Role of Endothelial Function, Muscular Fitness and Metabolism in Functional Activity in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Shortness of breath, fatigue, and exercise intolerance are clinical symptoms of chronic heart failure (CHF). Recent studies suggested that peripheral impairment was the major cause of clinical symptoms, and mechanism may be related to neuroendocrine impairment and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction. It results in increased peripheral resistance that may influence limb blood flow, muscle fitness and activities of daily.The purposes of this study are

1. to compare muscular strength, endurance, and perfusion of quadriceps between CHF patients and healthy controls by isokinetic test and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and difference in activities of daily living
2. to compare endothelium function between CHF patients and healthy control subjects
3. the relationship between endothelium function, muscular strength, endurance, perfusion, and metabolism of quadriceps.