Exercise oscillatory ventilation (EOV) is related to worse prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). However, its determination is subjective and there is no standard measure to identify it. The aim of the study was to evaluate and characterize the EOV of patients with HF using the ventilation dispersion index (VDI).
Patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX), EOV was assessed by two reviewers and the VDI was calculated. The ROC curve analysis was used to assess the ability of the VDI to predict EOV. Pearson’s correlation test was performed to determine the relationship between VDI and CPX variables.
43 HF patients underwent CPX and were divided into two groups: with VDI<0.601; and VDI≥0.601. An AUC=0.759 was observed in the ROC curve analysis between VDI and EOV (p=0.008). The VDI showed a significant correlation with the ventilatory CPX variables. According to the cut-off point obtained on the ROC curve, patients with VDI≥0.601 had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and higher values of resting minute ventilation (VE) and peak VE.
VDI proved to be a good predictor of EOV in patients with HF.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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