Thank you to all of you who participated in our research study. You are why we do this research. And we could not do it without you.
~ The M-FADD HF Research Team.
~ The M-FADD HF Research Team.
Research Findings
Research findings will be updated as they are available after publication. Please click here to see what we have published or presented so far.
What is M-FADD HF?
This two year observational study looks to determine the relationship between small proteins in your blood and symptoms in persons living with heart failure. You can check out our flyer for the study here.
Enrollment for this study is now closed.
Enrollment for this study is now closed.
Who is being studied?
This study is recruiting persons with heart failure between 30 and 80 years of age.
To be eligible for the study, you must meet the following criteria:
To be eligible for the study, you must meet the following criteria:
- Age 30 to 80 years
- Self-identify as Black or African American
- Have a medical diagnosis of heart failure
- Willing to undergo study procedures (finger stick, questionnaires, and self-collected stool sample)
- Willingness to fast overnight (at least 8 hours) for blood collection
What is involved?
This study has 1 or 2 study visits. The study visit may be completed 100% remotely. You also have the option for an in-person blood collection visit.
Study visit procedures:
Study visit procedures:
- Blood collecting via finger stick. You may self-collect this blood at home via a remote visit, or you may meet us in-person at Emory University and we will collect the blood for you.
- Questionnaires. This questionnaires can be filled out at home via the internet or on paper. Questionnaires ask about symptoms, life experiences, and the foods you eat.
- Stool sample. You will self-collect a stool sample at home.
- Study materials will be sent directly to your home with pre-paid return shipping packaging.
Funding
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research, in 2020. It had a funding period of 2 years.
Why is this study important?
Heart failure is a worldwide epidemic,with an incidence of 960,000 new heart failure cases each year in the United States alone. Management of symptoms is critical to effective patient care in heart failure as higher symptom burden is related to an increased risk of harmful clinical events and drives significant healthcare costs through more hospitalizations. In fact, symptoms can represent the most severe stressor in heart failure, and haing other chronic conditions often add to symptom burden, further worsening quality of life and the ability to self-manage.
Adequate symptom management in heart failure requires both comprehensive symptom assessment and knowledge of available approaches to alleviate symptoms related to both heart failure and common comorbidities. Thus, understanding the physiological causes of physical symptoms (i.e. fatigue and shortness of breath) and emotional symptoms (i.e. depression and anxiety) can direct treatment strategies. Few studies have found significant associations between symptoms and objective physical or psychological measures in heart failure. Traditional clinic measures that reflect heart failure status are not associated with symptom improvement. Further understanding of the underlying causes, or mechanisms, of each symptom in persons with heart failure is needed.
Black or African American adults have a distinct pattern of heart failure and unique disease course. The onset of heart failure occurs at an earlier age with more substantial heart dysfunction and more advanced disease severity, resulting in increased disease burden. Black or African American adults are twice as likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy, a type of heart failure, and are up to 5 times more likely to die from this condition
This study will examine the specific and distressing symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and dyspnea in Black or African American adults living with HF and HTN, focusing on how individual, biological, and behavioral factors relate to symptoms and how body processes are associated with these symptoms. This study will advance our understanding of symptoms to address the gaps in knowledge that will lead to more precise symptom-reducing interventions in heart failure.
Adequate symptom management in heart failure requires both comprehensive symptom assessment and knowledge of available approaches to alleviate symptoms related to both heart failure and common comorbidities. Thus, understanding the physiological causes of physical symptoms (i.e. fatigue and shortness of breath) and emotional symptoms (i.e. depression and anxiety) can direct treatment strategies. Few studies have found significant associations between symptoms and objective physical or psychological measures in heart failure. Traditional clinic measures that reflect heart failure status are not associated with symptom improvement. Further understanding of the underlying causes, or mechanisms, of each symptom in persons with heart failure is needed.
Black or African American adults have a distinct pattern of heart failure and unique disease course. The onset of heart failure occurs at an earlier age with more substantial heart dysfunction and more advanced disease severity, resulting in increased disease burden. Black or African American adults are twice as likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy, a type of heart failure, and are up to 5 times more likely to die from this condition
This study will examine the specific and distressing symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and dyspnea in Black or African American adults living with HF and HTN, focusing on how individual, biological, and behavioral factors relate to symptoms and how body processes are associated with these symptoms. This study will advance our understanding of symptoms to address the gaps in knowledge that will lead to more precise symptom-reducing interventions in heart failure.
