The influence of the HEART Camp intervention on physical function, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety and fatigue in patients with heart failure.

Participants were randomised only if they completed at least six supervised run-in exercise sessions, so the results apply to patients who could attend and engage in supervised exercise. The trial excluded people who already exercised three times per week, had high peak oxygen consumption, unstable heart failure, recent cardiac events, pregnancy, or conditions preventing exercise, so it may not represent all heart failure patients. Mean age was 60.4 years, and many heart failure patients are over 75 years, so findings may not generalise to older patients. Both groups received several supports at once, including facility access, staff, diaries and heart-rate monitors, and the coaching package included multiple components, so the effect of any single component cannot be separated. Health-related quality of life and anxiety did not show significant between-group differences. The study did not collect Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire data at 3 months, so it cannot be compared with early quality-of-life changes reported elsewhere.

The study was federally funded (RO1-HL112949). The supplied text does not include an author conflict-of-interest declaration.

Do not conclude that coaching alone caused the walking, depression and fatigue gains or that quality of life improved. Both groups also had facility access, staff, weekly diaries and heart-rate monitors, and the coaching package included several components whose separate effects cannot be isolated; the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire showed no significant between-group differences.