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Background:
To assess heart failure therapies in diabetic patients with preserved as compared to impaired systolic ventricular function.
Methods:
3304 patients with heart failure from 9 different studies were included (mean age 63 +/- 14 years); out of these, 711 subjects had preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (>= 50%) and 994 patients in the whole cohort suffered from diabetes.
Results:
The majority (>90%) of heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (SHF) and diabetes were treated with an ACE inhibitor (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or with beta-blockers. By contrast, patients with diabetes and preserved ejection fraction (HFNEF) were less likely to receive these substance classes (p < 0.001) and had a worse blood pressure control (p < 0.001). In comparison to patients without diabetes, the probability to receive these therapies was increased in diabetic HFNEF patients (p < 0.001), but not in diabetic SHF patients. Aldosterone receptor blockers were given more often to diabetic patients with reduced ejection fraction (p < 0.001), and the presence and severity of diabetes decreased the probability to receive this substance class, irrespective of renal function.
Conclusions:
Diabetic patients with HFNEF received less heart failure medication and showed a poorer control of blood pressure as compared to diabetic patients with SHF. SHF patients with diabetes were less likely to receive aldosterone receptor blocker therapy, irrespective of renal function.
Background: The Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) defines COPD as a fixed postbronchodilator ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) below 0.7. Agedependent cut-off values below the lower fifth percentile (LLN) of this ratio derived from the general population have been proposed as an alternative. We wanted to assess the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic capability of the GOLD and LLN definition when compared to an expert-based diagnosis. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, 405 patients aged ≥ 65 years with a general practitioner’s diagnosis of COPD were recruited and followed up for 4.5 (median; quartiles 3.9; 5.1) years. Prevalence rates of COPD according to GOLD and three LLN definitions and diagnostic performance measurements were calculated. The reference standard was the diagnosis of COPD of an expert panel that used all available diagnostic information, including spirometry and bodyplethysmography. Results: Compared to the expert panel diagnosis, ‘GOLD-COPD’ misclassified 69 (28%) patients, and the three LLNs misclassified 114 (46%), 96 (39%), and 98 (40%) patients, respectively. The GOLD classification led to more false positives, the LLNs to more false negative diagnoses. The main predictors beyond the FEV1/FVC ratio for an expert diagnosis of COPD were the FEV1 % predicted, and the residual volume/total lung capacity ratio (RV/TLC). Adding FEV1 and RV/TLC to GOLD or LLN improved the diagnostic accuracy, resulting in a significant reduction of up to 50% of the number of misdiagnoses. The expert diagnosis of COPD better predicts exacerbations, hospitalizations and mortality than GOLD or LLN. Conclusions: GOLD criteria over-diagnose COPD, while LLN definitions under-diagnose COPD in elderly patients as compared to an expert panel diagnosis. Incorporating FEV1 and RV/TLC into the GOLD-COPD or LLN-based definition brings both definitions closer to expert panel diagnosis of COPD, and to daily clinical practice.
Background: International disease management guidelines recommend the regular assessment of depression and anxiety in heart failure patients. Currently there is little data on the effect of screening for depression and anxiety on the quality of life and the prognosis of heart failure (HF). We will investigate the association between the recognition of current depression/anxiety by the general practitioner (GP) and the quality of life and the patients' prognosis.
Methods/Design: In this multicenter, prospective, observational study 3,950 patients with HF are recruited by general practices in Germany. The patients fill out questionnaires at baseline and 12-month follow-up. At baseline the GPs are interviewed regarding the somatic and psychological comorbidities of their patients. During the follow-up assessment, data on hospitalization and mortality are provided by the general practice. Based on baseline data, the patients are allocated into three observation groups: HF patients with depression and/or anxiety recognized by their GP (P+/+), those with depression and/or anxiety not recognized (P+/-) and patients without depression and/or anxiety (P-/-). We will perform multivariate regression models to investigate the influence of the recognition of depression and/or anxiety on quality of life at 12 month follow-up, as well as its influences on the prognosis (hospital admission, mortality).
Discussion: We will display the frequency of GP-acknowledged depression and anxiety and the frequency of installed therapeutic strategies. We will also describe the frequency of depression and anxiety missed by the GP and the resulting treatment gap. Effects of correctly acknowledged and missed depression/anxiety on outcome, also in comparison to the outcome of subjects without depression/anxiety will be addressed. In case results suggest a treatment gap of depression/anxiety in patients with HF, the results of this study will provide methodological advice for the efficient planning of further interventional research.
Objectives
The aim of this study was to explore the left ventricular (LV) deformation changes and the potential impact of deformation on outcome in patients with proven light-chain (AL) amyloidosis and LV hypertrophy.
Background
Cardiac involvement in AL amyloidosis patients is associated with poor outcome. Detecting regional cardiac function by advanced non-invasive techniques might be favorable for predicting outcome.
Methods
LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial peak systolic strains (Ssys) were assessed by speckle tracking imaging (STI) in 44 biopsy-proven systemic AL amyloidosis patients with LV hypertrophy (CA) and in 30 normal controls. Patients were divided into compensated (n = 18) and decompensated (n = 26) group based on clinical assessment and followed-up for a median period of 345 days.
Results
Ejection fraction (EF) was preserved while longitudinal Ssys (LSsys) was significantly reduced in both compensated and decompensated groups. Survival was significantly reduced in decompensated group (35% vs. compensated 78%, P = 0.001). LSsys were similar in apical segments and significantly reduced in basal segments between two patient groups. LSsys at mid-segments were significantly reduced in all LV walls of decompensated group. Patients were further divided into 4 subgroups according to the presence or absence of reduced LSsys in no (normal), only basal (mild), basal and mid (intermediate) and all segments of the septum (severe). This staging revealed continuously worse prognosis in proportion to increasing number of segments with reduced LSsys (mortality: normal 14%, mild 27%, intermediate 67%, and severe 64%). Mid-septum LSsys<11% suggested a 4.8-fold mortality risk than mid-septum LSsys≥11%. Multivariate regression analysis showed NYHA class and mid-septum LSsys were independent predictors for survival.
Conclusions
Reduced deformation at mid-septum is associated with worse prognosis in systemic amyloidosis patients with LV hypertrophy.
Objectives: Since diastolic abnormalities are typical findings of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), we hypothesized that speckle-tracking-imaging (STI) derived longitudinal early diastolic strain rate (LSRdias) could predict outcome in CA patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF >50%).
Background: Diastolic abnormalities including altered early filling are typical findings and are related to outcome in CA patients. Reduced longitudinal systolic strain (LSsys) assessed by STI predicts increased mortality in CA patients. It remains unknown if LSRdias also related to outcome in these patients.
Methods: Conventional echocardiography and STI were performed in 41 CA patients with preserved LVEF (25 male; mean age 65±9 years). Global and segmental LSsys and LSRdias were obtained in six LV segments from apical 4-chamber views.
Results: Nineteen (46%) out of 41 CA patients died during a median of 16 months (quartiles 5–35 months) follow-up. Baseline mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE, 6±2 vs. 8±3 mm), global LSRdias and basal-septal LSRdias were significantly lower in non-survivors than in survivors (all p<0.05). NYHA class, number of non-cardiac organs involved, MAPSE, mid-septal LSsys, global LSRdias, basal-septal LSRdias and E/LSRdias were the univariable predictors of all-cause death. Multivariable analysis showed that number of non-cardiac organs involved (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17–3.26, P = 0.010), global LSRdias (HR = 7.30, 95% CI 2.08–25.65, P = 0.002), and E/LSRdias (HR = 2.98, 95% CI 1.54–5.79, P = 0.001) remained independently predictive of increased mortality risk. The prognostic performance of global LSRdias was optimal at a cutoff value of 0.85 S−1 (sensitivity 68%, specificity 67%). Global LSRdias <0.85 S−1 predicted a 4-fold increased mortality in CA patients with preserved LVEF.
Conclusions: STI-derived early diastolic strain rate is a powerful independent predictor of survival in CA patients with preserved LVEF.
Background
Information extraction techniques that get structured representations out of unstructured data make a large amount of clinically relevant information about patients accessible for semantic applications. These methods typically rely on standardized terminologies that guide this process. Many languages and clinical domains, however, lack appropriate resources and tools, as well as evaluations of their applications, especially if detailed conceptualizations of the domain are required. For instance, German transthoracic echocardiography reports have not been targeted sufficiently before, despite of their importance for clinical trials. This work therefore aimed at development and evaluation of an information extraction component with a fine-grained terminology that enables to recognize almost all relevant information stated in German transthoracic echocardiography reports at the University Hospital of Würzburg.
Methods
A domain expert validated and iteratively refined an automatically inferred base terminology. The terminology was used by an ontology-driven information extraction system that outputs attribute value pairs. The final component has been mapped to the central elements of a standardized terminology, and it has been evaluated according to documents with different layouts.
Results
The final system achieved state-of-the-art precision (micro average.996) and recall (micro average.961) on 100 test documents that represent more than 90 % of all reports. In particular, principal aspects as defined in a standardized external terminology were recognized with f 1=.989 (micro average) and f 1=.963 (macro average). As a result of keyword matching and restraint concept extraction, the system obtained high precision also on unstructured or exceptionally short documents, and documents with uncommon layout.
Conclusions
The developed terminology and the proposed information extraction system allow to extract fine-grained information from German semi-structured transthoracic echocardiography reports with very high precision and high recall on the majority of documents at the University Hospital of Würzburg. Extracted results populate a clinical data warehouse which supports clinical research.
Background
The maximal expiratory flow at 50 % of the forced vital capacity (MEF50) is the flow where half of forced vital capacity (FVC) remains to be exhaled. A reduced MEF50 has been suggested as a surrogate marker of small airways disease. The diagnostic and prognostic utility of this easy to assess spirometric variable in persons with respiratory symptoms, but without COPD is unclear.
Methods
We used data from the UHFO-COPD cohort in which 405 community-dwelling persons aged 65 years or over, and a general practitioner’s diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) underwent pulmonary function testing and echocardiography. In total 161 patients had no COPD according to the spirometric GOLD criteria. We considered MEF50 as reduced if < 60 % of predicted.
Results
Of the 161 patients without COPD (mean age 72 ± 5.7 years; 35 % male; follow-up 4.5 ± 1.1 years), 61 (37.9 %) had a reduced MEF50. They were older, had more pack-years of smoking, more respiratory symptoms, and used more frequently inhaled medication than the remaining 100 subjects. A reduced MEF50 was nearly twice as often associated with newly detected heart failure (HF) at assessment (29.5 % vs. 15.6 %, p = 0.045). In age-and sex-adjusted Cox regression analysis, a reduced MEF50 was significantly associated with episodes of acute bronchitis (hazard ratio 2.54 95 % confidence interval (1.26; 5.13) P = 0.009), and in trend with pneumonia (2.14 (0.98; 4.69) P = 0.06) and hospitalizations for pulmonary reasons (2.28 (0.93; 5.62) P = 0.07).
Conclusions
In older community-dwelling persons with pulmonary symptoms but without COPD, a reduced MEF50 may help to uncover unrecognized HF, and identify those at a higher risk for episodes of acute bronchitis, pneumonia and hospitalizations for pulmonary reasons. Echocardiography and close follow-up should be considered in these patients.
Right ventricle (RV) dysfunction is a key outcome determinant and a leading cause of death for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). In this report, we followed the 5-year clinical journey of a patient with CTEPH. The tricuspid pressure gradient was significantly increased in the early phase of CTEPH and “normalized” at the late phase of this patient’s clinical journey, but this “normalized” gradient is not a positive treatment response but rather an ominous sign of advancing right heart failure owing to an exhaustion of RV contractile function. Thus, appropriate interpretation of the tricuspid pressure gradient change is of importance for assessing RV dysfunction and treatment outcome during follow-up in patients with CTEPH. Besides systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP), other RV functional parameters such as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, RV fractional area change, and RV longitudinal strain, together with clinical markers, may provide additional guidance regarding functional improvement or progression in patients with CTEPH.
Background
In spite of several research studies help to describe the heart in Fabry disease (FD), the cardiomyopathy is not entirely understood. In addition, the impact of blood pressure and alterations in geometry have not been systematically evaluated.
Methods
In 74 FD patients (mean age 36±12 years; 45 females) the extent of myocardial fibrosis and its progression were quantified using cardiac magnetic-resonance-imaging with late enhancement technique (LE). Results were compared to standard echocardiography complemented by 2D-speckle-tracking, 3D-sphericity-index (SI) and standardized blood pressure measurement. At baseline, no patient received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). After 51±24 months, a follow-up examination was performed.
Results
Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in patients with vs. without LE: 123±17 mmHg vs. 115±13 mmHg; P = 0.04. A positive correlation was found between SI and the amount of LE-positive myocardium (r = 0.51; P<0.001) indicating an association of higher SI in more advanced stages of the cardiomyopathy. SI at baseline was positively associated with the increase of LE-positive myocardium during follow-up. The highest SBP (125±19 mmHg) and also the highest SI (0.32±0.05) was found in the subgroup with a rapidly increasing LE (ie, ≥0.2% per year; n = 16; P = 0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis including SI, SBP, EF, left ventricular volumes, wall thickness and NT-proBNP adjusted for age and sex showed SI as the most powerful parameter to detect rapid progression of LE (AUC = 0.785; P<0.05).
Conclusions
LV geometry as assessed by the sphericity index is altered in relation to the stage of the Fabry cardiomyopathy. Although patients with FD are not hypertensive, the SBP has a clear impact on the progression of the cardiomyopathy.
Background:
Evidence that home telemonitoring for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) offers clinical benefit over usual care is controversial as is evidence of a health economic advantage.
Methods:
Between January 2010 and June 2013, patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CHF were enrolled and randomly assigned to 2 study groups comprising usual care with and without an interactive bi-directional remote monitoring system (Motiva\(^{®}\)). The primary endpoint in CardioBBEAT is the Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) established by the groups' difference in total cost and in the combined clinical endpoint "days alive and not in hospital nor inpatient care per potential days in study" within the follow-up of 12 months.
Results:
A total of 621 predominantly male patients were enrolled, whereof 302 patients were assigned to the intervention group and 319 to the control group. Ischemic cardiomyopathy was the leading cause of heart failure. Despite randomization, subjects of the control group were more often in NYHA functional class III-IV, and exhibited peripheral edema and renal dysfunction more often. Additionally, the control and intervention groups differed in heart rhythm disorders. No differences existed regarding risk factor profile, comorbidities, echocardiographic parameters, especially left ventricular and diastolic diameter and ejection fraction, as well as functional test results, medication and quality of life. While the observed baseline differences may well be a play of chance, they are of clinical relevance. Therefore, the statistical analysis plan was extended to include adjusted analyses with respect to the baseline imbalances.
Conclusions:
CardioBBEAT provides prospective outcome data on both, clinical and health economic impact of home telemonitoring in CHF. The study differs by the use of a high evidence level randomized controlled trial (RCT) design along with actual cost data obtained from health insurance companies. Its results are conducive to informed political and economic decision-making with regard to home telemonitoring solutions as an option for health care. Overall, it contributes to developing advanced health economic evaluation instruments to be deployed within the specific context of the German Health Care System.
High-Sensitivity Troponin: A Clinical Blood Biomarker for Staging Cardiomyopathy in Fabry Disease
(2016)
Background
High‐sensitivity troponin (hs‐TNT), a biomarker of myocardial damage, might be useful for assessing fibrosis in Fabry cardiomyopathy. We performed a prospective analysis of hs‐TNT as a biomarker for myocardial changes in Fabry patients and a retrospective longitudinal follow‐up study to assess longitudinal hs‐TNT changes relative to fibrosis and cardiomyopathy progression.
Methods and Results
For the prospective analysis, hs‐TNT from 75 consecutive patients with genetically confirmed Fabry disease was analyzed relative to typical Fabry‐associated echocardiographic findings and total myocardial fibrosis as measured by late gadolinium enhancement (LE) on magnetic resonance imaging. Longitudinal data (3.9±2.0 years), including hs‐TNT, LE, and echocardiographic findings from 58 Fabry patients, were retrospectively collected. Hs‐TNT level positively correlated with LE (linear correlation coefficient, 0.72; odds ratio, 32.81 [95% CI, 3.56–302.59]; P=0.002); patients with elevated baseline hs‐TNT (>14 ng/L) showed significantly increased LE (median: baseline, 1.9 [1.1–3.3] %; follow‐up, 3.2 [2.3–4.9] %; P<0.001) and slightly elevated hs‐TNT (baseline, 44.7 [30.1–65.3] ng/L; follow‐up, 49.1 [27.6–69.5] ng/L; P=0.116) during follow‐up. Left ventricular wall thickness and EF of patients with elevated hs‐TNT were decreased during follow‐up, indicating potential cardiomyopathy progression.
Conclusions
hs‐TNT is an accurate, easily accessible clinical blood biomarker for detecting replacement fibrosis in patients with Fabry disease and a qualified predictor of cardiomyopathy progression. Thus, hs‐TNT could be helpful for staging and follow‐up of Fabry patients.
Despite substantial advances in the imaging techniques and pathophysiological understanding over the last decades, identification of the underlying causes of left ventricular hypertrophy by means of echocardiographic examination remains a challenge in current clinical practice. The longitudinal strain bull’s eye plot derived from 2D speckle tracking imaging offers an intuitive visual overview of the global and regional left ventricular myocardial function in a single diagram. The bull’s eye mapping is clinically feasible and the plot patterns could provide clues to the etiology of cardiomyopathies. The present review summarizes the longitudinal strain, bull’s eye plot features in patients with various cardiomyopathies and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy and the bull’s eye plot features might serve as one of the cardiac workup steps on evaluating patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.
Proposals for enhanced health risk assessment and stratification in an integrated care scenario
(2016)
Objectives
Population-based health risk assessment and stratification are considered highly relevant for large-scale implementation of integrated care by facilitating services design and case identification. The principal objective of the study was to analyse five health-risk assessment strategies and health indicators used in the five regions participating in the Advancing Care Coordination and Telehealth Deployment (ACT) programme (http://www.act-programme.eu). The second purpose was to elaborate on strategies toward enhanced health risk predictive modelling in the clinical scenario.
Settings
The five ACT regions: Scotland (UK), Basque Country (ES), Catalonia (ES), Lombardy (I) and Groningen (NL).
Participants
Responsible teams for regional data management in the five ACT regions.
Primary and secondary outcome measures
We characterised and compared risk assessment strategies among ACT regions by analysing operational health risk predictive modelling tools for population-based stratification, as well as available health indicators at regional level. The analysis of the risk assessment tool deployed in Catalonia in 2015 (GMAs, Adjusted Morbidity Groups) was used as a basis to propose how population-based analytics could contribute to clinical risk prediction.
Results
There was consensus on the need for a population health approach to generate health risk predictive modelling. However, this strategy was fully in place only in two ACT regions: Basque Country and Catalonia. We found marked differences among regions in health risk predictive modelling tools and health indicators, and identified key factors constraining their comparability. The research proposes means to overcome current limitations and the use of population-based health risk prediction for enhanced clinical risk assessment.
Conclusions
The results indicate the need for further efforts to improve both comparability and flexibility of current population-based health risk predictive modelling approaches. Applicability and impact of the proposals for enhanced clinical risk assessment require prospective evaluation.
Patients in the early stage of hypertensive heart disease tend to have normal echocardiographic findings. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pathology-specific echocardiographic morphologic and functional parameters can help to detect subclinical hypertensive heart disease. One hundred ten consecutive patients without a history and medication for arterial hypertension (AH) or other cardiac diseases were enrolled. Standard echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking -imaging analysis were performed. Resting blood pressure (BP) measurement, cycle ergometer test (CET), and 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) were conducted. Patients were referred to "septal bulge (SB)" group (basal-septal wall thickness >= 2 mm thicker than mid-septal wall thickness) or "no-SB" group. Echocardiographic SB was found in 48 (43.6%) of 110 patients. In this SB group, 38 (79.2%) patients showed AH either by CET or ABPM. In contrast, in the no-SB group (n = 62), 59 (95.2%) patients had no positive test for AH by CET or ABPM. When AH was solely defined by resting BP, SB was a reasonable predictive sign for AH (sensitivity 73%, specificity 76%). However, when AH was confirmed by CET or ABPM the echocardiographic SB strongly predicted clinical AH (sensitivity 93%, specificity 86%). In addition, regional myocardial deformation of the basal-septum in SB group was significantly lower than in no-SB group (14 +/- 4% vs. 17 +/- 4%; P < .001). In conclusion, SB is a morphologic echocardiographic sign for early hypertensive heart disease. Sophisticated BP evaluation including resting BP, ABPM, and CET should be performed in all patients with an accidental finding of a SB in echocardiography.
Background:
Adherence to pharmacotherapeutic treatment guidelines in patients with heart failure (HF) is of major prognostic importance, but thorough implementation of guidelines in routine care remains insufficient. Our aim was to investigate prevalence and characteristics of HF in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), and to assess the adherence to current HF guidelines in patients with HF stage C, thus identifying potential targets for the optimization of guideline implementation.
Methods:
Patients from the German sample of the European Action on Secondary and Primary Prevention by Intervention to Reduce Events (EuroAspire) IV survey with a hospitalization for CHD within the previous six to 36 months providing valid data on echocardiography as well as on signs and symptoms of HF were categorized into stages of HF: A, prevalence of risk factors for developing HF; B, asymptomatic but with structural heart disease; C, symptomatic HF. A Guideline Adherence Indicator (GAI-3) was calculated for patients with reduced (≤40%) left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) as number of drugs taken per number of drugs indicated; beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) were considered.
Results:
509/536 patients entered analysis. HF stage A was prevalent in n = 20 (3.9%), stage B in n = 264 (51.9%), and stage C in n = 225 (44.2%) patients; 94/225 patients were diagnosed with HFrEF (42%). Stage C patients were older, had a longer duration of CHD, and a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension. Awareness of pre-diagnosed HF was low (19%). Overall GAI-3 of HFrEF patients was 96.4% with a trend towards lower GAI-3 in patients with lower LVEF due to less thorough MRA prescription.
Conclusions:
In our sample of CHD patients, prevalence of HF stage C was high and a sizable subgroup suffered from HFrEF. Overall, pharmacotherapy was fairly well implemented in HFrEF patients, although somewhat worse in patients with more reduced ejection fraction. Two major targets were identified possibly suited to further improve the implementation of HF guidelines: 1) increase patients´ awareness of diagnosis and importance of HF; and 2) disseminate knowledge about the importance of appropriately implementing the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists.
Trial registration:
This is a cross-sectional analysis of a non-interventional study. Therefore, it was not registered as an interventional trial.
Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common comorbid condition in coronary heart disease (CHD). CKD predisposes the patient to acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization. Data on awareness of kidney dysfunction among CHD patients and their treating physicians are lacking. In the current cross-sectional analysis of the German EUROASPIRE IV sample we aimed to investigate the physician’s awareness of kidney disease of patients hospitalized for CHD and also the patient’s awareness of CKD in a study visit following hospital discharge.
Methods
All serum creatinine (SCr) values measured during the hospital stay were used to describe impaired kidney function (eGFR\(_{CKD-EPI}\) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2) at admission, discharge and episodes of AKI (KDIGO definition). Information extracted from hospital discharge letters and correct ICD coding for kidney disease was studied as a surrogate of physician’s awareness of kidney disease. All patients were interrogated 0.5 to 3 years after hospital discharge, whether they had ever been told about kidney disease by a physician.
Results
Of the 536 patients, 32% had evidence for acute or chronic kidney disease during the index hospital stay. Either condition was mentioned in the discharge letter in 22%, and 72% were correctly coded according to ICD-10. At the study visit in the outpatient setting 35% had impaired kidney function. Of 158 patients with kidney disease, 54 (34%) were aware of CKD. Determinants of patient’s awareness were severity of CKD (OR\(_{eGFR}\) 0.94; 95%CI 0.92–0.96), obesity (OR 1.97; 1.07–3.64), history of heart failure (OR 1.99; 1.00–3.97), and mentioning of kidney disease in the index event’s hospital discharge letter (OR 5.51; 2.35–12.9).
Conclusions
Although CKD is frequent in CHD, only one third of patients is aware of this condition. Patient’s awareness was associated with kidney disease being mentioned in the hospital discharge letter. Future studies should examine how raising physician’s awareness for kidney dysfunction may improve patient’s awareness of CKD.
Background:
While data from primary care suggest an insufficient control of vascular risk factors, little is known about vascular risk factor control in the general population. We therefore aimed to investigate the adoption of adequate risk factor control and its determinants in the general population free of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods:
Data from the Characteristics and Course of Heart Failure Stages A-B and Determinants of Progression (STAAB) Cohort Study, a population-based study of inhabitants aged 30 to 79 years from the general population of Würzburg (Germany), were used. Proportions of participants without established CVD meeting targets for risk factor control recommended by 2016 ESC guideline were identified. Determinants of the accumulation of insufficiently controlled vascular risk factors (three or more) were assessed.
Results:
Between December 2013 and April 2015, 1379 participants without CVD were included; mean age was 53.1 ± 11.9 years and 52.9% were female; 30.8% were physically inactive, 55.2% overweight, 19.3% current smokers. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus were prevalent in 31.8%, 57.6%, and 3.9%, respectively. Treatment goals were not reached despite medication in 52.7% of hypertensive, in 37.3% of hyperlipidemic and in 44.0% of diabetic subjects. Insufficiently controlled risk was associated with male sex (OR 1.94, 95%CI 1.44–2.61), higher age (OR for 30–39 years vs. 70–79 years 4.01, 95%CI 1.94–8.31) and lower level of education (OR for primary vs. tertiary 2.15, 95%CI 1.48–3.11).
Conclusions:
In the general population, prevalence of vascular risk factors was high. We found insufficient identification and control of vascular risk factors and a considerable potential to improve adherence to cardiovascular guidelines for primary prevention. Further studies are needed to identify and overcome patient- and physician-related barriers impeding successful control of vascular risk factors in the general population.
Background/Aims:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a postoperative complication after cardiac surgery with a high impact on mortality and morbidity. Nephrocheck® [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] determines markers of tubular stress, which occurs prior to tubular damage. It is unknown at which time-point [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] measurement should be performed to ideally predict AKI. We investigated the association of [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] at various time-points with the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery including cardio-pulmonary bypass.
Methods: In a prospective cohort study, serial blood and urine samples were collected from 150 patients: pre-operative, at ICU-admission, 24h and 48h post-surgery. AKI was defined as Serum-Creatinine rise >0.3 mg/dl within 48hrs. Urinary [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] was measured at pre-operative, ICU-admission and 24h post-surgery; medical staff was kept blinded to these results.
Results: A total of 35 patients (23.5%) experienced AKI, with a higher incidence in those with high [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] values at ICU admission (57.1% vs. 10.1%, p<0.001). In logistic regression [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] at ICU admission was independently associated with the occurrence of AKI (Odds Ratio 11.83; p<0.001, C-statistic= 0.74) after adjustment for EuroSCORE II and CBP-time.
Conclusions: Early detection of elevated [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] at ICU admission was strongly predictive for postoperative AKI and appeared to be more precise as compared to subsequent measurements.
Background:
The Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) represents the key enzyme in catecholamine degradation. Recent studies suggest that the COMT rs4680 polymorphism is associated with the response to endogenous and exogenous catecholamines. There are, however, conflicting data regarding the COMT Met/Met phenotype being associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. The aim of the current study is to prospectively investigate the impact of the COMT rs4680 polymorphism on the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Methods:
In this prospective single center cohort study consecutive patients hospitalized for elective cardiac surgery including cardiopulmonary-bypass (CPB) were screened for participation. Demographic clinical data, blood, urine and tissue samples were collected at predefined time points throughout the clinical stay. AKI was defined according to recent recommendations of the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome (KDIGO) group. Genetic analysis was performed after patient enrolment was completed.
Results:
Between April and December 2014, 150 patients were recruited. The COMT genotypes were distributed as follows: Val/Met 48.7%, Met/Met 29.3%, Val/Val 21.3%. No significant differences were found for demography, comorbidities, or operative strategy according to the underlying COMT genotype. AKI occurred in 35 patients (23.5%) of the total cohort, and no differences were evident between the COMT genotypes (20.5% Met/Met, 24.7% Val/Met, 25.0% Val/Val, p = 0.66). There were also no differences in the post-operative period, including ICU or in-hospital stay.
Conclusions:
We did not find statistically significant variations in the risk for postoperative AKI, length of ICU or in-hospital stay according to the underlying COMT genotype.
Background:
Mitral regurgitation in ischemic heart disease (IMR) is a strong predictor of outcome but until now, pathophysiology is not sufficiently understood and treatment is not satisfying. We aimed to systematically evaluate structural and functional mitral valve leaflet and annular characteristics in patients with IMR to determine the differences in geometric and dynamic changes of the MV between significant and mild IMR.
Methods:
Thirty-seven patients with IMR (18 mild (m)MR, 19 significant (moderate+severe) (s)MR) and 33 controls underwent TEE. 3D volumes were analyzed using 3D feature-tracking software.
Results:
All IMR patients showed a loss of mitral annular motility and non-planarity, whereas mitral annulus dilation and leaflet enlargement occurred in sMR only. Active-posterior-leaflet-area decreased in early systole in all three groups accompanied by an increase in active-anterior-leaflet-area in early systole in controls and mMR but only in late systole in sMR.
Conclusions:
In addition to a significant enlargement and loss in motility of the MV annulus, patients with significant IMR showed a spatio-temporal alteration of the mitral valve coaptation line due to a delayed increase in active-anterior-leaflet-area. This abnormality is likely to contribute to IMR severity and is worth the evaluation of becoming a parameter for clinical decision-making. Further, addressing the leaflets aiming to increase the active leaflet-area is a promising therapeutic approach for significant IMR. Additional studies with a larger sample size and post-operative assessment are warranted to further validate our findings and help understand the dynamics of the mitral valve.