A Community-based Cohort Study on Early Screening of Heart Failure in Elderly Population in Shanghai

Heart failure is a serious manifestation or advanced stage of various heart diseases with high mortality and re-hospitalization rates, and early diagnosis of heart failure is important to improve patient survival. Currently, the prevalence of preclinical heart failure (heart failure stage B) is lacking in China, and the rate of progression of heart failure from stage A/B to symptomatic heart failure (heart failure stage C) and end-stage heart failure (heart failure stage D) and the factors influencing the heart failure development are unknown.

The study is an ongoing prospective community-based study. After enrollment, a questionnaire, physical examination, laboratory examination and imaging examination will be administered to each participant at baseline and every 2 years in the follow-up. The laboratory and imaging examination include: blood/urine sample and biochemical measurements, electrocardiogram, echocardiograph, etc. In the follow-up, the incidence of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, other CV events and mortality will be recorded. Whether at baseline or follow-up, if the investigators find that patients are unclear about their disease status, the investigators will notify them by phone and record their subsequent medical behavior and results.

In this study, a community-based database and biobank will be established for early screening and long-term prognosis of heart failure in elderly population. Through the analysis of the data, the epidemiological characteristics of early stage of heart failure in elderly population in Shanghai can be identified and a multivariable model predicting heart failure in early stage will be constructed. Furtherly，the investigators will explore the referral criteria and hierarchical management strategies for heart failure through the cooperation between community hospitals and comprehensive hospitals.