Functional Parameters Indicative of Heart Failure.

Cardiovascular diseases carried on being the leading cause of disability due to noncommunicable diseases from 1990 to 2016. Within cardiovascular diseases, it has been estimated that heart failure (HF) has a prevalence in the population of approximately 2% to 3%. However, it is the only cardiovascular disease that is increasing in incidence and prevalence due to the aging of the world population, since the prevalence of this disease increases with age. Furthermore, heart failure represents the most important hospital diagnosis in older adults, being the main cause of hospital admissions for people older than 65 years and contributing to the increase of medical care costs.

Subjects with HF use to show a reduced aerobic capacity, a decreased muscle strength in the lower limbs, low weekly physical activity, intolerance to exercise and a lower walking speed than healthy subjects of the same age. In general, patients with heart failure have altered functional capacities and experience a decline in the ability to carry out activities of daily living and suffer a reduced quality of life. When it is assessed functional parameters in patients with heart failure, the maximum oxygen consumption (V0₂ max) obtained from a cardiopulmonary exercise test is considered the gold standard measure of cardiovascular functional capacity. Moreover, some functional tests have been used, such as the 6-Minute Walking Test, which provides an indirect measure of cardiovascular functional capacity, and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), which also provides a useful and indirect indication of muscle functional capacity. However, at the time of diagnosing or classifying patients with heart failure, the functional assessment does not use to be considered. The implementation of diagnostic guidelines or a functional assessment based on evidence can be important to improve prognosis and quality of life in patients with HF.

Therefore, there is a need to identify functional markers related to functionality that are indicative of heart failure. For this, it is necessary to use instruments to measure functional variables that must be valid and reliable, as established by the COSMIN taxonomy. Kinematic measurements allow quantifying normal and pathological movements, quantifying the degree of deterioration, planning rehabilitation strategies and evaluating the effect of various interventions. Inertial sensors and depth cameras are accurate and reliable methods for the kinematic analysis of human movement, in addition to presenting a good correlation of kinematic data between them.

Currently, it can be used the Simmer3 Inertial Sensor and 3D motion capture systems with a camera to analyse kinematics and these instruments are being integrated as a rehabilitation tool in patients. The use of Shimmer3 Inertial Sensor and 3D motion capture cameras would help to find fast and cheap assessment methods for professionals.

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects older than 70 years.
• Healthy subjects and subjects diagnosed with Heart failure.
• Subjects able of filling out questionnaires and performing functional tests.
• subjects who are in a clinical stability and optimal treatment phase.

Exclusion criteria

• Participants with cardiac pathologies other than heart failure.
• Score in the NYHA scale equal to 4.
• Hospitalization in a period of time equal to or less than 3 months.
• Score on the Mini-Mental scale below 24.
• Inability to get up from the chair at least 5 times or 30 seconds.
• Inability to walk for 6 minutes.
• Inability to walk independently without a walking assistance device (cane, crutch or walker).
• Subjects participating in an experimental study where they receive a treatment.
• Inability to provide informed consent.