A total of 117 symptomatic outpatients with HFpEF were prospectively enrolled in Germany, England, and Slovenia as part of the Studies Investigating Co-morbidities Aggravating Heart Failure (SICA-HF). Appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) mass (the sum of muscle mass in both arms and legs) was assessed by DEXA. Echocardiography, 6-minute walk testing (6-MWT), muscle strength assessment, spiroergometry and QoL evaluation using EQ-5D Questionnaire were performed. Sarcopenia was defined as ASM 2 standard deviations below the mean of a healthy reference group aged 18–40 years. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the E/e′ value: ≤ 8, 9–14, and ≥ 15. Sarcopenia was detected in 19.7% of all patients. These patients performed worse during 6-MWT (404 ± 116 vs. 307 ± 145 m, p = 0.003) and showed lower absolute peak oxygen consumption (1579 ± 474 vs. 1211 ± 442 mL/min, p < 0.05). Both ASM and muscle strength were lowest in patients with E/e′ > 15 (p < 0.05). Higher values of muscle strength/ASM were associated with a better QoL (r = 0.5, p < 0.0005). Logistic regression showed ASM to be independently associated with reduced distance walked during the 6-MWT adjusted for NYHA, height, left atrium diameter, ferritin and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (odds ratio 1.2, p = 0.02).
Sarcopenia affects a clinically relevant proportion of patients with HFpEF. Low ASM is strongly linked to reduced muscle strength, exercise capacity and QoL in these patients.