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Cognitive Impairment and Heart Failure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Cannon JA, Moffitt P, Perez-Moreno AC, Walters MR, Broomfield NM, McMurray JJV, Quinn TJ.. Journal of cardiac failure, 2017-04-19
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Cognitive impairment and dementia are associated with a range of cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation. We aimed to describe the association with heart failure, summarizing published data to give estimates of prevalence, incidence, and relative risk of cognitive impairment/dementia in heart failure. Methods We searched multidisciplinary databases including MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO), PsychINFO (EBSCO), Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), and CENTRAL (Cochrane Library) from inception until May 31, 2015. All relevant studies looking at cognitive impairment/dementia in heart failure were included. Studies were selected by 2 independent reviewers using prespecified inclusion/exclusion criteria. Where data allowed, we performed meta-analysis and pooled results using random effects models. Results From 18,000 titles, 37 studies were eligible (n = 8411 participants). Data from 4 prospective cohorts (n = 2513 participants) suggest greater cognitive decline in heart failure compared with non-heart failure over the longer term. These data were not suitable for meta-analysis. In case control studies describing those with and without heart failure (n = 4 papers, 1414 participants) the odds ratio for cognitive impairment in the heart failure population was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.15-2.42). Prevalence of cognitive impairment in heart failure cohorts (n = 26 studies, 4176 participants) was 43% (95% confidence interval 30-55). Conclusions This review suggests a substantial proportion of patients with heart failure have concomitant cognitive problems. This has implications for planning treatment and services. These data do not allow us to comment on causation, and further work is needed to describe the underlying pathophysiology.
Key findings
- Background Cognitive impairment and dementia are associated with a range of cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation.
- Where data allowed, we performed meta-analysis and pooled results using random effects models.
- Results From 18,000 titles, 37 studies were eligible (n = 8411 participants).
- Data from 4 prospective cohorts (n = 2513 participants) suggest greater cognitive decline in heart failure compared with non-heart failure over the longer term.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis found that people with heart failure had higher odds of cognitive impairment than those without it, and some cohort data suggested greater cognitive decline over the longer term. It describes an association and does not test any treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Participants8,411
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 70/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of cardiac failure) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Cardiac Failure: journal h-index 150 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 8,411 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 431 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 39.2 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 159 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Terence J. Quinn: h-index 65 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Glasgow: institution h-index 1,600 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28433667) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 70 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Cannon, J. A., Moffitt, P., Perez-Moreno, A. C., Walters, M. R., Broomfield, N. M., McMurray, J. J. V., et al. (2017). Cognitive Impairment and Heart Failure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of cardiac failure. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2017.04.007
Vancouver
Cannon JA, Moffitt P, Perez-Moreno AC, Walters MR, Broomfield NM, McMurray JJV, et al. Cognitive Impairment and Heart Failure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of cardiac failure. 2017. doi:10.1016/j.cardfail.2017.04.007. PMID: 28433667.
BibTeX
@article{cannon2017-28433667,
author = {Cannon, J. A. and Moffitt, P. and Perez-Moreno, A. C. and Walters, M. R. and Broomfield, N. M. and McMurray, J. J. V. and Quinn, T. J.},
title = {{Cognitive Impairment and Heart Failure: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis}},
journal = {Journal of cardiac failure},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1016/j.cardfail.2017.04.007},
pmid = {28433667},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2017.04.007}
}
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