Background: Patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who achieve improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) after guideline-directed medical therapy exhibit superior prognosis. However, functional impairment remains a hallmark of HF. Aims: To characterize and compare exercise capacity profiles via cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) between patients with HFimpEF and those with persistently reduced ejection fraction (HFprEF) using a baseline-adjusted analysis. Methods: Data from a longitudinal cohort of 111 HFrEF patients with baseline and follow-up CPET data (minimum 6-month follow-up) were analyzed. Patients were stratified into HFimpEF and HFprEF groups, according to the Universal Definition of HF. Changes between groups were evaluated using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for baseline values, with non-parametric Bootstrapping (2000 resamples) and multiplicity. Results: We included 111 patients: 69 with HFimpEF (62.2%) and 42 with HFprEF (37.8%). At a median follow-up of 8.7 months, the HFimpEF group showed significantly greater reverse remodeling (adjusted ΔLVEF +19.9%, p < 0.001) and a greater reduction in NT-proBNP levels (−557.6 pg/mL, p = 0.042). Both groups demonstrated intra-group functional improvements. However, in adjusted between-group ANCOVA models, HFimpEF achieved a significantly greater recovery in percentage of predicted peak oxygen consumption (adjusted difference: +8.5%; 95% CI: 1.2 to 16.1; p = 0.021). Net adjusted between-group differences for absolute VO₂peak gain, submaximal threshold, ventilatory efficiency and recovery kinetics did not reach statistical significance. Multivariate analysis identified older age (beta −0.261, p = 0.010), diabetes mellitus (beta −0.210, p = 0.023) and baseline VO₂peak (beta −0.569, p < 0.001) as negative predictors of improvement. Conclusions: Comprehensive HFrEF management improves exercise capacity across all patients. Although HFimpEF yields superior gains in normalized aerobic capacity, overall functional trajectories are largely comparable between phenotypes. This structural-functional decoupling underscores persistent residual limitations in HFimpEF, supporting CPET for longitudinal risk stratification.

Background: The coexistence of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common health problem that complicates therapeutic management and worsens prognosis. Our aim was to analyse the association between COPD and HF treatment optimization, long-term clinical outcomes, mortality, and HF readmissions. Methods: A retrospective, observational study comparing two cohorts: HFrEF with COPD versus HFrEF without COPD. Beta-blocker (BB) and ivabradine dose optimization were assessed in both groups, and inhaled treatment was assessed in patients with COPD. Clinical outcomes during follow-up were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: 375 patients were included, of whom 71 had COPD (18.9%). No significant differences were observed between groups in BB or ivabradine dose optimization. After 60 months of follow-up, patients with COPD had higher rates of all-cause mortality (40.8% vs. 25.6%; p = 0.014), HF-related mortality (33.8% vs. 18.4%; p = 0.006), and HF readmission (50.7% vs. 35.2%; p = 0.014). COPD remained significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes in multivariable Cox regression analysis. Among patients with COPD, dual inhaled therapy was the most common regimen (54.9%), followed by triple inhaled therapy (32.4%). Conclusions: In our cohort of patients with HFrEF, concomitant COPD was associated with higher mortality and HF readmission rates despite similar BB and ivabradine dose optimization between groups. These findings highlight the importance of COPD in the clinical management of patients with HFrEF, although the observational design of the study precludes causal conclusions. Further studies are warranted to clarify the relationship between COPD, HF outcomes, and treatment patterns.