Overview

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization among adults aged 80 years and older and represents a major diagnostic challenge in geriatric medicine due to frequently atypical clinical presentations and the presence of multiple comorbidities. Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) remains the gold standard for cardiac functional assessment, access to echocardiography is often limited in geriatric wards.

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled the development of portable ultrasound devices and automated image analysis software capable of providing reliable and reproducible LVEF measurements. AI-assisted automated LVEF assessment (AutoEF-AI) may therefore represent a valuable alternative to conventional echocardiography for the cardiac evaluation of older patients with heart failure.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥75 years.
• Hospitalization in a geriatric unit for acute heart failure according to the 2021 ESC diagnostic criteria.
• Hemodynamic stability at the time of echocardiographic examination.
• Ability to understand study information, provide written informed consent, and willingness to participate.
• Affiliation with, or beneficiary of, a health insurance/social security scheme.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hemodynamic instability preventing echocardiographic assessment.
• Contraindication to transthoracic echocardiography.
• Patients under legal protection (guardianship, curatorship, or judicial protection measures) or unable to provide informed consent.
• Refusal to participate in the study.