Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion criteria 1. Age≥20 year-old 2. Healthy subjects or patients with A. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) ；B. HF with reduced ejection fractions (HFrEF, defined by left ventricular ejection fraction≤40%) and current or previous symptoms of HF；C. Severe aortic stenosis (defined aortic valve area \< 1.0 cm2 or mean pressure gradient ≥ 40 mmHg), preparing to receive transcatheter aortic valve replacement ；D. Acute ischemic stroke and admitted to stroke intensive care unit (ICU), within 24 hours after onset The criteria of MetS includes: 1. Abdominal obesity: waist circumference (for Asians) ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women; 2. Hyperglycemia: serum fasting glucose level ≥ 100 mg/dl, or receiving drug treatment for elevated blood sugar; 3. Reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C): serum HDL-C \< 40 mg/dl in men and \< 50 mg/dl in women or on cholesterol drug treatment; 4. Elevated triglycerides: serum triglyceride ≥ 150 mg/dl or on drug treatment of hypertriglyceridemia; 5. Hypertension: systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mmHg, or on antihypertensive drug treatment. Exclusion criteria: 1. Under treatment for malignancy 2. Currently receiving immunosuppressants 3. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≥2 prior to the stroke 4. Symptomatic HF in patients with acute ischemic stroke 5. Unable to perform neurocognitive function test 6. Unable to evaluate the physical activity using questionnaire or 6-minute walk test 7. Unable to cooperate with examinations using 3E combo machine.