Table 3

Characteristics of studies examining cognitive function in patients with systolic heart failure

Study	Sample	Age (M ± SD)	Analysis	Cognitive functions	Results	NOS
Beer et al,25 2009	31 CHF pts (LVEF <40%) 24 healthy controls	54.3±10.6 56.1±8.2	MW rank test, Student t test	Global cognition Verbal fluency Verbal memory Visuospatial memory Visuospatial skills and executive function	Systolic HF pts < controls all cognitive domains	7
Grubb et al,26 2000	20 HF pts with MI (LVEF <40%) 20 pts with MI, no HF (LVEF >50%)	67.9 67.2	ANCOVA	Attention Verbal memory Visuospatial memory	Systolic HF pts = controls all tests	7
Hoth et al,27 2008	31 HF pts (LVEF <40%) 31 CVD pts, no HF	69.1±8.5 68.9±8.5	MANCOVA	Attention Executive function^* Global cognition Language Memory Psychomotor speed Verbal fluency Visuospatial skills	Systolic HF pts < controls executive function: cognitive flexibility	6
Sauvé et al,28 2009	50 HF pts (LVEF ≤40%) 50 controls)	63.0±14 62.5±14	t test logistic regression	Attention Executive function Motor speed Psychomotor speed Verbal memory Verbal fluency Vocabulary	Systolic HF pts < controls Verbal memory Fourfold risk for cognitive impairment in the systolic HF group Executive function was not compared with controls	5
Schmidt et al,29 1991	20 IDC pts (LVEF 14%–45%) 20 controls	37.9±4.7 40.5±7.8	ANOVA Duncan's t test	Attention Learning & memory Reaction time	Systolic HF pts < controls attention, learning and memory, reaction time	8

↵* Executive function test measuring cognitive flexibility.
ANOVA, analysis of variance; ANCOVA, analysis of covariance; CHF, congestive heart failure; CVD, cardiovascular disease; HF, heart failure; IDC, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MANCOVA, multivariate analysis of covariance; MI, myocardial infarction; MW, Mann–Whitney; NOS, Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment Scale rating; pts, patients.