Obesity is a common phenotype in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and is associated with greater symptom burden and poorer clinical outcomes. A real-world study published in the International Journal of Cardiology: Heart & Vasculature evaluated the association between body mass index (BMI), healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and healthcare costs among patients with HFpEF.

The claims-based analysis used the Optum Market Clarity database to identify adults with HFpEF between 2016 and 2023. Associations between BMI categories and healthcare utilization and cost outcomes were assessed using generalized linear models adjusted for baseline clinical characteristics.

Findings

• The analysis included 95,070 patients with HFpEF, including 15.9% with Class 2 obesity and 19.9% with Class 3 obesity.
• Patients with Class 2 and Class 3 obesity experienced the highest rates of all-cause and HF-related rehospitalizations across BMI categories.
• After adjustment for baseline characteristics, Class 2 and Class 3 obesity were associated with significantly higher rates of HF-related hospitalization and emergency department visits compared with overweight patients (both P <0.001).
• Patients with Class 3 obesity had numerically higher HF-related healthcare costs than the overweight cohort.
• Overall, increasing obesity severity was associated with greater healthcare resource utilization and acute care encounters.

Among patients with HFpEF, severe obesity was associated with greater healthcare utilization, higher rehospitalization rates, and increased HF-related healthcare costs. The findings highlight the substantial clinical and economic burden associated with obesity-related HFpEF.