Right Ventricular Dysfunction is related with Poor Exercise Tolerance in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background: Exercise intolerance (EI) is a cardinal feature in subjects with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Factors related to EI in such patients are not completely understood. The association between right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension (PH) with EI has been poorly investigated so far. We hypothesized that RV function measured by Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE)/Pulmonary Arterial Systolic Pressure (PASP) ratio would predict EI assessed by 6-Minute Walking test (6MWT) in elderly patients with HFpEF.