Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41711697›Full record

Trial reportESC heart failure2026

Bridging the post-hospitalization gap: a feasibility study of home-based rehabilitation in decompensated heart failure.

Annika Reuser, Johanna Schittenhelm, Sophie Charlotte Schröder, Joscha Kandels, Elisabeth Richter, Lidia Gaal, Felix Pfister, Tina Stegmann, Tobias Uhe, Rolf Wachter

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in ESC heart failure, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06269263 (Pilot Study to Determine Feasibility of Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06269263 nacompletednot on this map

Pilot Study to Determine Feasibility of Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure (Pilot-CRHF)

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of LeipzigRan2024 to 2025Enrolled30ConditionsHeart FailureArmsHome-based cardiac rehabilitation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Annika ReuserDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.ORCID 0009-0001-5560-1132
Johanna SchittenhelmDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
Sophie Charlotte SchröderDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
Joscha KandelsDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0332-900X
Elisabeth RichterDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
Lidia GaalDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
Felix PfisterDepartment of Radiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.ORCID 0009-0005-2673-4779
Tina StegmannDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9678-6196
Tobias UheDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2543-2427
Rolf WachterDepartment of Cardiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, Leipzig 04103, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2231-2200

Funding

Leipzig University
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPatients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) often experience impaired physical function, reduced quality of life (QoL), and loss of independence. While current guidelines recommend rehabilitation, structured programmes are lacking in Germany. Thus, this trial focuses on the feasibility of a structured, home-based rehabilitation programme in pre-frail and frail patients recently hospitalized for ADHF.

methodsThe Pilot-CRHF (trial registry number: NCT06269263) study is a monocentric, single-arm prospective interventional study including multidimensional home-based exercises targeting endurance, strength, and balance. Adherence rate, physical function (6-minute walk test [6MWT], timed-up-and-go [TUG], Berg-Balance-Scale [BBS]) and QoL (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire [KCCQ]) were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.

results30 patients (mean age 79 ± 8; 40% female; 87% NYHA III or IV) were enrolled between March, 2024 and January, 2025. Among those, 43% had heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and 57% left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. 24 patients (80%) completed the programme. After 12 weeks, 6MWT distance improved significantly (220 ± 134 m vs 308 ± 147 m; P < .001). TUG improved only in patients with LVEF <50% (12.1 ± 5.0 s vs 9.7 ± 4.9 s; P = .04). BBS remained unchanged. QoL improved significantly (KCCQ: 56 ± 16 vs 75 ± 19; P < .001).

conclusionHome-based rehabilitation is feasible leading to clinically meaningful improvements in physical function and QoL in pre-frail and frail heart failure patients, particularly those with LVEF. The results support further evaluation in a larger randomized trial.

Indexed as

Cardiac RehabilitationExercise TherapyHeart FailureHome Care ServicesHospitalizationQuality of LifeStroke VolumeVentricular Function, LeftAgedAged, 80 and overFeasibility StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesGermanyHumansMaleCardiac rehabilitationFeasibility studyFrailtyHeart failureMultidimensional approachPhysical function

Identifiers

PMID41711697
PMCPMC13108318

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.