Rationale Heart Failure (HF) with preserved LVEF has been individualized in recent years as a specific entity, with different mechanisms, special baseline characteristics, a poor prognosis and no clearly recognized treatment. LVEF cut-off has not been clearly defined. If 50% is generally accepted as a rather specific cut-off, there remains a « grey zone » of patients with EF between 40% and 50% not clearly individualized between reduced and preserved LVEF. Objectives to describe the characteristics of patients with LVEF belonging to the “grey zone” and to compare these patients to those with either reduced or preserved LVEF. Methods Cross sectional observational survey with retrospective collection of data at hospital discharge. Patients must have been diagnosed with HF and have been hospitalized for HF within the previous 18 months. Patients are classified according to the LVEF at hospital discharge. Results 412 French outhospital cardiologists included 1 452 patients with the inclusion criteria. Conclusion This is the first French survey in patients managed by cardiologists after hospital discharge for HF. Cardiologists mainly care for patients with low LVEF. Overall, the profile of patients with LVEF 40-50% at hospital discharge is closer to the 50% LVEF group. Characteristics according to LVEF at discharge (n=1 408) are displayed below. Table. Patients characteristics according to EF LVEF LVEF 40-50% n=366 LVEF>50% n=250 P Age 71±12 73±11 † 76±11 0,0001 Men 74% 65% 47% 0,0001 Ischemic etiology 53% 55% † , * 42% 0,003 Hypertensive etiology 30% 51% † 64% Valvular etiology 12% 17% † , * 25% Dilated cardiomyopathy 44% 25% † , * 8% Renal dysfunction 37% 34% † 27% 0,01 Sinus rhythm 71% 69% † 60% 0,008 Discharge BNP (pg/ml) 439 325 320 0,01 DischargeNYHA class III-IV 41% 29% † , * 21% p by ANOVA with Bonferroni correction; † p 50%; * p