Episode Of Acute Heart Failure Research Articles

Combining loop with thiazide diuretics in patients discharged home after a heart failure decompensation: Association with 30-day outcomes

ObjectiveTo investigate the association of the addition of thiazide diuretic on top of loop diuretic and standard of care with short-term outcomes of patients discharged after surviving an acute heart failure (AHF) episode. MethodsThis is a secondary analysis of 14,403 patients from three independent cohorts representing the main departments involved in AHF treatment for whom treatment at discharge was recorded and included loop diuretics. Patients were divided according to whether treatment included or not thiazide diuretics. Short-term outcomes consisted of 30-day all-cause mortality, hospitalization (with a separate analysis for hospitalization due to AHF or to other causes) and the combination of death and hospitalization. The association between thiazide diuretics on short-term outcomes was explored by Cox regression and expressed as hazard ratios (HR) with 95 % confidence intervals, which were adjusted for 18 patient-related variables and 9 additional drugs (aside from loop and thiazide diuretics) prescribed at discharge. ResultsThe median age was 81 (interquartile range=73–86) years, 53 % were women, and patients were mainly discharged from the cardiology (42 %), internal medicine or geriatric department (29 %) and emergency department (19 %). There were 1,367 patients (9.5 %) discharged with thiazide and loop diuretics, while the rest (13,036; 90.5 %) were discharged with only loop diuretics on top of the remaining standard of care treatments. The combination of thiazide and loop diuretics showed a neutral effect on all outcomes: death (adjusted HR 1.149, 0.850–1.552), hospitalization (0.898, 0.770–1.048; hospitalization due to AHF 0.799, 0.599–1.065; hospitalization due to other causes 1.136, 0.756–1.708) and combined event (0.934, 0.811–1.076). ConclusionThe combination of thiazide and loop diuretics was not associated with changes in risk of death, hospitalization or a combination of both.

CARDIAC REHABILITATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT: CONTRASTS IN ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND ILLNESS PERCEPTION LEVELS

Abstract Background Investigating the relationship between psychological factors and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has long been a focal point of previous research. Researchers have primarily focused on identifying possible predictive factors for CVD’s development and examining patients’ responses during acute or chronic phases, but less is known about the role of cardiac rehabilitation and the types of psychological treatments on patients’ psychological status. Aims The aim of this study is to compare anxiety, depression, and illness perception levels of patients affected by different cardiovascular diseases at the beginning (t0), at the end (t1), and three months after a cardiac rehabilitation program (t2) in which patients were involved in three different types of psychological treatments: psychoeducational intervention group, progressive muscle relaxation training integrated with Jacobson‘s technique and imaginative stabilization techniques, individual counseling. Methods In this study were involved patients with recent episodes of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), heart failure (HF) or cardiac surgery undergoing cardiac rehabilitation between January 2023 and August 2023 at ASST Bergamo Est. To assess anxiety, depression and illness perception levels of participants we used self–report questionnaires that included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief–IPQ). Patients could be assigned to different psychological treatments based on their clinical condition. Results The study involved 181 participants, namely N=36 ACS cases (19.9%), N=25 CHF (13.8%), and N=120 cardiac surgery (66.3%). As shown in Table 1, males were 71.3% (N=129) and the average age was 65.96 years old (SD=11.904). One hundred–sixty einght patients participated in psychoeducational intervention group, 120 in relaxation training, and 35 in individual counseling. Statistically significant differences in anxiety, depression, and illness perception levels were observed at the program‘s initiation (t0) and upon completion (t1 and t2) in relation to the psychological treatments: individual counseling had a better impact on levels of anxiety and depression and on the development of a more adequate perception of illness. Conclusions The type of psychological treatment during cardiac rehabilitation appears to give different results in terms of psychological status, self–care and disease management of patients.

Risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in rural vs urban settings among patients with erectile dysfunction: a propensity-weighted retrospective cohort study of 430 621 men.

The relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular (CV) events has been postulated, with ED being characterized as a potential harbinger of CV disease. Location of residence is another important consideration, as the impact of rural residence has been associated with worse health outcomes. To investigate whether men from rural settings with ED are associated with a higher risk of major adverse CV events (MACEs). A propensity-weighted retrospective cohort study was conducted with provincial health administrative databases. ED was defined as having at least 2 ED prescriptions filled within 1 year. MACE was defined as the first hospitalization for an episode of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, or stroke that resulted in a hospital visit >24hours. We classified study groups into ED urban, ED rural, no ED urban, and no ED rural. A multiple logistic regression model was used to determine the propensity score. Stabilized inverse propensity treatment weighting was then applied to the propensity score. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine our primary outcome of time to a MACE. The median time to a MACE was 2731, 2635, 2441, and 2508days for ED urban (n = 32 341), ED rural (n = 18 025), no ED rural (n = 146 358), and no ED urban (n = 233 897), respectively. The cohort with ED had a higher proportion of a MACE at 8.94% (n = 4503), as opposed to 4.58% (n = 17 416) for the group without ED. As compared with no ED urban, no ED rural was associated with higher risks of a MACE in stabilized time-varying comodels based on inverse probability treatment weighting (hazard ratio, 1.06-1.08). ED rural was associated with significantly higher risks of a MACE vs no ED rural, with the strength of the effect estimates increasing over time (hazard ratio, 1.10-1.74). Findings highlight the need for physicians treating patients with ED to address CV risk factors for primary and secondary prevention of CV diseases. This is the most extensive retrospective study demonstrating that ED is an independent risk factor for MACE. Due to limitations in data, we were unable to assess certain comorbidities, including obesity and smoking. Our study confirms that ED is an independent risk factor for MACE. Rural men had a higher risk of MACE, with an even higher risk among those who reside rurally and are diagnosed with ED.

Timing of previous heart failure hospitalization as a prognostic factor for emergency department heart failure patients.

To investigate whether the timing of a previous hospital admission for acute heart failure (AHF) is a prognostic factor for AHF patients revisiting the emergency department (ED) in the subsequent 12-month follow-up. All ED AHF patients enrolled in the previously described EAHFE registry were stratified by the presence or absence of an AHF hospitalization admission in the prior 12months. The primary outcome was 12-month all-cause mortality postED visit. Secondary end points were hospital admission, prolonged hospitalization (> 7days), mortality during hospitalization and a 90-day post-discharge adverse composite event (ACE) rate, defined as ED revisits due to AHF, hospitalizations due to AHF, or all-cause mortality. Outcomes were adjusted for baseline and AHF episode characteristics.Of 5,757 patients included, the median age was 84years (IQR 77-88); 57% were women, and 3,759 (65.3%) had an AHF hospitalization in the previous 12months. The 12-month mortality was 37% (41.7% vs. 28.3% p < 0.001), hospital admission was 76.1% (78.8% vs. 71.1% p < 0.001) ACE was 60.2% (65.1% vs. 50.5% p < 0.001). In the adjusted analysis, patients with AHF hospitalization in the prior 12months had a higher mortality (HR = 1.41; 95% CI 1.27-1.56), 90-day ACE rate (HR = 1.45: 95% CI 1.32-1.59), and more hospital admissions (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.16-1.51), with shorter times since the previous hospitalization being related to the outcomes analyzed. One-year mortality, adverse events at 90days, and readmission rates are increased in ED AHF patients previously admitted within the last 12months.

Sacubitril/Valsartan in Patients Hospitalized With Decompensated Heart Failure

BackgroundThe efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan in patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF) across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) has not been described. ObjectivesData from randomized trials of sacubitril/valsartan in HF patients with EF ≤40% (PIONEER-HF [Comparison of Sacubitril/Valsartan Versus Enalapril on Effect of NT-proBNP in Patients Stabilized From an Acute Heart Failure Episode] trial) and >40% (PARAGLIDE-HF [Prospective comparison of ARNI with ARB Given following stabiLization In DEcompensated HFpEF] trial) following recent worsening heart failure (WHF) were pooled to examine treatment effect across the EF spectrum. MethodsThe PIONEER-HF and PARAGLIDE-HF trials were double-blind, randomized trials of sacubitril/valsartan vs control therapy (enalapril or valsartan, respectively). All participants in the PIONEER-HF trial and 69.5% in the PARAGLIDE-HF trial were enrolled during hospitalization for HF after stabilization. The remainder in the PARAGLIDE-HF trial were enrolled ≤30 days after a WHF event. The primary endpoint of both trials was time-averaged proportional change in N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) from baseline through weeks 4 and 8. Adjudicated clinical endpoints were analyzed through the end of follow-up, adjusting for trial. ResultsThe pooled analysis included 1,347 patients (881 from PIONEER-HF, 466 from PARAGLIDE-HF). Baseline characteristics included median age 66 years, 36% women, 31% Black, 34% de novo HF, and median EF 30%. The reduction in NT-proBNP was 24% greater with sacubitril/valsartan vs control therapy (n = 1,130; ratio of change = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69-0.83; P < 0.0001). Cardiovascular death or hospitalization for HF was reduced by 30% with sacubitril/valsartan vs control therapy (HR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.54-0.91; P = 0.0077). This effect was consistent across the spectrum of EF ≤60%. Sacubitril/valsartan increased symptomatic hypotension (risk ratio: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.05-1.72). ConclusionsIn patients stabilized after WHF, sacubitril/valsartan led to a greater reduction in plasma NT-proBNP and improved clinical outcome compared with control therapy, in particular across the spectrum of EF ≤60%. (Comparison of Sacubitril/Valsartan Versus Enalapril on Effect of NT-proBNP in Patients Stabilized From an Acute Heart Failure Episode [PIONEER-HF]; NCT02554890; Changes in NT-proBNP, Safety, and Tolerability in HFpEF Patients With a WHF Event [HFpEF Decompensation] Who Have Been Stabilized and Initiated at the Time of or Within 30 Days Post-decompensation [PARAGLIDE-HF]; NCT03988634)

In-hospital prognostic value of TAPSE/sPAP in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure.

Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion over systolic pulmonary artery pressure (TAPSE/sPAP) assessed by echocardiography appears to be a good non-invasive approach for right ventricular to pulmonary artery coupling assessment. We aimed to assess the in-hospital prognostic value of TAPSE/sPAP among patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF). In total, 333 consecutive patients (mean age 68 ± 14 years, 70% of male, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 44 ± 16%) were hospitalized for AHF across 39 French cardiology departments, with TAPSE/sPAP measured by echocardiography within the first 24 h of hospitalization were included in this prospective study. The primary outcome was in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) defined as all-cause death, resuscitated cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock and occurred in 50 (15%) patients. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the best TAPSE/sPAP threshold for in-hospital MACEs was 0.40 mm/mmHg. TAPSE/sPAP < 0.40 mm/mmHg was independently associated with in-hospital MACEs, even after adjustment with comorbidities [odds ratio (OR): 3.75, 95% CI (1.87-7.93), P < 0.001], clinical severity [OR: 2.80, 95% CI (1.36-5.95), P = 0.006]. Using a 1:1 propensity-matched population, TAPSE/sPAP ratio < 0.40 was associated with a higher rate of in-hospital MACEs [OR: 2.98, 95% CI (1.53-6.12), P = 0.002]. After adjustment, TAPSE/sPAP < 0.40 showed the best improvement in model discrimination and reclassification above traditional prognostic factors (C-statistic improvement: 0.05; χ2 improvement: 14.4; likelihood-ratio test P < 0.001). These results were consistent in an external validation cohort of 133 patients. TAPSE/sPAP < 0.40 mm/mmHg assessed by an early echocardiography during an AHF episode is independently associated with in-hospital MACEs suggesting enhanced close monitoring and strengthened heart failure-specific care in these patients. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05063097.

Decongestion in Acute Heart Failure-Time to Rethink and Standardize Current Clinical Practice?

Most episodes of acute heart failure (AHF) are characterized by increasing signs and symptoms of congestion, manifested by edema, pleura effusion and/or ascites. Immediately and repeatedly administered intravenous (IV) loop diuretics currently represent the mainstay of initial therapy aiming to achieve adequate diuresis/natriuresis and euvolemia. Despite these efforts, a significant proportion of patients have residual congestion at discharge, which is associated with a poor prognosis. Therefore, a standardized approach is needed. The door to diuretic time should not exceed 60 min. As a general rule, the starting IV dose is 20-40 mg furosemide equivalents in loop diuretic naïve patients or double the preexisting oral home dose to be administered via IV. Monitoring responses within the following first hours are key issues. (1) After 2 h, spot urinary sodium should be ≥50-70 mmol/L. (2) After 6 h, the urine output should be ≥100-150 mL/hour. If these target measures are not reached, the guidelines currently recommend a doubling of the original dose to a maximum of 400-600 mg furosemide per day and in patients with severely impaired kidney function up to 1000 mg per day. Continuous infusion of loop diuretics offers no benefit over intermittent boluses (DOSE trial). Emerging evidence by recent randomized trials (ADVOR, CLOROTIC) supports the concept of an early combination diuretic therapy, by adding either acetazolamide (500 mg IV once daily) or hydrochlorothiazide. Acetazolamide is particularly useful in the presence of a baseline bicarbonate level of ≥27 mmol/L and remains effective in the presence of preexisting/worsening renal dysfunction but should be used only in the first three days to prevent severe metabolic disturbances. Patients should not leave the hospital when they are still congested and/or before optimized long-term guideline-directed medical therapy has been initiated. Special attention should be paid to AHF patients during the vulnerable post-discharge period, with an early follow-up visit focusing on up-titrate treatments of recommended doses within 2 weeks (STRONG-HF).

The beneficial effects of adherence to outpatient telecare intervention on clinical outcomes after an episode of acute heart failure: insights from the prospective randomised controlled AMULET trial

Abstract Background The prevention of hospitalisations and deaths is a major therapeutic aim in patients with heart failure (HF). In our previously published prospective randomised controlled trial, we demonstrated that an outpatient intervention comprising nurse-led non-invasive assessments, telemedicine support and remote cardiologist decision-making (AMULET telecare) reduced the risk of HF hospitalisation or cardiovascular death by 31% during the 12-month follow-up in HF patients after an episode of acute HF. Purpose To present the results of the prespecified per-protocol analysis of the AMULET trial that reveal the impact of AMULET telecare adherence on the prognosis of patients. Methods Patients with HF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤49% and who experienced an episode of acute HF in the past 6 months were randomly assigned to receive either AMULET telecare (n=298) or standard care (n=305). Those who completed the predefined schedule of AMULET telecare (n=190) and all standard care patients were included in the per-protocol population. Results In this per-protocol analysis, when compared to standard care, the implementation of AMULET telecare reduced the risk of the primary outcome, a composite of unplanned HF hospitalisation or cardiovascular death (by 51%), and the following secondary outcomes: first unplanned HF hospitalisation, first unplanned cardiovascular hospitalisation, first all-cause unplanned hospitalisation, total unplanned HF hospitalisations and the number of days lost due to HF hospitalisations or death. There was no statistically significant difference in cardiovascular mortality, mortality due to HF and overall mortality between the study groups (Table). Conclusions Adherence to AMULET telecare enhances the positive effects of this intervention on the prognosis of HF patients with an LVEF≤49% after an episode of acute HF.

Acute Heart Failure Is a Malignant Process: But We Can Induce Remission.

Acute heart failure is a common and increasingly prevalent condition, affecting >10 million people annually. For those patients who survive to discharge, early readmissions and death rates are >30% everywhere on the planet, making it a malignant condition. Beyond these adverse outcomes, it represents one of the largest drivers of health care costs globally. Studies in the past 2 years have demonstrated that we can induce remissions in this malignant process if therapy is instituted rapidly, at the first acute heart failure episode, using full doses of all available effective medications. Multiple studies have demonstrated that this goal can be achieved safely and effectively. Now the urgent call is for all stakeholders, patients, physicians, payers, politicians, and the public at large to come together to address the gaps in implementation and enable health care providers to induce durable remissions in patients with acute heart failure.

Timing of decongestion and its impact on acute heart failure prognosis.

The risk of unfavourable outcomes after an acute heart failure (AHF) episode remains high. Effective decongestion, reflected by haemoconcentration (HC), may guide therapy. Optimal timing of HC remains unspecified. We analysed the AHF registry to evaluate the prognostic differences of various timing of HC. Subjects were divided into 3 groups by time of reaching HC. The groups differed in terms of 1-year occurrence of a composite of the mortality and AHF hospitalization (26% vs. 46% vs. 40%, early vs. late vs. no HC, p = 0.016). Patients reaching HC earlier seem to present the best prognosis regarding the analysed composite endpoint.

Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose for iron repletion following acute heart failure in patients with and without diabetes: a subgroup analysis of the randomized AFFIRM-AHF trial.

In AFFIRM-AHF, treatment of iron deficiency with intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) reduced the risk of heart failure (HF) hospitalization and improved quality of life (QoL) vs placebo in patients stabilized following an acute HF (AHF) episode, with no effect on cardiovascular (CV) death. Diabetes and iron deficiency frequently accompany AHF. This post hoc analysis explored the effects of diabetes on outcomes in AFFIRM-AHF patients. Patients were stratified by diabetes yes/no at baseline. The effects of FCM vs placebo on primary (total HF hospitalizations and CV death) and secondary (total CV hospitalizations and CV death; CV death; total HF hospitalizations; time to first HF hospitalization or CV death; and days lost due to HF hospitalizations or CV death) endpoints at Week 52 and change vs baseline in disease-specific QoL (12-item Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire [KCCQ-12]) at Week 24 were assessed by subgroup. For each endpoint, the interaction between diabetes status and treatment outcome was explored. Of 1108 AFFIRM-AHF patients, 475 (FCM: 231; placebo: 244) had diabetes and 633 (FCM:327; placebo: 306) did not have diabetes. Patients with diabetes were more commonly male (61.5% vs 50.9%), with a higher frequency of ischemic HF etiology (57.9% vs 39.0%), prior HF history (77.7% vs 66.5%), and comorbidities (including previous myocardial infarction [49.3% vs 32.9%] and chronic kidney disease [51.4% vs 32.4%]) than those without diabetes. The annualized event rate/100patient-years with FCM vs placebo for the primary endpoint was 66.9 vs 80.9 in patients with diabetes (rate ratio [RR]: 0.83, 95% CI 0.58-1.81) and 51.3 vs 66.9 in patients without diabetes (RR:0.77, 95% CI 0.55-1.07), with no significant interaction between diabetes status and treatment effect (pinteraction = 0.76). Similar findings were observed for secondary outcomes. Change from baseline in KCCQ-12 overall summary score was numerically greater with FCM vs placebo at almost all time points in both subgroups, with no interaction between diabetes and treatment effect at Week 24. The clinical and QoL benefits observed with intravenous FCM in patients with iron deficiency following stabilization from an AHF episode are independent of diabetes status. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02937454 (registered 10.18.2016).

Association of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors with post-discharge outcomes in patients with acute heart failure with type 2 diabetes: a cohort study

BackgroundGiven the cumulative evidence on the effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) on chronic heart failure, demand is emerging for further information on their effects in patients who are hospitalized for acute heart failure. However, there is still limited evidence about the class effect of SGLT2is on acute heart failure. We investigated whether initiating treatment with SGLT2is after an episode of acute heart failure reduces the risks of post-discharge heart failure readmission or cardiovascular mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted in a cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes who hospitalized for heart failure, using Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment database (2015–2020). The exposure was defined as initiation of SGLT2is during hospitalization or at discharge. We assessed hazards of post-discharge heart failure readmission and cardiovascular death at 1-year, and 30-, 60-, and 90-day from the date of discharge in the SGLT2is users and non-users. Cox proportional hazards models with propensity score-based inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsAmong 56,343 patients with type 2 diabetes hospitalized for heart failure, 29,290 patients were included in the study cohort (mean [SD] age, 74.1 [10.8] years; 56.1% women); 818 patients (2.8%) were prescribed SGLT2is during index hospitalization or at discharge. Patients with a prescription for SGLT2i vs. those without prescription had lower rates of heart failure readmission or cardiovascular death at 1 year (22.4% vs. 25.3%; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.90 [95% confidence interval, 0.87–0.93]), and also at 30 days (7.0% vs. 7.7%%; 0.74 [0.69–0.79]).ConclusionsAmong patients with type 2 diabetes, initiating SGLT2i treatment after an episode of acute heart failure was significantly associated with a reduced combined risk of heart failure readmission and cardiovascular mortality in a nationwide cohort reflecting routine clinical practice.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in heart failure: Potential decongestive mechanisms and current clinical studies.

Congestion is a key pathophysiological feature of heart failure (HF) syndrome that drives most of the clinical manifestations of acute HF and is related with poor quality of life and outcomes. Therefore, safe and effective decongestion is an important therapeutic target in the management of acute HF and despite the use of guideline-recommended loop diuretics, adequate decongestion is not always achieved in patients with acute HF. Recently, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors have been shown to provide clinical benefits across a broad spectrum of patients with HF, including consistent reduction in the risk of acute HF episodes. While the exact mechanisms underlying these benefits remain a matter of debate, a growing body of evidence suggests that effective decongestion may be partly responsible, especially in the setting of acute HF. In this review, we discuss the potential decongestive mechanisms of SGLT-2 inhibitors, such as osmotic diuresis, natriuresis, preservation of glomerular filtration and facilitation of interstitial drainage, which can collectively translate into effective and safe decongestion. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive review of up-to-date clinical data of SGLT-2 inhibitor use in the acute HF population.

P358 FATAL CONSPIRACY: MIDVENTRICULAR OBSTRUCTIVE HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY COMPLICATED BY GIANT APICAL ANEURYSM AND SEVERE MITRAL REGURGITATION

Abstract This case refers to a 69–year–old woman with a history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with severe mid–ventricular obstruction complicated by apical aneurysm and restrictive phenotype. This patient had no left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and previous examinations showed moderate mitral regurgitation (MR) with suboptimal echocardiographic follow–up. ICD was previously implanted for primary prevention. Disease progression was complicated by episodes of acute heart failure (HF) caused by atrial fibrillation/tachycardia (AF or AT) with rapid ventricular response despite pharmacological therapy and a transcatheter ablation attempt. The patient was admitted to our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit with acute pulmonary oedema and extreme general frailty. EKG showed normal sinus rhythm alternating with AT with high ventricular rate. Transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiograms gave evidence of severe hypertrophy of left ventricular (LV) mid–cavity segments (mid IVS = 26 mm) with mid–ventricular systolic obliteration (with no more evidence of significant gradient) and a large apical aneurysm (37x35 mm) resulting in an “hourglass” shaped LV cavity (Figure 1). In addition the examinations highlighted systolic dysfunction with severe stroke volume reduction and severe MR caused by annulus dilatation with anterior jet direction due to leaflets abnormal coaptation (Figure 2). HF was multifactorial, caused not only by MR and atrial tachyarrhythmias but also due to the abnormal large apical aneurysm and the small left ventricular chamber with low compliance. The anatomical features obtained from TEE and cardiac CT (Figure 3) were analyzed by the Heart Team. Surgery with aneurysmectomy and mitral valve repair or replacement was excluded due to patient‘s frailty. Despite the suboptimal valve and LV chamber anatomy, percutaneous mitral valve repair with MitraClip was considered but also deferred owing to the unstable hemodynamic conditions. Further hemodynamic deterioration led to the patient’s exitus. Discussion HCM with mid–ventricular obstruction may be complicated by apical aneurysm. Large apical aneurysms can reduce LV contractile efficiency and the combination with severe MR can cause further loss of anterograde cardiac output leading to a progressive and fatal deterioration. A better outcome can only be achieved through careful follow–up and early detection and management of disease complications.

Clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of acute heart failure patients over 65 years of age (analysis from the OP-AHF registry)

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by a grant from the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Poland. Introduction Acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the most common causes of hospitalizations and deaths in the developed countries. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases and the increase of life expectancy have resulted in the fact that we are increasingly hospitalizing elderly patients, often with multi-diseases, which is a significant challenge for health care. Purpose The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of patients with AHF over 65 years of age compared to the younger ones. Methods As part of the prospective Acute Heart Failure Registry (OP-AHF), data from 122 patients hospitalized in ICCU were collected from June 2019. Inclusion criteria were hospitalization for AHF and the use of at least one of: intravenous diuretics, catecholamines or mechanical circulatory support. All patients were then followed for 12 months. Results Patients older than 65 years constituted 64% of patients with AHF (78 out of 122 people). Compared to younger ones, they were more often males (36% vs 14%, p = 0.01), smokers (85% vs 55%, p &amp;lt;0.01) and had a significantly lower BMI (29 vs 32 kg / m2, p = 0.02). Older patients had more often history of renal failure (54% vs 44%, p &amp;lt;0.01), diabetes (58% vs 42%, p = 0.07) and arterial hypertension (47% vs 53%), p = 0, 02). Dyspnea was the dominant symptom in both groups (79% vs 94%, p = 0.04). Left ventricular ejection fraction LVEF was insignificantly lower in the elderly (40% vs 44%, p = 0.18). In both groups, NTpro-BNP was increased on admission (9722 vs 8221 pg / ml, p = 0.08) and then decreased on discharge (8057 vs 5377 pg / ml, p = 0.11). Significantly lower hemoglobin values were noted on admission in the group of patients over 65 years of age (12.5 vs 13.8 g%, p &amp;lt;0.01). Elderly patients had higher 12-month mortality (29% vs 14% in younger patients, p = 0.06; HR = 2.34 [95% CI = 0.95-5.76]; adjusted for age, sex, LVEF and NTpro-BNP HR = 2.64 [0.99-7.01], p = 0.05. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of rehospitalizations within 12 months after hospital discharge (27% in both groups, corrected HR = 0.95 [0.45-1.99]). Conclusions Elderly patients &amp;gt;65 years of age have higher risk of death within 12 months after an episode of acute heart failure than younger ones. However, despite greater burden of comorbidities, they are not more often rehospitalized due to cardiovascular reasons. Fig. Actual and adjusted for age, sex, LVEF and NT-pro BNP 12- month survival of patient over 65 years of age

COVID-19 incidence and vaccination against SARS-Cov-2, influenza, and pneumococcal disease in patients with heart failure

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction The risk of a severe course of COVID-19 infection increases with age and body weight, is higher in men and in the chronically ill. Patients with cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure (HF), are at risk of severe (various) infections with a higher risk of complications leading to death. The current guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology recommend prophylactic vaccinations in this group of patients against both SARS-COV-2 and other pathogens. Purpose The aim of the study was to analyze the vaccination coverage against pneumococcus, influenza and COVID-19, as well as to assess the incidence and course of COVID-19 infections in the population of patients with HF hospitalized after an episode of acute heart failure (AHF) between 03.2021 and 03.2022. Methods As a part of the prospective Acute Heart Failure Registry (OP-AHF), in the period from 06.2019, data were obtained from 122 patients hospitalized in the ICCU. Inclusion criteria were hospitalization for AHF and the need to use at least one of: intravenous diuretics, catecholamines or mechanical circulatory support. Data on vaccinations against COVID-19 (a/C19), influenza (a/I) and pneumococcus (a/P), as well as COVID-19 incidence, were collected in a 12-month follow-up from 90 patients. Results COVID-19 infection occurred in 27% of patients (24 of 90 patients). In the studied population, fewer cases of the disease occurred in patients over 65 years of age compared to the younger ones (20% vs 36%, p = 0.08) and a significant proportion of them were male (96% vs 4% women).Among patients with a history of COVID-19 infection [C19(+)] compared to patients without infection [C19(-)], slightly more patients were active smokers (42% vs 39%, p = 0.85), more had diabetes (42% vs 27%, p = 0.19) and hypertriglyceridemia (25% vs 8%, p = 0.03). Patients C19(+) had a higher BMI (34 vs 29 in C19(-), p = 0.01) and lower left ventricle ejection fraction at discharge (33 vs 40, p = 0.18). The most common etiologies of HF in C19(+) patients were ischemic (10 of 24 patients, 42%) and valvular (10 of 24 patients, 42%). The vaccination coverage a/C19 in the whole group of patients was 69% (62 out of 90), of which a higher percentage of vaccinations was in patients over 65 years of age (75% vs 62%, p = 0.19). The a/I vaccination rate was 11%, with a slightly lower percentage in patients over 65 years of age (10% vs 13%, p = 0.65). Among the studied patients, 58% (52 of 90) were vaccinated with both a/C19 and a/I. However, all patients vaccinated a/I were also vaccinated a/C19. None of the examined patients was vaccinated a/P. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic and the widely available information on cardiovascular complications resulted in an increase in vaccination among a group of patients at high risk for complications. However, there is still unsufficient awareness of the need for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination as a prevention of serious post-infection complications.

Clinical Pathways Guided by Remotely Monitoring Cardiac Device Data: The Future of Device Heart Failure Management?

Research examining the utility of cardiac device data to manage patients with heart failure (HF) is rapidly evolving. COVID-19 has reignited interest in remote monitoring, with manufacturers each developing and testing new ways to detect acute HF episodes, risk stratify patients and support self-care. As standalone diagnostic tools, individual physiological metrics and algorithm-based systems have demonstrated utility in predicting future events, but the integration of remote monitoring data with existing clinical care pathways for device HF patients is not well described. This narrative review provides an overview of device-based HF diagnostics available to care providers in the UK, and describes the current state of play with regard to how these systems fit in with current HF management.

Sacubitril-valsartan versus enalapril for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure in Chinese settings: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: The episode of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the main cause of hospitalization for heart failure (HF). Sacubitril-valsartan has been proven to be effective in reducing the risks of hospitalization for HF in ADHF. When to initiate sacubitril-valsartan in ADHF to make it the most cost-effective in China remains unclear. Methods: A lifetime Markov model with a 1-month cycle length was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of early or late initiation of sacubitril-valsartan versus enalapril in ADHF. Early initiation of sacubitril-valsartan meant that it was initiated after stabilization from ADHF, and late initiation of sacubitril-valsartan meant that it was initiated after stabilization from HF, which includes no hospitalization for at least three consecutive months. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), expressed as the ratio of incremental cost to incremental effectiveness. The secondary outcomes were total costs and total effectiveness. Three times of per capita GDP of China in 2021 was set as the willingness-to-pay threshold. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were employed to test the robustness of the results. Results: The early initiation of sacubitril-valsartan treatment resulted in an ICER of 3,662.4 USD per quality-adjusted life year, lower than the willingness-to-pay threshold, and the late initiation of sacubitril-valsartan treatment gained an ICER of 4,444.4 USD/QALY, still lower than the willingness-to-pay threshold. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that our results were robust, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested that early initiation of sacubitril-valsartan in ADHF was cost-effective under a 97.4% circumstance. Conclusion: Early initiation of sacubitril-valsartan after stabilization of ADHF is highly cost-effective compared with the use of enalapril; late initiation of sacubitril-valsartan after stabilization of HF is still cost-effective but not as cost-effective as early initiation of sacubitril-valsartan in ADHF. For Chinese ADHF patients, the time to initiate sacubitril-valsartan should be when the patient is stabilized from ADHF rather than when stabilized from HF, from the perspective of economic evaluation.

Emergency department direct discharge compared to short-stay unit admission for selected patients with acute heart failure: analysis of short-term outcomes

Short stay unit (SSU) is an alternative to conventional hospitalization in patients with acute heart failure (AHF), but the prognosis is not known compared to direct discharge from the emergency department (ED). To determine whether direct discharge from the ED of patients diagnosed with AHF is associated with early adverse outcomes versus hospitalization in SSU. Endpoints, defined as 30-day all-cause mortality or post-discharge adverse events, were evaluated in patients diagnosed with AHF in 17 Spanish EDs with an SSU, and compared by ED discharge vs. SSU hospitalization. Endpoint risk was adjusted for baseline and AHF episode characteristics and in patients matched by propensity score (PS) for SSU hospitalization. Overall, 2358 patients were discharged home and 2003 were hospitalized in SSUs. Discharged patients were younger, more frequently men, with fewer comorbidities, had better baseline status, less infection, rapid atrial fibrillation and hypertensive emergency as the AHF trigger, and had a lower severity of AHF episode. While their 30-day mortality rate was lower than in patients hospitalized in SSU (4.4% vs. 8.1%, p < 0.001), 30-day post-discharge adverse events were similar (27.2% vs. 28.4%, p = 0.599). After adjustment, there were no differences in the 30-day risk of mortality of discharged patients (adjusted HR 0.846, 95% CI 0.637–1.107) or adverse events (1.035, 0.914–1.173). In 337 pairs of PS-matched patients, there were no differences in mortality or risk of adverse event between patients directly discharged or admitted to an SSU (0.753, 0.409–1.397; and 0.858, 0.645–1.142; respectively). Direct ED discharge of patients diagnosed with AHF provides similar outcomes compared to patients with similar characteristics and hospitalized in a SSU.

Hospital development of heart failure follow-up units and short-term prognosis after acute decompensation in Spain

ObjectiveTo investigate whether the existence of heart failure units (HFU) and link nurse units (LNU) in the hospital improve short-term outcomes of acute heart failure (AHF) episodes. MethodsPatients with AHF diagnosed in 45 Spanish emergency departments were analysed according to whether the hospital had a complete development of follow-up units (HFU + LNU), partial (HFU or LNU) or none. The outcomes were: 30-day mortality, hospitalization, in-hospital mortality, >7 days admission, and adverse event (death, rehospitalisation, or reconsultation to the emergency department) at 30 days post-discharge. Outcomes were adjusted for baseline and AHF episode characteristics. Results19,947 patients were included, median age was 82 years (IQR 76‐–87), women were 55%. It was 20% of patients attended in hospitals with null development, 28% with partial development and 52% with complete development. Mortality at 30 days was 10.1% (null/partial/complete development: 10.5%/9.5%/10.4%; p=0.880), hospitalization 74.6% (72.7%/72.7%/75.7%; p<0.001), in-hospital mortality 7.4% (7.6%/7.0%/7.5%; p=0.995), prolonged hospitalization 47.4% (51.1%/52.4%/43.5%; p<0.001) and adverse events 30 days post-hospitalization 30.3% (36.2%/28.9%/30.3%; p < 0.001). In the adjusted analysis, hospital with complete development of follow-up units was not associated with mortality, but with increased hospitalization (OR= 1.172; 95%CI 1.069–1.285) and lower prolonged hospitalization (OR = 0.725; 95%CI 0.660–0.797) and adverse events at 30 days post-discharge (OR=0.831; 95%CI 0.755–0.916). Partial development was only associated with decreased post-discharge adverse events (OR= 0.782; 95%CI 0.702-0.871). ConclusionThe development of follow-up units is not associated with 30-day mortality, but is associated with less prolonged hospitalization and fewer post-discharge adverse events in patients with AHF.