Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca

Professor

Prof. Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca has graduated in medicine at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He was trained in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in Switzerland. After doing a post-doc in Melbourne, Australia, for two years, he had been working as cardiologist and heart failure specialist in Zurich. In 2002, he moved to Basel, where he was responsible for the heart failure and heart transplant services. He has obtained his lecture qualification both in Zurich and in Basel and was announced as Professor in Basel Switzerland in 2008. Since 2009, he has been working at Maastricht UMC+ as Professor of Clinical Heart Failure. He is head of the heart failure clinic and head of the division of structural heart diseases.

He has been involved in numerous research projects since many years. In particular, he has a special interest in personalised medicine in heart failure using biomarkers and has successfully led international studies related to this topic. In addition, eHealth is an important focus of research. He has published >250 research articles.

He has been working as member of different working groups of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology and is board member of working group on heart failure in the Netherlands.

On the one hand, he is continuing his research on biomarker in heart failure for therapy guidance. He is collaborating internationally on this topic and is participating in several large international projects in this regard. On the other hand, he is leading an international consortium, aiming to develop a personalized eHealth application to enable patients with heart failure to perform self-care, i.e. including self-prescription of medication. Recently, the consortium received 4.4 M€ to support this project from INTERREG-NWE (budget Maastricht UMC+ > 2.0 M€).

He is additionally involved in national research projects (e.g. heart-brain connection, supported by CVON) and is the local PI of several large industry sponsored RCTs. In one of them, he is the national coordinator for the Netherlands.

Department of Cardiology
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht
Room number: 3.B2.031
T: +31(0)43 387 70 97

2017
- Baldewijns, K., Bektas, S., Boyne, J., Rohde, C., De Maesschalck, L., De Bleser, L., Brandenburg, V., Knackstedt, C., Deville, A., Sanders-Van Wijk, S., & La Rocca, H.-P. B. (2017). Improving kNowledge Transfer to Efficaciously RAise the level of Contemporary Treatment in Heart Failure (INTERACT-in-HF): Study protocol of a mixed methods study. International Journal of Care Coordination, 20(4), 171-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053434517726318
- van Vark, L. C., Lesman-Leegte, I., Baart, S. J., Postmus, D., Pinto, Y. M., Orsel, J. G., Westenbrink, B. D., Rocca, H. P. B., van Miltenburg, A. J. M., Boersma, E., Hillege, H. L., Akkerhuis, K. M., & TRIUMPH Investigators (2017). Prognostic Value of Serial ST2 Measurements in Patients With Acute Heart Failure. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 70(19), 2378-2388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.09.026
- Uszko-Lencer, N. H. M. K., Mesquita, R., Janssen, E., Werter, C., Rocca, H.-P. B.-L., Pitta, F., Wouters, E. F. M., & Spruit, M. A. (2017). Reliability, construct validity and determinants of 6-minute walk test performance in patients with chronic heart failure. International Journal of Cardiology, 240, 285-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.02.109
- Harjola, V.-P., Mullens, W., Banaszewski, M., Bauersachs, J., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Chioncel, O., Collins, S. P., Doehner, W., Filippatos, G. S., Flammer, A. J., Fuhrmann, V., Lainscak, M., Lassus, J., Legrand, M., Masip, J., Mueller, C., Papp, Z., Parissis, J., Platz, E., ... Mebazaa, A. (2017). Organ dysfunction, injury and failure in acute heart failure: from pathophysiology to diagnosis and management. A review on behalf of the Acute Heart Failure Committee of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). European journal of heart failure, 19(7), 821-836. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.872
- Robaeys, W., Bektas, S., Boyne, J., van Empel, V., Uszko-Lencer, N., Knackstedt, C., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. P. (2017). Pulmonary and right ventricular dysfunction are frequently present in heart failure irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction. Heart Asia, 9(2), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartasia-2017-010914
- Bektas, S., Franssen, F. M. E., van Empel, V., Uszko-Lencer, N., Boyne, J., Knackstedt, C., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. P. (2017). Impact of airflow limitation in chronic heart failure. Netherlands Heart Journal, 25(5), 335-342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-017-0965-4
- Meani, P., Gelsomino, S., Natour, E., Johnson, D. M., Rocca, H.-P. B. L., Pappalardo, F., Bidar, E., Makhoul, M., Raffa, G., Heuts, S., Lozekoot, P., Kats, S., Sluijpers, N., Schreurs, R., Delnoij, T., Montalti, A., Sels, J. W., van de Poll, M., Roekaerts, P., ... Lorusso, R. (2017). Modalities and Effects of Left Ventricle Unloading on Extracorporeal Life support: a Review of the Current Literature. European journal of heart failure, 19 Suppl 2, 84-91. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.850
- Davarzani, N., van Wijk, S., Karel, J., Maeder, M. T., Leibundgut, G., Gutmann, M., Pfisterer, M. E., Rickenbacher, P., Peeters, R., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. (2017). N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide-Guided Therapy in Chronic Heart Failure Reduces Repeated Hospitalizations-Results From TIME-CHF. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 23(5), 382-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2017.02.001
- Veugen, M. G. J., Henry, R. M. A., van Sloten, T. T., Hermeling, E., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Schram, M. T., Dagnelie, P. C., Schalkwijk, C. G., Kroon, A. A., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Reesink, K. D. (2017). The systolic-diastolic difference in carotid stiffness is increased in type 2 diabetes: The Maastricht Study. Journal of Hypertension, 35(5), 1052-1060. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000001298
- van Empel, V., Knackstedt, C., van Paassen, P., & Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P. (2017). Just air good enough in pulmonary hypertension?European Heart Journal, 38(15), 1169-1171. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx117
- Aimo, A., Vergaro, G., Ripoli, A., Bayes-Genis, A., Figal, D. A. P., de Boer, R. A., Lassus, J., Mebazaa, A., Gayat, E., Breidthardt, T., Sabti, Z., Mueller, C., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Tang, W. H. W., Grodin, J. L., Zhang, Y., Bettencourt, P., Maisel, A. S., Passino, C., ... Emdin, M. (2017). Meta-Analysis of Soluble Suppression of Tumorigenicity-2 and Prognosis in Acute Heart Failure. JACC: Heart Failure, 5(4), 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchf.2016.12.016
- Daamen, M. A. M. J., Brunner-la Rocca, H. .-P., Tan, F. E. S., Hamers, J. P. H., & Schols, J. M. G. A. (2017). Clinical diagnosis of heart failure in nursing home residents based on history, physical exam, BNP and ECG: Is it reliable?European Geriatric Medicine, 8(1), 59-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurger.2016.10.003
- Uszko-Lencer, N. H. M. K., Frankenstein, L., Spruit, M. A., Maeder, M. T., Gutmann, M., Muzzarelli, S., Osswald, S., Pfisterer, M. E., Zugck, C., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., & Investigators, TIME.-CHF. (2017). Predicting hospitalization and mortality in patients with heart failure: The BARDICHE-index. International Journal of Cardiology, 227, 901-907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2016.11.122
- Knackstedt, C., Heymans, S., & Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P. (2017). ICD Implantation in Patients with Nonischemic Heart Failure. New England Journal of Medicine, 376(1), 91-92. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc1614441
- van Kimmenade, R. R. J., ten Cate, T. J., & Rocca, H.-P. B.-L. (2017). Worsening Renal Function in Heart Failure It Takes 2 to Tangle. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 69(1), 70-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2016.11.016
- Breetveld, N. M., Ghossein-Doha, C., Van Kuijk, S. M. J., Van Dijk, A. P., Van Der Vlugt, M. J., Heidema, W. M., Van Neer, J., Van Empel, V., Brunner-La Rocca, H. .-P., Scholten, R. R., & Spaanderman, M. E. A. (2017). Prevalence of asymptomatic heart failure in formerly pre-eclamptic women: a cohort study. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 49(1), 134-142. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.16014
- Hooghiemstra, A. M., Bertens, A. S., Leeuwis, A. E., Bron, E. E., Bots, M. L., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., de Craen, A. J. M., van der Geest, R. J., Greving, J. P., Kappelle, L. J., Niessen, W. J., van Oostenbrugge, R. J., van Osch, M. J. P., de Roos, A., van Rossum, A. C., Biessels, G. J., van Buchem, M. A., Daemen, M. J. A. P., van der Flier, W. M., & Heart-Brain Connection Consortium (2017). The Missing Link in the Pathophysiology of Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Design of the Heart-Brain Study. Cerebrovascular Diseases Extra, 7(3), 140-152. https://doi.org/10.1159/000480738
2016
- Verdonschot, J., Hazebroek, M., Merken, J., Debing, Y., Dennert, R., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Heymans, S. (2016). Relevance of cardiac parvovirus B19 in myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy: review of the literature. European journal of heart failure, 18(12), 1430-1441. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.665
- Ferreira, J. P., Girerd, N., Pellicori, P., Duarte, K., Girerd, S., Pfeffer, M. A., McMurray, J. J. V., Pitt, B., Dickstein, K., Jacobs, L., Staessen, J. A., Butler, J., Latini, R., Masson, S., Mebazaa, A., Brunner-La Rocca, H., Delles, C., Heymans, S., Sattar, N., ... Rossignol, P. (2016). Renal function estimation and Cockroft-Gault formulas for predicting cardiovascular mortality in population-based, cardiovascular risk, heart failure and post-myocardial infarction cohorts: The Heart 'OMics' in AGEing (HOMAGE) and the high-risk myocardial infarction database initiatives. BMC Medicine, 14(1), Article 181. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-016-0731-2
- Brandenburg, V. M., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Marx, N. (2016). Heart Failure Therapy in Patients with Diabetes The new Benefit-Risk-Assessment of Sacubitril/Valsartan. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift, 141(22), 1647-1649. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-000001
- Maeder, M. T., Zurek, M., Rickli, H., Tobler, D., Kiencke, S., Suter, T., Yoon, S.-I., Julius, B., Pfisterer, M. E., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. (2016). Prognostic Value of the Change in Heart Rate From the Supine to the Upright Position in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure. Journal of the American Heart Association, 5(8), Article e003524. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.116.003524
- Vurma, M., Dang, L., Brunner-La Rocca, H., Sutsch, G., Attenhofer-Jost, C. H., Duru, F., & Scharf, C. (2016). Safety and efficacy of the nMARQ catheter for paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. EP Europace, 18(8), 1164-1169. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euw048
- de Pesters, A., Coon, W. G., Brunner, P., Gunduz, A., Ritaccio, A. L., Brunet, N. M., de Weerd, P., Roberts, M. J., Oostenveld, R., Fries, P., & Schalk, G. (2016). Alpha power indexes task-related networks on large and small scales: A multimodal ECoG study in humans and a non-human primate. Neuroimage, 134, 122-131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.074
- Smulders, M. W., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Schalla, S., Bucerius, J., Jaarsma, C., van Dieijen-Visser, M. P., Mingels, A. M. A., Brunner-La Rocca, H., Post, M., Das, M., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Bekkers, B. (2016). Acute chest pain in the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin era: A changing role for noninvasive imaging?American Heart Journal, 177, 102-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2016.03.025
- Linssen, P. B. C., Henry, R. M. A., Schalkwijk, C. G., Dekker, J. M., Nijpels, G., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2016). Serum advanced glycation endproducts are associated with left ventricular dysfunction in normal glucose metabolism but not in type 2 diabetes: The Hoorn Study. Diabetes & Vascular Disease Research, 13(4), 278-285. https://doi.org/10.1177/1479164116640680
- Sanders-van Wijk, S., Masson, S., Milani, V., Rickenbacher, P., Gorini, M., Tavazzi, L. T., Tobler, D., Rickli, H., Latini, R., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. (2016). Interaction of Galectin-3 Concentrations with the Treatment Effects of beta-Blockers and RAS Blockade in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure: A Derivation-Validation Study from TIME-CHF and GISSI-HF. Clinical Chemistry, 62(4), 605-616. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2015.246850
- Lupon, J., Sanders-van Wijk, S., Januzzi, J. L., de Antonio, M., Gaggin, H. K., Pfisterer, M., Galan, A., Shah, R., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Bayes-Genis, A. (2016). Prediction of survival and magnitude of reverse remodeling using the ST2-R2 score in heart failure: A multicenter study. International Journal of Cardiology, 204, 242-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.11.163
- Kriemler, S., Radtke, T., Bürgi, F., Lambrecht, J., Zehnder, M., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. (2016). Short-term cardiorespiratory adaptation to high altitude in children compared with adults. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 26(2), 147-155. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12422
- Brunner-La Rocca, H., Fleischhacker, L., Golubnitschaja, O., Heemskerk, F., Helms, T., Hoedemakers, T., Allianses, S. H., Jaarsma, T., Kinkorova, J., Ramaekers, J., Ruff, P., Schnur, I., Vanoli, E., Verdu, J., & Zippel-Schultz, B. (2016). Challenges in personalised management of chronic diseases-heart failure as prominent example to advance the care process. The EPMA Journal, 7(1), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13167-016-0051-9
- Daamen, M. A. M. J., Hamers, J. P. H., Gorgels, A. P. M., Tan, F. E. S., Schols, J. M. G. A., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. (2016). Treatment of heart failure in nursing home residents. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, 13(1), 44-50. https://doi.org/10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2016.01.001
- van der Velden - Daamen, M., Hamers, J., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Schols, J. (2016). Hartfalen bij verpleeghuisbewoners: Een moeilijke diagnose. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 160, Article D390. https://www.ntvg.nl/system/files/publications/d390.pdf
2015
- Daamen, M. A. M. J., Hamers, J. P. H., Gorgels, A. P. M., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Tan, F. E. S., van Dieijen-Visser, M. P., & Schols, J. M. G. A. (2015). Heart failure in nursing home residents; a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics. BMC Geriatrics, 15(1), Article 167. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-015-0166-1
- Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Eurlings, L., Richards, A. M., Januzzi, J. L., Pfisterer, M. E., Dahlstrom, U., Pinto, Y. M., Karlstrom, P., Erntell, H., Berger, R., Persson, H., O'Connor, C. M., Moertl, D., Gaggin, H. K., Frampton, C. M., Nicholls, M. G., & Troughton, R. W. (2015). Which heart failure patients profit from natriuretic peptide guided therapy? A meta-analysis from individual patient data of randomized trials. European journal of heart failure, 17(12), 1252-1261. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.401
- Hazebroek, M. R., Kemna, M. J., Schalla, S., Sanders-van Wijk, S., Gerretsen, S. C., Dennert, R., Merken, J., Kuznetsova, T., Staessen, J. A., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., van Paassen, P., Tervaert, J. W. C., & Heymans, S. (2015). Prevalence and prognostic relevance of cardiac involvement in ANCA-associated vasculitis: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis. International Journal of Cardiology, 199, 170-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.06.087
- Hazebroek, M. R., Moors, S., Dennert, R., van den Wijngaard, A., Krapels, I., Hoos, M., Verdonschot, J., Merken, J. J., de Vries, B., Wolffs, P. F., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & Heymans, S. (2015). Prognostic Relevance of Gene-Environment Interactions in Patients With Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Applying the MOGE(S) Classification. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 66(12), 1313-1323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2015.07.023
- Kaufmann, B. A., Goetschalckx, K., Min, S. Y., Maeder, M. T., Bucher, U., Nietlispach, F., Bernheim, A. M., Pfisterer, M. E., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & TIME-CHF Investigators, T. (2015). Improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and reverse remodeling in elderly heart failure patients on intense NT-proBNP-guided therapy. International Journal of Cardiology, 191, 286-293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.04.282
- van Empel, V., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. P. (2015). Inflammation in HFpEF: Key or circumstantial?International Journal of Cardiology, 189(1), 259-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.04.110
- Altara, R., Manca, M., Hermans, K. C., Daskalopoulos, E. P., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Hermans, R. J., Struijker-Boudier, H. A. J., & Blankesteijn, M. W. (2015). Diurnal rhythms of serum and plasma cytokine profiles in healthy elderly individuals assessed using membrane based multiplexed immunoassay. Journal of Translational Medicine, 13(1), Article 129. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-015-0477-1
- Zurek, M., Maeder, M. T., Rickli, H., Muzzarelli, S., Sanders-van Wijk, S., Abbühl, H., Handschin, R., Jeker, U., Pfisterer, M. E., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & TIME-CHF Investigators, T. (2015). Differential Prognostic Impact of Resting Heart Rate in Older Compared With Younger Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: Insights From TIME-CHF. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 21(4), 347-354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2014.12.014
- Schalla, S., Jaarsma, C., Bekkers, S. C., Waltenberger, J., Dennert, R., Crijns, H. J., Wildberger, J., Heymans, S., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. P. (2015). Right ventricular function in dilated cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease: assessment with non-invasive imaging. Netherlands Heart Journal, 23(4), 232-240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-015-0673-x
- Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & Crijns, H. J. (2015). Iron i.v. in heart failure: ready for implementation?European Heart Journal, 36(11), 645-647. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehu392
- Gandhi, P. U., Motiwala, S. R., Belcher, A. M., Gaggin, H. K., Weiner, R. B., Baggish, A. L., Fiuzat, M., Rocca, H.-P. B.-L., & Januzzi, J. L. . J. (2015). Galectin-3 and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use in patients with chronic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. American Heart Journal, 169(3), 404-411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2014.12.012
- Berry, M., Galinier, M., Delmas, C., Fournier, P., Desmoulin, F., Turkieh, A., Mischak, H., Mullen, W., Barutaut, M., Eurlings, L. W., Van Wijk, S., Rocca, H.-P. B.-L., Caubere, C., Butler, J., Roncalli, J., Evaristi, M. F., Cohen-Solal, A., Seronde, M.-F., Escamilla, R., ... Rouet, P. (2015). Proteomics analysis reveals IGFBP2 as a candidate diagnostic biomarker for heart failure. International Journal of Cardiology - Metabolic & Endocrine, 6, 5-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcme.2014.11.003
- Van Wijk, S., Van Empel, V., Davarzani, N., Maeder, M. T., Muzzarelli, S., Jeker, U., Dieterle, T., Handschin, R., Kiencke, S., Pfisterer, M. E., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & investigators, F. T. TIME.-CHF. (2015). Circulating biomarkers of distinct pathophysiological pathways in heart failure with preserved vs. reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. European journal of heart failure, 17(10), 1006-1014. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.414
- Cardinaels, E. P. M., Daamen, M. A. M. J., Bekers, O., ten Kate, J., Niens, M., van Suijlen, J. D. E., van Dieijen-Visser, M. P., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Schols, J. M. G. A., & Mingels, A. M. A. (2015). Clinical Interpretation of Elevated Concentrations of Cardiac Troponin T, but Not Troponin I, in Nursing Home Residents. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 16(10), 884-891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2015.06.026
- Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Knackstedt, C., Eurlings, L., Rolny, V., Krause, F., Pfisterer, M. E., Tobler, D., Rickenbacher, P., Maeder, M. T., & TIME-CHF Investigators, T. (2015). Impact of worsening renal function related to medication in heart failure. European journal of heart failure, 17(2), 159-168. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.210
- van Aelst, L. N., Voss, S., Carai, P., van Leeuwen, R., Vanhoutte, D., Sanders-van Wijk, S., Eurlings, L., Swinnen, M., Verheyen, F. K., Verbeken, E., Nef, H., Troidl, C., Cook, S. A., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., Möllmann, H., Papageorgiou, A. P., & Heymans, S. (2015). Osteoglycin prevents cardiac dilatation and dysfunction after myocardial infarction through infarct collagen strengthening. Circulation Research, 116(3), 425-436. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.304599
- Varon, C., Alao, M., Mintert, J., Stapleton, M., Thomson, S., Jaecques, S., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & Huffel, S. V. (2015). Telehealth on heart failure: results of the Recap project. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 21(6), 340-347. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X15577310
- Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Bektas, S. (2015). Biomarker guided therapy in chronic heart failure. Cardiac Failure Review, 1(2), 96-101. https://doi.org/10.15420/cfr.2015.1.2.96

Overview

Latest news & events

NWO Faculty of Impact grant awarded to Hongxing Luo

12 March 2026

Recap Anna Maria van Schurman Symposium 2026

11 March 2026

Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca

Professor