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Background: Exercise oscillatory ventilation (EOV), indicating pathological fluctuations on pulmonary arterial pressure, is associated with mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). Whether left ventricular assist device (LVAD)‐induced ventricular unloading can reverse EOV and may prevent short‐term rehospitalization has not been investigated. Methods: We performed a retrospective single‐center in‐ and outpatient analysis of patients with (n = 20, LVAD) and without (n = 27, HF) circulatory support and reduced ejection fraction (EF, 22.8 ± 7.9%). The association of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) variables and 3 months‐rehospitalization (3MR) as a primary outcome was analyzed. Furthermore, CPET variables were compared regarding the presence of EOV (+/−). Results: Lower VO2peak (11.6 ± 4.9 ml/kg/min vs. 14.4 ± 4.3 ml/kg/min, p = 0.039), lower increase of PETCO2 (CI = 0.049–1.127; p = 0.068), and higher VE/VCO2 (43.8 ± 9.5 vs. 38.3 ± 10.6; p = 0.069) were associated with 3MR. Flattening of O2 pulse (CI = 0.139–2.379; p = 0.487) had no impact on 3MR. EOV was present in 59.5% (n = 28/47) of patients, without a significant difference between LVAD and HF patients (p = 0.959). Patients with HF/EOV+ demonstrated significantly lower VO2peak compared with HF/EOV− (p = 0.039). LVAD/EOV+ displayed significantly lower EF (p = 0.004) and fewer aortic valve opening than LVAD/EOV− (p = 0.027). Conclusions: Lower VO2peak, but not EOV, was associated with 3MR. EOV occurred at a similar rate in LVAD and HF patients, which may illustrate insufficient unloading during exercise in chronic LVAD therapy and may contribute to the limited exercise capacity following LVAD implantation. Simultaneous CPET and right heart catheterization studies are needed to elucidate whether EOV may serve as a non‐invasive predictor of insufficient LV unloading necessitating LVAD reprograming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to assess associations between depressive symptoms, lifestyle, and somatic symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: A prospective, observational study using a self-designed questionnaire. Setting: Three general practitioners' (GP) offices in rural Germany. Participants: 271 adult patients without manifest cardiovascular or pulmonary disease with (n = 82) and without (n = 189) hypertension reporting to our GP offices. Main outcome measures: The reported increase of depressive symptoms (loneliness, sleeplessness, joylessness, listlessness) prior to the first documented case in Germany on 27.01.2020 (t0) as opposed to patients' health perception during the Corona pandemic (t1) was the primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measures were changes in physical activity (PA), dyspnea and angina in the two groups. Results: Out of 271 patients (50.8 ± 16.8 years, 55.1% females), 1.5% were tested positive for COVID-19. Overall, listlessness (8.5%, p = 0.001), sleeplessness (5.2%, p = 0.001) and joylessness (4.2%, p = 0.003) were increased. Dyspnea significantly increased (9.2%, p < 0.001) and employment status worsened (6.5%, p < 0.001). There were significant associations between the increase of depressive symptoms, weight increase (p = 0.017), and reduction in physical activity (p = 0.046). However, after adjusting for age, hypertensive patients did not show more depressive symptoms (p = 0.704), dyspnea (p = 0.063) or angina (p = 0.432), nor was there any difference in PA (p = 0.906) compared to healthy individuals. Conclusions: We demonstrate an association between the deterioration of depressive symptoms, weight gain, and reduced physical activity during COVID-19, both in hypertensives and healthy controls. Hypertension is no driver of symptom deterioration during the pandemic. The trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00022157). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]