Gardening activity was associated with a 28% lower odds of frailty in heart failure patients (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.53–0.98) after adjusting for confounders.
Does gardening activity reduce frailty in patients with heart failure?
Regular gardening activities are associated with a significantly lower prevalence of frailty in patients with or at risk for heart failure.
Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%
Abstract Objective Frailty is common in patients with heart failure (HF). Since gardening demands regular physical activity and offers therapeutic relaxation benefits, it might reduce frailty. We investigated the association between gardening activities and frailty in HF patients. Methods Between August 2022 and March 2023, we surveyed patients at risk of HF and those with HF who regularly attended a cardiology outpatient clinic. Gardening activities were defined as the ongoing cultivation of flowers, vegetables, or fruit for over a year. The questionnaire assessed the presence or absence of gardening activities, as well as frequency, session duration, years of experience, and scale of such activities. We calculated the frailty index using the Rockwood cumulative deficit approach from medical records and EuroQol-5 Dimension-5 Level questionnaires. Frailty was defined as a frailty index ≥0.25. Results Of 1,279 respondents (median age, 74 years; 63% male), 69% engaged in gardening, and 35% were frail. Adjustments were made for the following confounding factors: age, sex, exercise habits, heart rate, grip strength, controlling nutritional status score, clinical frail scale, number of cohabitants, HF stage, New York Heart Association functional classification, B-type natriuretic peptide, left ventricular ejection fraction, E/e’, and medication use. Following these adjustments, gardening activity showed an inverse association with frailty (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence intervals 0.53–0.98). No significant interactions were observed between gardening activity and frailty as regarded age (70 vs. ≥70 years, p for interaction = 0.60), sex, HF stage (at risk for HF vs. symptomatic HF, p for interaction = 0.41), left ventricular ejection fraction (50% vs. ≥50%, p for interaction = 0.13), or exercise habits (p for interaction = 0.57). Moreover, frailty showed an inverse association with more extended and large-scale gardening activities (Figure). Conclusion Gardening activities were associated with a low prevalence of frailty in HF patients.Figure
Saito et al. (Sat,) reported a other. Gardening activity was associated with a 28% lower odds of frailty in heart failure patients (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.53–0.98) after adjusting for confounders.