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Heart FailureCogImpairHFNCT00837889

Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Heart Failure

An observational study of Heart Failure and Cognitive Impairment, run by Universität des Saarlandes at 2 sites in Germany.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The aim of the present study is threefold: investigating 1) specific cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure, 2) whether cognitive impairments in patients with decompensated heart failure improve after medical recompensation and 3) whether cognitive functioning is related to the long-term… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Heart Failure, Cognitive Impairment
What is being tested?
diuretics, inotropica
How many people
60 participants
Where
2 sitesGermany
Study dates
Jan 2009to May 2011
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: university hospital, saarland

Who may be able to join

  • decompensated heart failure patients
  • NYHA III-IV
  • ejection fraction < 35%

Who cannot join

  • psychosis
  • dementia
  • major depression
  • reanimation (<3month)
  • patients with assist device system

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Germany2 sites
  • Department of Cardiology, University of the Saarland

    Homburg, Saarland, 66421

  • Developmental Psychology Unit, Saarland University

    Saarbrücken, Saarland, 66111

Other trials in Germany

About this study

Official title: Cognitive Impairment and Prognosis in Patients With Decompensated Heart Failure

The aim of the present study is threefold: investigating 1) specific cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure, 2) whether cognitive impairments in patients with decompensated heart failure improve after medical recompensation and 3) whether cognitive functioning is related to the long-term prognosis (mortality, rehospitalisation) of those patients.

Read the detailed description

The daily routine in clinical settings often shows cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure. Recent studies reported declines in cognitive functioning such as executive functions, episodic memory, perceptual speed and attention. However, less is known regarding the differential impairments of cognitive functioning in patients with decompensated heart failure.

Study objectives:

  1. Identifying specific cognitive impairments in patients with congestive heart failure compared to healthy controls
  2. Evaluating the influence of acute decompensation in congestive heart failure on cognitive functioning
  3. Investigating the effects of medical treatment on cognitive functioning in patients with decompensated heart failure
  4. Exploring long-term effects of cognitive and physiological status on hospitalisation and/or mortality

Study design:

Cognitive functions of patients with decompensated heart (NYHA III-IV) failure are compared to age and gender matched patients with congestive heart failure (NYHA III-IV) without symptoms of cardiac decompensation and with healthy controls. Decompensated patients are tested before and after medical recompensation. For matched patients and controls, the pretest-posttest timing is based on the recompensation time of the respective patient with decompensated heart failure.

The neuropsychological test battery includes measures of episodic memory, working memory, short-term memory, executive functions, perceptual speed and intelligence. In addition, the study applied standardized questionnaires of self assessed quality of life and depression. Relevant physiological data, such as left ventricular systolic function and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), are recorded.

Being tested
diuretics, inotropica
Keywords
cognition, decompensation, heart failure, recompensation
Medical subject headings
Heart Failure, Cognitive Dysfunction

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • diuretics, inotropicaDrug

Study groups in NCT00837889
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
decompensated heart failure patientsNot described
Receives: Drug: diuretics, inotropica
chronic heart failure patientsNot described
healthy controlsNot described

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. cognitive function in decompensated heart failure patients measured by a cognitive test battery

    Measured: within 48h of hospitalisation

  2. cognitive function before and after medical recompensation measured by a cognitive test battery

    Measured: individual time to recompensate

  3. differences in cognitive performance between decompensated heart failure patients, patients with chronic heart failure and healthy controls

    Measured: 14 months (+/-2 month)

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. all cause mortality

    Measured: 12 month

  2. long-term development of cognitive functioning in patients with heart failure after acute decompensation

    Measured: 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after acute decompensation

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted6 Feb 2009 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2009
  3. Primary completionNov 2010
  4. Study completionMay 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00837889
Sponsor's protocol ID
164/08
Acronym
CogImpairHF
Status last verified
Nov 2010
First submitted
3 Feb 2009
Last updated
11 Aug 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Kindermann I, Fischer D, Karbach J, Link A, Walenta K, Barth C, Ukena C, Mahfoud F, Kollner V, Kindermann M, Bohm M. Cognitive function in patients with decompensated heart failure: the Cognitive Impairment in Heart Failure (CogImpair-HF) study. Eur J Heart Fail. 2012 Apr;14(4):404-13. doi: 10.1093/eurjhf/hfs015.

    PubMed 22431406

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Heart Failure and Cognitive Impairment, run by Universität des Saarlandes at 2 sites in Germany.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

cognitive function in decompensated heart failure patients measured by a cognitive test battery (time frame: within 48h of hospitalisation). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00837889, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Aug 2025.

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