Study on Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction with Qishen Granules

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is common and is associated with high morbidity and mor-tality in China. Studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with conventional Western medicine has a good effect on improving exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with HFpEF, but there are still some shortcomings that limit the reliability and extrapolation of results. Based on TCM theory and our decades of experience, we developed Qishen Granules for therapeutic use in the treatment of HFpEF. The good effect of Qishen Granules in patients with heart failure has been clinically verified before. In this study, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) was used to evaluate the peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2), which is the gold standard assessment of aerobic capacity. Therefore, we selected VO2 peak as the primary outcome. At the same time, we conducted a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of Qishen Granules in improving the quality of life in patients with HFpEF, using Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) as the secondary outcome, and combined with other CPET indicators, echocardiographic measures, NT-pro BNP level, growth STimulation expressed gene 2 (ST2), biomarkers of liver and kidney function, and TCM Four-Dimensional Diagnostic Information Scale (TCMFDIS) to objectively, accurately, and comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qishen Granules in improving quality of life and exercise capacity in patients with HFpEF.