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We compared cognitive profiles in chronic heart failure patients (HF), heart transplant recipients (HT) and healthy controls (HC) and examined the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (V˙O 2peak ), peak cardiac output (CO peak ) and cognitive performance. Stable HT patients ( n = 11), HF patients ( n = 11) and HC ( n = 13) (61.5 ± 8.5 years) were recruited. Four cognitive composite scores targeting different cognitive functions were computed from neuropsychological tests: working memory, processing speed, executive functions and verbal memory. Processing speed and executive function scores were higher, which indicates lower performances in HF and HT compared to HC ( p < 0.05). V˙O 2peak and first ventilatory threshold (VT 1 ) were lower in HF and HT vs. HC ( p < 0.01). CO peak was lower in HF vs. HT and HC ( p < 0.01). Processing speed, executive function and verbal memory performances were correlated with V˙O 2peak , VT 1 and peak cardiac hemodynamics ( p < 0.05). Mediation analyses showed that V˙O 2peak and VT 1 mediated the relationship between group and processing speed and executive function performances in HF and HT. CO peak fully mediated executive function and processing speed performances in HF only. V˙O 2peak and CO peak were related to cognitive performance in the entire sample. In addition, V˙O 2peak and VT 1 fully mediated the relationship between group and executive function and processing speed performances.

Previous studies have suggested good adaptation of cardiac transplant (CTx) recipients to exposure to a high altitude. No studies have investigated the cardiopulmonary and biomarker responses to acute hypoxic challenges following CTx. Thirty-six CTx recipients and 17 age-matched healthy controls (HC) were recruited. Sixteen (16) patients (42%) had cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Cardiopulmonary responses to maximal and submaximal exercise at 21% O 2 , 20-minutes hypoxia (11.5% O 2 ), and following a 10-minute exposure to 11.5% O 2 using 30% of peak power output were completed. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) were measured at baseline and at peak stress. Endothelial peripheral function was assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy. Compared with HC, CTx presented a lesser O 2 desaturation both at rest (-19.4 ± 6.8 [CTx] vs -24.2 ± 6.0% O 2 [HC], P < 0.05) and following exercise (-23.2 ± 4.9 [CTx] vs -26.2 ± 4.7% O 2 [HC], P < 0.05). CTx patients exhibited a significant decrease in peak oxygen uptake. IL-6 and VEGF levels were significantly higher in CTx recipients in basal conditions but did not change in response to acute stress. CTx patients exhibit a favorable ventilatory and overall response to hypoxic stress. These data provide further insights on the good adaptability of CTx to exposure to high altitude., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)