Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria:(1)For chronic heart failure (CHF) patients:1.Meet the 2022 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) diagnostic criteria for CHF, classified into heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) per ESC guidelines;2.Aged 18 to 80 years (inclusive);3.Able to provide written informed consent independently (or via a legal guardian if cognitively impaired, with a Mini-Mental State Examination \[MMSE\] score ≥ 24). (2)For healthy controls:1.No history of cardiovascular disease, confirmed by medical history review and baseline echocardiography;2.Aged 18 to 80 years (inclusive), matched 1:2 with CHF patients by age and gender;3.Able to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria:(1)Acute decompensated heart failure (admitted for acute HF exacerbation within 72 hours prior to enrollment);(2)End-stage renal disease, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \< 15 mL/min/1.73m² (confirmed by serum creatinine testing);(3)Active malignancies (receiving systemic treatment within 6 months prior to enrollment) or severe systemic diseases (e.g., severe liver failure, active autoimmune diseases);(4)Antibiotic use within 2 weeks prior to enrollment (may interfere with gut microbiome analysis);(5)Inability to complete 12-month follow-up (e.g., planned long-term overseas residence) or provide required biological samples (e.g., venous blood, fecal samples).