 sessions of physical activity with a supervisor and an home-based program of physical exercise. The chosen primary endpoint is the 6-month SPPB value. Secondary endpoints briefly include quality of life, on-treatment platelet reactivity, some laboratory data and clinical adverse events. To demonstrate an increase of at least one SPPB point in the experimental arm, a sample size of 226 patients is needed.ConclusionsThe HULK study will test the hypothesis that an early, tailored low-cost physical activity intervention improves physical performance, quality of life, frailty status and outcome in elderly ACS patients with reduced physical performance.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03021044, first posted January, 13th 2017.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12872-018-0839-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ObjectiveTo establish the benefits of an early, tailored and low-cost exercise intervention in older patients hospitalised for acute coronary syndrome (ACS).MethodsThe study was a multicentre, randomised assessment of an exercise intervention in patients with ACS ≥70 years with reduced physical performance (as defined by the short physical performance battery (SPPB), value 4–9). The exercise intervention included four supervised sessions (1, 2, 3, 4 months after discharge) and home-based exercises. The control group attended a health education programme only. The outcomes were the 6-month and 1-year effects on physical performance, daily activities, anxiety/depression and quality of life. Finally, 1-year occurrence of adverse events was recorded.ResultsOverall, 235 patients with ACS (median age 76 (73–81) years) were randomised 1 month after ACS. Exercise and control groups were well balanced. Exercise intervention improved 6-month and 1-year grip strength and gait speed. Exercise intervention was associated with a better quality of life (as measured by EuroQol-visual analogue scale at 6 months 80 (70–90) vs 70 (50–80) points, p<0.001 and at 1 year 75 (70–87) vs 65 (50–80) points, p<0.001) and with a reduced perception of anxiety and/or depression (6 months: 21% vs 42%, p=0.001; 1 year 32% vs 47%, p=0.03). The occurrence of cardiac death and hospitalisation for cardiac cause was lower in the intervention group (7.5% vs 17%, p=0.04).ConclusionsThe proposed early, tailored, low-cost exercise intervention improves mobility, daily activities, quality of life and outcomes in older patients with ACS. Larger studies are needed to confirm the clinical benefit.Trial registration numberNCT03021044.

The FRASER program will fill critical gaps in the knowledge regarding the link between frailty, cardiovascular disease, interventional procedures and outcome and will help physicians in the generation of a more personalized risk assessment and in the identification of potential targets for interventions.