@article{KerwagenRiemerWachteretal.2023,
  author    = {Kerwagen, Fabian and Riemer, Uwe and Wachter, Rolf and von Haehling, Stephan and Abdin, Amr and B{\"o}hm, Michael and Schulz, Martin and St{\"o}rk, Stefan},
  title     = {Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on implementation of novel guideline-directed medical therapies for heart failure in Germany: a nationwide retrospective analysis},
  series = {The Lancet Regional Health - Europe},
  volume    = {35},
  journal   = {The Lancet Regional Health - Europe},
  issn      = {2666-7762},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100778},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-350510},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Background Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is the cornerstone in the treatment of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and novel substances such as sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have demonstrated marked clinical benefits. We investigated their implementation into real-world HF care in Germany before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods The IQVIA LRx data set is based on ∼80\% of 73 million people covered by the German statutory health insurance. Prescriptions of S/V were used as a proxy for HFrEF. Time trends were analysed between Q1/2016 and Q2/2023 for prescriptions for S/V alone and in combination therapy with SGLT2i. Findings The number of patients treated with S/V increased from 5260 in Q1/2016 to 351,262 in Q2/2023. The share of patients with combination therapy grew from 0.6\% (29 of 5260) to 14.2\% (31,128 of 219,762) in Q2/2021, and then showed a steep surge up to 54.8\% (192,429 of 351,262) in Q2/2023, coinciding with the release of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for HF in Q3/2021. Women and patients aged >80 years were treated less often with combined therapy than men and younger patients. With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients with new S/V prescriptions dropped by 17.5\% within one quarter, i.e., from 26,855 in Q1/2020 to 22,145 in Q2/2020, and returned to pre-pandemic levels only in Q1/2021. Interpretation The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a 12-month deceleration of S/V uptake in Germany. Following the release of the ESC HF guidelines, the combined prescription of S/V and SGLT2i was readily adopted. Further efforts are needed to fully implement GDMT and strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems during public health crises.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{JobsVontheinKoenigetal.2020,
  author    = {Jobs, Alexander and Vonthein, Reinhard and K{\"o}nig, Inke R. and Sch{\"a}fer, Jane and Nauck, Matthias and Haag, Svenja and Fichera, Carlo Federico and Stiermaier, Thomas and Ledwoch, Jakob and Schneider, Alisa and Valentova, Miroslava and von Haehling, Stephan and St{\"o}rk, Stefan and Westermann, Dirk and Lenz, Tobias and Arnold, Natalie and Edelmann, Frank and Seppelt, Philipp and Felix, Stephan and Lutz, Matthias and Hedwig, Felix and Borggrefe, Martin and Scherer, Clemens and Desch, Steffen and Thiele, Holger},
  title     = {Inferior vena cava ultrasound in acute decompensated heart failure: design rationale of the CAVA-ADHF-DZHK10 trial},
  series = {ESC Heart Failure},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {ESC Heart Failure},
  number    = {3},
  doi       = {10.1002/ehf2.12598},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-212692},
  pages     = {973 -- 983},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Aims Treating patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) presenting with volume overload is a common task. However, optimal guidance of decongesting therapy and treatment targets are not well defined. The inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and its collapsibility can be used to estimate right atrial pressure, which is a measure of right-sided haemodynamic congestion. The CAVA-ADHF-DZHK10 trial is designed to test the hypothesis that ultrasound assessment of the IVC in addition to clinical assessment improves decongestion as compared with clinical assessment alone. Methods and results CAVA-ADHF-DZHK10 is a randomized, controlled, patient-blinded, multicentre, parallel-group trial randomly assigning 388 patients with ADHF to either decongesting therapy guided by ultrasound assessment of the IVC in addition to clinical assessment or clinical assessment alone. IVC ultrasound will be performed daily between baseline and hospital discharge in all patients. However, ultrasound results will only be reported to treating physicians in the intervention group. Treatment target is relief of congestion-related signs and symptoms in both groups with the additional goal to reduce the IVC diameter ≤21 mm and increase IVC collapsibility >50\% in the intervention group. The primary endpoint is change in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide from baseline to hospital discharge. Secondary endpoints evaluate feasibility, efficacy of decongestion on other scales, and the impact of the intervention on clinical endpoints. Conclusions CAVA-ADHF-DZHK10 will investigate whether IVC ultrasound supplementing clinical assessment improves decongestion in patients admitted for ADHF.},
  language  = {en}
}