Insights on prevalence and incidence of anemia and rapid up-titration of oral heart failure treatment from the STRONG-HF study

BACKGROUND

Anemia is one of the most frequent comorbidities in patients with heart failure (HF), which potentially can interfere with the effect of guideline-recommended HF medical therapy and can be associated with the use of neurohormonal blockers.

AIM

The aim of this analysis was to determine the prevalence and changes of anemia status in the STRONG-HF study, its association with clinical endpoints, and possible interaction of the presence of anemia with the efficacy and safety of high-intensity HF treatment.

METHODS

The design and main results of the study have been previously described. Patients were randomized within 2 days prior to anticipated hospital discharge after HF worsening in a 1:1 fashion to either high-intensity care (HIC) or usual care (UC). Baseline characteristics, clinical and safety outcomes, and treatment effect of HIC vs. UC on the primary and secondary outcomes were compared in groups based on baseline anemia. In addition, dynamics of hemoglobin during the study follow-up and predictors of incident anemia at 90 days were investigated.

RESULTS

The proportion of anemia in 1077 STRONG-HF patients at enrollment was 27.2%, while at 90 days, it changed to 32.1%. The primary composite outcome occurred in 18.2% of patients without baseline anemia, and 22.5% of patients with baseline anemia (unadjusted HR 1.27; 95% CI 0.90-1.80), a difference that did not reach statistical significance. However, patients with baseline anemia had significantly less improvement of EQ-VAS questionnaire values from baseline to day 90 (adjusted LS-Mean difference -2.34 (-4.37, -0.31), P = 0.02). During the study, anemia developed in 19.4 and 14.6% in HIC and UC groups, respectively. The opposite phenomenon-recovery of anemia-occurred in 27.6 and 28.8% in HIC and UC groups (P = 0.1379). The predictors of incident anemia at 90 days were male sex, geographical region other than Europe, ischemic etiology, higher glucose, and elevated uric acid at baseline. The percentages of optimal doses of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists were not different between anemic and non-anemic patients. High-intensity care strategy did not increase rate of incident anemia at 90 days and reduced the rate of primary and secondary endpoints regardless of baseline hemoglobin.

CONCLUSION

Hemoglobin level and status of anemia have a dynamic nature in the acute HF patients in the post-discharge period dependent on multiple factors. High-intensity HF treatment is safe and beneficial regardless of baseline hemoglobin level and presence of anemia. The improvement of quality of life is significantly lower in anemic HF patients implying specific attention to correction of this condition.

Finerenone in Heart Failure with Mildly Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction

BACKGROUND

Steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists reduce morbidity and mortality among patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, but their efficacy in those with heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction has not been established. Data regarding the efficacy and safety of the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone in patients with heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction are needed.

METHODS

In this international, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned patients with heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or greater, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive finerenone (at a maximum dose of 20 mg or 40 mg once daily) or matching placebo, in addition to usual therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of total worsening heart failure events (with an event defined as a first or recurrent unplanned hospitalization or urgent visit for heart failure) and death from cardiovascular causes. The components of the primary outcome and safety were also assessed.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 32 months, 1083 primary-outcome events occurred in 624 of 3003 patients in the finerenone group, and 1283 primary-outcome events occurred in 719 of 2998 patients in the placebo group (rate ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 0.95; P = 0.007). The total number of worsening heart failure events was 842 in the finerenone group and 1024 in the placebo group (rate ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.94; P = 0.006). The percentage of patients who died from cardiovascular causes was 8.1% and 8.7%, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.11). Finerenone was associated with an increased risk of hyperkalemia and a reduced risk of hypokalemia.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, finerenone resulted in a significantly lower rate of a composite of total worsening heart failure events and death from cardiovascular causes than placebo. (Funded by Bayer; FINEARTS-HF ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04435626.).

Safety and efficacy of up to 60 h of iv istaroxime in pre-cardiogenic shock patients: Design of the SEISMiC trial

AIMS

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is linked to high morbidity and mortality rates, posing a challenge for clinicians. Interventions to improve tissue perfusion and blood pressure are crucial to prevent further deterioration. Unfortunately, current inotropes, which act through adrenergic receptor stimulation, are associated with malignant arrhythmias and poorer outcomes. Due to its unique mechanism of action, istaroxime should improve haemodynamics without adrenergic overactivation. The SEISMiC study is designed to examine the safety and efficacy (haemodynamic effect) of istaroxime administrated in pre-CS patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The SEISMiC study is a multinational, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled safety and efficacy study with two parts (A and B). The study enrols patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure (pre-CS, not related to myocardial ischaemia) with persistent hypotension [systolic blood pressure (SBP) 70-100 mmHg for at least 2 h] and clinically confirmed congestion, NT-proBNP ≥1400 pg/mL, and LVEF≤40%. Subjects must not have taken intravenous (iv) vasopressors, inotropes or digoxin in the past 6 h. Eligible patients are randomized to receive IV infusion of istaroxime (different doses and regimens in Parts A and B) or placebo for up to 60 h. Central haemodynamics, ECG Holter monitoring, cardiac ultrasound and biomarkers are recorded at predefined time points during the trial. The study's primary efficacy endpoint is the SBP area under the curve from baseline curve from baseline to 6 and 24 h in the combined SEISMiC Parts A and B population. Key secondary efficacy endpoints include haemodynamic, laboratory and clinical measures in SEISMiC B alone in the combined SEISMiC A and B studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The study results will contribute to our understanding of the role of istaroxime in pre-CS patients and potentially provide insight into the drug's haemodynamic effects and safety in this population.

Ventricular arrhythmias in acute heart failure: a clinical consensus statement of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care, the European Heart Rhythm Association, and the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology

Patients presenting with or alerting emergency networks due to acute heart failure (AHF) form a diverse group with a plethora of symptoms, risks, comorbidities, and aetiologies. During AHF, there is an increased risk of destabilizing the functional substrate and modulatory adding to the risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) already created by the structural substrate. New VAs during AHF have previously identified patients with higher intra-hospital and 60-day morbidity and mortality. Risk stratification and criteria/best time point for coronary intervention and implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation, however, are still controversial topics in this difficult clinical setting. The characteristics and logistics of pre-hospital emergency medicine, as well as the density of centres capable of treating AHF and VAs, differ massively throughout Europe. Scientific guidelines provide clear recommendations for the management of arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure. However, the incidence, significance, and management of arrhythmias in patients with AHF have been less studied. This consensus paper aimed to address the identification and treatment of VAs that complicate the course of patients who have AHF, including cardiogenic shock.

Corticosteroid burst therapy in patients with acute heart failure: Design of the CORTAHF pilot study

AIMS

Inflammation has emerged as a potential key pathophysiological mechanism in heart failure (HF) in general and acute HF (AHF) specifically, with inflammatory biomarkers shown to be highly predictive of adverse outcomes in these patients. The CORTAHF study builds on both these data and the fact that steroid burst therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of respiratory diseases and COVID-19. Our hypothesis is that in patients with AHF and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels without symptoms or signs of infection, a 7-day course of steroid therapy will lead to reduced inflammation and short-term improvement in quality of life and a reduced risk of worsening HF (WHF) events.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study, which is currently ongoing, will include 100 patients with AHF ages 18-85, regardless of ejection fraction, screened within 12 h of presentation. Patients will be included who have NT-proBNP > 1500 pg/mL and CRP > 20 mg/L at screening. Exclusion criteria include haemodynamic instability and symptoms and signs of infection. After signed consent, eligible patients will be randomized according to a central randomization scheme stratified by centre 1:1 to either treatment once daily for 7 days with 40 mg prednisone orally or to standard care. Patients will be assessed at study day 2, day 4 or at discharge if earlier, and at days 7 and 31 at the hospital; and at day 91 through a telephone follow-up. The primary endpoint is the change in CRP level from baseline to day 7, estimated from a mixed model for repeated measures (MMRM) including all measured timepoints, in patients without a major protocol violation. Secondary endpoints include the time to the first event of WHF adverse event, readmission for HF, or death through day 91; and changes to day 7 in EQ-5D visual analogue scale score and utility index. Additional clinical and laboratory measures will be assessed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study will add to the knowledge of the role of inflammation in AHF and potentially inform the design of larger studies with possibly longer duration of anti-inflammatory therapies in AHF.

The Effects of Burst Steroid Therapy on Short-term Decongestion in Acute Heart Failure Patients With Pro-inflammatory Activation: A Post Hoc Analysis of the CORTAHF Randomized, Open-label, Pilot Trial

BACKGROUND

The effect of steroids on congestion in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) is not known.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients with AHF, NT-proBNP levels > 1500 pg/mL and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels > 20 mg/L were randomized to once-daily oral 40 mg prednisone for 7 days or usual care. In this post hoc analysis, congestion score was calculated on the basis of orthopnea, edema and rales (0 reflecting lack of congestion, and 9 maximal congestion) at each time point. Among 100 eligible patients randomized, those assigned to prednisone had a greater improvement in congestion score at day 31 (win odds for the prednisone group compared to usual care at day 31 was 1.77 (95% CI 1.17-2.84; P = 0.0066) in all patients and 2.41 (95% CI 1.37-5.05; P = 0.0016) in patients with IL-6 > 13 pg/mL at baseline. In patients with congestion scores ≥ 7 at baseline, the effects of prednisone therapy on the EQ-5D visual analog scale score were 4.30 (95% CI 0.77-7.83) points at day 7 and 5.40 (0.51-10.29) points at day 31, accompanied by lower heart rate and respiratory rate and higher oxygen saturation compared to usual care.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with AHF and inflammatory activation, 7-day steroid therapy was associated with reduction in signs of congestion up to day 31. These results need confirmation in larger studies examining potential effects of steroids on congestion, diuresis, fluid redistribution and vascular permeability as well as clinical effects in AHF.

Translating the 2021 ESC heart failure guideline recommendations in daily practice: Results from a heart failure survey. A scientific statement of the ESC Council for Cardiology Practice and the Heart Failure Association of the ESC

AIMS

Real-world data show that guidelines are insufficiently implemented, and particularly guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMT) are underused in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in clinical practice. The Council for Cardiology Practice and the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) developed a survey aiming to (i) evaluate the perspectives of the cardiology community on the 2021 ESC heart failure (HF) guidelines, (ii) pinpoint disparities in disease management, and (iii) propose strategies to enhance adherence to HF guidelines.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 22-question survey regarding the diagnosis and treatment of HFrEF was delivered between March and June 2022. Of 457 physicians, 54% were general cardiologists, 19.4% were HF specialists, 18.9% other cardiac specialists, and 7.7% non-cardiac specialists. For diagnosis, 52.1% employed echocardiography and natriuretic peptides (NPs), 33.2% primarily used echocardiography, and 14.7% predominantly relied on NPs. The first drug class initiated in HFrEF was angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ACEi/ARNi) (91.2%), beta-blockers (BB) (73.8%), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) (53.4%), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (48.1%). The combination ACEi/ARNi + MRA+ BB was preferred by 39.3% of physicians, ACEi/ARNi + SGLT2 inhibitors + BB by 33.3%, and ACEi/ARNi + BB by 22.2%. The time required to initiate and optimize GDMT was estimated to be <1 month by 8.3%, 1-3 months by 52%, 3-6 months by 31.8%, and >6 months by 7.9%. Compared to general cardiologists, HF specialists/academic cardiologists reported lower estimated time-to-initiation, and more commonly preferred a parallel initiation of GDMT rather than a sequential approach.

CONCLUSION

Participants generally followed diagnostic and treatment guidelines, but variations in HFrEF management across care settings or HF specialties were noted. The survey may raise awareness and promote standardized HF care.

Heart failure in Europe: Guideline-directed medical therapy use and decision making in chronic and acute, pre-existing and de novo, heart failure with reduced, mildly reduced, and preserved ejection fraction - the ESC EORP Heart Failure III Registry

AIMS

We analysed baseline characteristics and guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) use and decisions in the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Heart Failure (HF) III Registry.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Between 1 November 2018 and 31 December 2020, 10 162 patients with acute HF (AHF, 39%, age 70 [62-79], 36% women) or outpatient visit for HF (61%, age 66 [58-75], 33% women), with HF with reduced (HFrEF, 57%), mildly reduced (HFmrEF, 17%) or preserved (HFpEF, 26%) ejection fraction were enrolled from 220 centres in 41 European or ESC-affiliated countries. With AHF, 97% were hospitalized, 2.2% received intravenous treatment in the emergency department, and 0.9% received intravenous treatment in an outpatient clinic. AHF was seen by most by a general cardiologist (51%) and outpatient HF most by a HF specialist (48%). A majority had been hospitalized for HF before, but 26% of AHF and 6.1% of outpatient HF had de novo HF. Baseline use, initiation and discontinuation of GDMT varied according to AHF versus outpatient HF, de novo versus pre-existing HF, and by ejection fraction. After the AHF event or outpatient HF visit, use of any renin-angiotensin system inhibitor, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, beta-blocker, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist and loop diuretics was 89%, 29%, 92%, 78%, and 85% in HFrEF; 89%, 9.7%, 90%, 64%, and 81% in HFmrEF; and 77%, 3.1%, 80%, 48%, and 80% in HFpEF.

CONCLUSION

Use and initiation of GDMT was high in cardiology centres in Europe, compared to previous reports from cohorts and registries including more primary care and general medicine and regions more local or outside of Europe and ESC-affiliated countries.

Awareness, access, and adoption of natriuretic peptides for diagnosis of heart failure

AIMS

This survey investigates natriuretic peptide (NP) testing in community and hospital settings, assessing awareness, accessibility, and utilization.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This investigator-initiated survey, conceived within the HFA of the European Society of Cardiology, comprised 14 questions. It underwent validation and pilot testing to ensure question readability and online system functionality. The survey was accessible for 87 days, from 5 April 2023 to 1 July 2023 via a web platform. There were 751 healthcare professionals across 99 countries who responded. Of them, 92.5% had access to NPs testing in hospital whereas 34.3% had no access to NTproBNP in community settings. Access to point of care NP testing was uncommon (9.6%). Public insurance fully covered NPs testing in 31.0% of cases, with private insurance providing coverage in 37.9%. The majority (84.0%) of participants believed that the medical evidence supporting NPs testing was strong, and 54.7% considered it cost-effective. Also, 35.8% found access, awareness, and adoption to be in favour of NPs testing both in hospital and community settings. Strategies to optimize NP testing involved regular guideline updates (57.9%), prioritizing NPs testing for dyspnoea assessment (36.4%), and introducing clinician feedback mechanisms (21.2%). Notably, 40% lacked a community-based HF diagnostic pathway for referring high-NP patients for echocardiography and cardiology evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey reveals NP awareness, access, and adoption across several countries. Highlighting the importance of community-based early heart failure diagnosis and optimizing HF diagnostic pathways remains a crucial, unmet opportunity to improve patient outcomes.

Titration of Medications After Acute Heart Failure Is Safe, Tolerated, and Effective Regardless of Risk

BACKGROUND

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) decisions may be less affected by single patient variables such as blood pressure or kidney function and more by overall risk profile. In STRONG-HF (Safety, tolerability and efficacy of up-titration of guideline-directed medical therapies for acute heart failure), high-intensity care (HIC) in the form of rapid uptitration of heart failure (HF) GDMT was effective overall, but the safety, tolerability and efficacy of HIC across the spectrum of HF severity is unknown. Evaluating this with a simple risk-based framework offers an alternative and more clinically translatable approach than traditional subgroup analyses.

OBJECTIVES

The authors sought to assess safety, tolerability, and efficacy of HIC according to the simple, powerful, and clinically translatable MAGGIC (Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic) HF risk score.

METHODS

In STRONG-HF, 1,078 patients with acute HF were randomized to HIC (uptitration of treatments to 100% of recommended doses within 2 weeks of discharge and 4 scheduled outpatient visits over the 2 months after discharge) vs usual care (UC). The primary endpoint was the composite of all-cause death or first HF rehospitalization at day 180. Baseline HF risk profile was determined by the previously validated MAGGIC risk score. Treatment effect was stratified according to MAGGIC risk score both as a categorical and continuous variable.

RESULTS

Among 1,062 patients (98.5%) with complete data for whom a MAGGIC score could be calculated at baseline, GDMT use at baseline was similar across MAGGIC tertiles. Overall GDMT prescriptions achieved for individual medication classes were higher in the HIC vs UC group and did not differ by MAGGIC risk score tertiles (interaction nonsignificant). The incidence of all-cause death or HF readmission at day 180 was, respectively, 16.3%, 18.9%, and 23.2% for MAGGIC risk score tertiles 1, 2, and 3. The HIC arm was at lower risk of all-cause death or HF readmission at day 180 (HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.86) and this finding was robust across MAGGIC risk score modeled as a categorical (HR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.62-0.68 in tertiles 1, 2, and 3; interaction nonsignificant) for all comparisons and continuous (interaction nonsignificant) variable. The rate of adverse events was higher in the HIC group, but this observation did not differ based on MAGGIC risk score tertile (interaction nonsignificant).

CONCLUSIONS

HIC led to better use of GDMT and lower HF-related morbidity and mortality compared with UC, regardless of the underlying HF risk profile. (Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Rapid Optimization, Helped by NT-proBNP testinG, of Heart Failure Therapies [STRONG-HF]; NCT03412201).

Burst steroid therapy for acute heart failure: The CORTAHF randomized, open-label, pilot trial

AIMS

Burst steroid therapy, effective in acute respiratory diseases, may benefit patients with acute heart failure (AHF) in whom inflammatory activation is associated with adverse outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

CORTAHF assessed whether burst steroid therapy reduces inflammation and results in better quality of life and clinical outcomes in AHF. Patients with AHF, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide >1500 pg/ml, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) >20 mg/L were randomized 1:1 to oral, once daily 40 mg prednisone for 7 days or usual care, without blinding. Patients were followed for 90 days. A total of 101 patients were randomized. At day 7 the primary endpoint, hsCRP decreased in both arms - adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) were 0.30 and 0.40 in the prednisone and usual care arms (ratio of GMRs 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56-1.00, p = 0.0498). The 90-day risk of worsening heart failure (HF), HF readmission or death as reported by the unblinded investigators was significantly lower in the prednisone group (10.4%) than in usual care (30.8%) (hazard ratio 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.86, p = 0.016). The EQ-5D visual analogue scale score as reported by the unblinded patients increased more in the prednisone group on day 7 (least squares mean difference 2.57, 95% CI 0.12-5.01 points, p = 0.040). All effects were statistically significant in the pre-specified subgroup with centrally-measured interleukin-6 >13 pg/ml. Adverse events, particularly hyperglycaemia, occurred more in the prednisone group with no difference in infection rate.

CONCLUSION

In this small open-label study of patients with AHF, burst steroid therapy was associated with reduced inflammation as measured by hsCRP levels at day 7 (primary endpoint). Secondary endpoints showed improved quality of life at day 7 and reduced 90-day risk of death or worsening HF. Large prospective studies are needed to evaluate these findings.

Prevention and rehabilitation after heart transplantation: A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, Heart Failure Association of the ESC, and the European Cardio Thoracic Transplant Association, a section of ESOT

Little is known either about either physical activity patterns, or other lifestyle-related prevention measures in heart transplantation (HTx) recipients. The history of HTx started more than 50 years ago but there are still no guidelines or position papers highlighting the features of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx. The aims of this scientific statement are (i) to explain the importance of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx, and (ii) to promote the factors (modifiable/non-modifiable) that should be addressed after HTx to improve patients' physical capacity, quality of life and survival. All HTx team members have their role to play in the care of these patients and multidisciplinary prevention and rehabilitation programmes designed for transplant recipients. HTx recipients are clearly not healthy disease-free subjects yet they also significantly differ from heart failure patients or those who are supported with mechanical circulatory support. Therefore, prevention and rehabilitation after HTx both need to be specifically tailored to this patient population and be multidisciplinary in nature. Prevention and rehabilitation programmes should be initiated early after HTx and continued during the entire post-transplant journey. This clinical consensus.

Rapid Uptitration of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapies in Acute Heart Failure With and Without Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Rapid uptitration of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) before and after discharge in hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients is feasible, is safe, and improves outcomes; whether this is also true in patients with coexistent atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) is not known.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to investigate whether rapid GDMT uptitration before and after discharge for HF is feasible, safe and beneficial in patients with and without AF/AFL.

METHODS

In this secondary analysis of the STRONG-HF (Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Rapid Optimization, Helped by NT-proBNP Testing, of Heart Failure Therapies) trial, GDMT uptitration and patient outcomes were analyzed by AF/AFL status and type (permanent, persistent, paroxysmal).

RESULTS

Among 1,078 patients enrolled in STRONG-HF, 496 (46%) had a history of AF, including 238 assigned to high-intensity care (HIC) and 258 to usual care (UC), and 581 did not have a history of AF/AFL, including 304 assigned to HIC and 277 to UC. By day 90, the average percent optimal dose of neurohormonal inhibitors achieved in the HIC arm was similar in patients with and without AF/AFL, reaching approximately 80% of the optimal dose (average absolute difference between AF/AFL and non-AF/AFL groups: -0.81%; 95% CI: -3.51 to 1.89). All-cause death or HF readmission by day 180 occurred less frequently in the HIC than the UC arm, both in patients with and without AF (adjusted HR: 0.75 [95% CI: 0.48-1.19] in AF vs adjusted HR: 0.50 [95% CI: 0.31-0.79] in non-AF/AFL patients; P for interaction = 0.2107). Adverse event rates were similar in patients with and without AF/AFL. AF/AFL type did not affect either uptitration or patient outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly half of acute HF patients have AF/AFL history. Rapid GDMT uptitration before and early after discharge is feasible, is safe, and may improve outcomes regardless of AF presence or type. (Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Rapid Optimization, Helped by NT-proBNP Testing, of Heart Failure Therapies [STRONG-HF]; NCT03412201).

Characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of early vs. late enrollees of the STRONG-HF trial

BACKGROUND

The STRONG-HF trial showed that high-intensity care (HIC) consisting of rapid up-titration of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and close follow-up reduced all-cause death or heart failure (HF) readmission at 180 days compared to usual care (UC). We hypothesized that significant differences in patient characteristics, management, and outcomes over the enrolment period may exist.

METHODS

Two groups of the 1,078 patients enrolled in STRONG-HF were created according to the order of enrolment within center. The early group consisted of the first 10 patients enrolled at each center (N = 342) and the late group consisted of the following patients (N = 736).

RESULTS

Late enrollees were younger, had more frequently reduced ejection fraction, slightly lower NT-proBNP and creatinine levels compared with early enrollees. The primary outcome occurred less frequently in early compared to late enrollees (15% vs. 21%, aHR 0.65, 95% CI 0.42-0.99, P = .044). No treatment-by-enrolment interaction was seen in respect to the average percentage of optimal dose of GDMT after randomization, which was consistently higher in early and late patients randomized to HIC compared to UC. The higher use of renin-angiotensin-inhibitors in the HIC arm was more pronounced in the late enrollees both after randomization (interaction-P = .013) and at 90 days (interaction-P < .001). No interaction was observed for safety events. Patients randomized late to UC displayed a trend toward more severe outcomes (26% vs. 16%, P = .10), but the efficacy of HIC showed no interaction with the enrolment group (aHR 0.77, 95% CI 0.35-1.67 in early and 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.83 in late enrollees, adjusted interaction-P = .51) with similar outcomes in the HIC arm in late and early enrollees (16% vs. 13%, P = .73).

CONCLUSIONS

Late enrollees have different clinical characteristics and higher event rates compared to early enrollees. GDMT implementation in the HIC arm robustly achieved similar doses with consistent efficacy in early and late enrollees, mitigating the higher risk of adverse outcome in late enrollees.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03412201.

Heart failure care in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region: status, barriers, and routes to improvement

Despite improvements over recent years, morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure (HF) are higher in countries in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region than in Western Europe. With the goal of improving the standard of HF care and patient outcomes in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region, this review aimed to identify the main barriers to optimal HF care and potential areas for improvement. This information was used to suggest methods to improve HF management and decrease the burden of HF in the region that can be implemented at the national and regional levels. We performed a literature search to collect information about HF epidemiology in 11 countries in the region (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia). The prevalence of HF in the region was 1.6-4.7%, and incidence was 3.1-6.0 per 1000 person-years. Owing to the scarcity of published data on HF management in these countries, we also collected insights on local HF care and management practices via two surveys of 11 HF experts representing the 11 countries. Based on the combined results of the literature review and surveys, we created national HF care and management profiles for each country and developed a common patient pathway for HF for the region. We identified five main barriers to optimal HF care: (i) lack of epidemiological data, (ii) low awareness of HF, (iii) lack of national HF strategies, (iv) infrastructure and system gaps, and (v) poor access to novel HF treatments. To overcome these barriers, we propose the following routes to improvement: (i) establish regional and national prospective HF registries for the systematic collection of epidemiological data; (ii) establish education campaigns for the public, patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals; (iii) establish formal HF strategies to set clear and measurable policy goals and support budget planning; (iv) improve access to quality-of-care centres, multidisciplinary care teams, diagnostic tests, and telemedicine/telemonitoring; and (v) establish national treatment monitoring programmes to develop policies that ensure that adequate proportions of healthcare budgets are reserved for novel therapies. These routes to improvement represent a first step towards improving outcomes in patients with HF in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region by decreasing disparities in HF care within the region and between the region and Western Europe.

Differences in presentation, diagnosis and management of heart failure in women. A scientific statement of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC

Despite the progress in the care of individuals with heart failure (HF), important sex disparities in knowledge and management remain, covering all the aspects of the syndrome, from aetiology and pathophysiology to treatment. Important distinctions in phenotypic presentation are widely known, but the mechanisms behind these differences are only partially defined. The impact of sex-specific conditions in the predisposition to HF has gained progressive interest in the HF community. Under-recruitment of women in large randomized clinical trials has continued in the more recent studies despite epidemiological data no longer reporting any substantial difference in the lifetime risk and prognosis between sexes. Target dose of medications and criteria for device eligibility are derived from studies with a large predominance of men, whereas specific information in women is lacking. The present scientific statement encompasses the whole scenario of available evidence on sex-disparities in HF and aims to define the most challenging and urgent residual gaps in the evidence for the scientific and clinical HF communities.

Effects of Rapid Uptitration of Neurohormonal Blockade on Effective, Sustainable Decongestion and Outcomes in STRONG-HF

BACKGROUND

Comprehensive uptitration of neurohormonal blockade targets fundamental mechanisms underlying development of congestion and may be an additional approach for decongestion after acute heart failure (AHF).

OBJECTIVES

This hypothesis was tested in the STRONG-HF (Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Rapid Optimization, Helped by N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Testing of Heart Failure Therapies) trial.

METHODS

In STRONG-HF, patients with AHF were randomized to the high-intensity care (HIC) arm with fast up-titration of neurohormonal blockade or to usual care (UC). Successful decongestion was defined as an absence of peripheral edema, pulmonary rales, and jugular venous pressure <6 cm.

RESULTS

At baseline, the same proportion of patients in both arms had successful decongestion (HIC 48% vs UC 46%; P = 0.52). At day 90, higher proportion of patients in the HIC arm (75%) experienced successful decongestion vs the UC arm (68%) (P = 0.0001). Each separate component of the congestion score was significantly better in the HIC arm (all, P < 0.05). Additional markers of decongestion also favored the HIC: weight reduction (adjusted mean difference: -1.36 kg; 95% CI: -1.92 to -0.79 kg), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level, and lower orthopnea severity (all, P < 0.001). More effective decongestion was achieved despite a lower mean daily dose of loop diuretics at day 90 in the HIC arm. Among patients with successful decongestion at baseline, those in the HIC arm had a significantly better chance of sustaining decongestion at day 90. Successful decongestion in all subjects was associated with a lower risk of 180-day HF readmission or all-cause death (HR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.27-0.59; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In STRONG-HF, intensive uptitration of neurohormonal blockade was associated with more efficient and sustained decongestion at day 90 and a lower risk of the primary endpoint.

Biologically active adrenomedullin as a marker for residual congestion and early rehospitalization in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure: Data from STRONG-HF

AIMS

Biologically active adrenomedullin (bio-ADM) is a promising marker of residual congestion. The STRONG-HF trial showed that high-intensity care (HIC) of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) improved congestion and clinical outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients. The association between bio-ADM, decongestion, outcomes and the effect size of HIC of GDMT remains to be elucidated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We measured plasma bio-ADM concentrations in 1005 patients within 2 days prior to anticipated discharge (baseline) and 90 days later. Bio-ADM correlated with most signs of congestion, with the exception of rales. Changes in bio-ADM were strongly correlated with change in congestion status from baseline to day 90 (gamma -0.24; p = 0.0001). Patients in the highest tertile of baseline bio-ADM concentrations were at greater risk than patients in the lowest tertile for the primary outcome of 180-day all-cause mortality or HF rehospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-3.22) and 180-day HF rehospitalization (HR 2.33, 95% CI 1.38-3.94). Areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves were 0.5977 (95% CI 0.5561-0.6393), 0.5800 (95% CI 0.5356-0.6243), and 0.6159 (95% CI 0.5711-0.6607) for bio-ADM, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and their combination, respectively, suggesting that both bio-ADM and NT-proBNP provided similarly modest discrimination for this outcome. A trend towards better discrimination by combined bio-ADM and NT-proBNP than NT-proBNP alone was found (p = 0.059). HIC improved the primary outcome, irrespective of baseline bio-ADM concentration (interaction p = 0.37). In contrast to NT-proBNP, the 90-day change in bio-ADM did not differ significantly between HIC and usual care.

CONCLUSIONS

Bio-ADM is a marker of congestion and predicts congestion at 3 months after a HF hospitalization. Higher bio-ADM was modestly associated with a higher risk of death and early hospital readmission and may have added value when combined with NT-proBNP.

Prevention and rehabilitation after heart transplantation: A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, Heart Failure Association of the ESC, and the European Cardio Thoracic Transplant Association, a section of ESOT

Little is known either about either physical activity patterns, or other lifestyle-related prevention measures in heart transplantation (HTx) recipients. The history of HTx started more than 50 years ago but there are still no guidelines or position papers highlighting the features of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx. The aims of this scientific statement are (i) to explain the importance of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx, and (ii) to promote the factors (modifiable/non-modifiable) that should be addressed after HTx to improve patients' physical capacity, quality of life and survival. All HTx team members have their role to play in the care of these patients and multidisciplinary prevention and rehabilitation programmes designed for transplant recipients. HTx recipients are clearly not healthy disease-free subjects yet they also significantly differ from heart failure patients or those who are supported with mechanical circulatory support. Therefore, prevention and rehabilitation after HTx both need to be specifically tailored to this patient population and be multidisciplinary in nature. Prevention and rehabilitation programmes should be initiated early after HTx and continued during the entire post-transplant journey. This clinical consensus statement focuses on the importance and the characteristics of prevention and rehabilitation designed for HTx recipients.

Prevention and Rehabilitation After Heart Transplantation: A Clinical Consensus Statement of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, Heart Failure Association of the ESC, and the European Cardio Thoracic Transplant Association, a Section of ESOT

Little is known either about either physical activity patterns, or other lifestyle-related prevention measures in heart transplantation (HTx) recipients. The history of HTx started more than 50 years ago but there are still no guidelines or position papers highlighting the features of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx. The aims of this scientific statement are (i) to explain the importance of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx, and (ii) to promote the factors (modifiable/non-modifiable) that should be addressed after HTx to improve patients' physical capacity, quality of life and survival. All HTx team members have their role to play in the care of these patients and multidisciplinary prevention and rehabilitation programmes designed for transplant recipients. HTx recipients are clearly not healthy disease-free subjects yet they also significantly differ from heart failure patients or those who are supported with mechanical circulatory support. Therefore, prevention and rehabilitation after HTx both need to be specifically tailored to this patient population and be multidisciplinary in nature. Prevention and rehabilitation programmes should be initiated early after HTx and continued during the entire post-transplant journey. This clinical consensus statement focuses on the importance and the characteristics of prevention and rehabilitation designed for HTx recipients.

Right heart failure with left ventricular assist devices: Preoperative, perioperative and postoperative management strategies. A clinical consensus statement of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC

Right heart failure (RHF) following implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a common and potentially serious condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations with an unfavourable effect on patient outcomes. Clinical scores that predict the occurrence of right ventricular (RV) failure have included multiple clinical, biochemical, imaging and haemodynamic parameters. However, unless the right ventricle is overtly dysfunctional with end-organ involvement, prediction of RHF post-LVAD implantation is, in most cases, difficult and inaccurate. For these reasons optimization of RV function in every patient is a reasonable practice aiming at preparing the right ventricle for a new and challenging haemodynamic environment after LVAD implantation. To this end, the institution of diuretics, inotropes and even temporary mechanical circulatory support may improve RV function, thereby preparing it for a better adaptation post-LVAD implantation. Furthermore, meticulous management of patients during the perioperative and immediate postoperative period should facilitate identification of RV failure refractory to medication. When RHF occurs late during chronic LVAD support, this is associated with worse long-term outcomes. Careful monitoring of RV function and characterization of the origination deficit should therefore continue throughout the patient's entire follow-up. Despite the useful information provided by the echocardiogram with respect to RV function, right heart catheterization frequently offers additional support for the assessment and optimization of RV function in LVAD-supported patients. In any patient candidate for LVAD therapy, evaluation and treatment of RV function and failure should be assessed in a multidimensional and multidisciplinary manner.

Baseline characteristics of patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction: The FINEARTS-HF trial

AIMS

To describe the baseline characteristics of participants in the FINEARTS-HF trial, contextualized with prior trials including patients with heart failure (HF) with mildly reduced and preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF/HFpEF). The FINEARTS-HF trial is comparing the effects of the non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone with placebo in reducing cardiovascular death and total worsening HF events in patients with HFmrEF/HFpEF.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients with symptomatic HF, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40%, estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 25 ml/min/1.73 m2, elevated natriuretic peptide levels and evidence of structural heart disease were enrolled and randomized to finerenone titrated to a maximum of 40 mg once daily or matching placebo. We validly randomized 6001 patients to finerenone or placebo (mean age 72 ± 10 years, 46% women). The majority were New York Heart Association functional class II (69%). The baseline mean LVEF was 53 ± 8% (range 34-84%); 36% of participants had a LVEF <50% and 64% had a LVEF ≥50%. The median N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was 1041 (interquartile range 449-1946) pg/ml. A total of 1219 (20%) patients were enrolled during or within 7 days of a worsening HF event, and 3247 (54%) patients were enrolled within 3 months of a worsening HF event. Compared with prior large-scale HFmrEF/HFpEF trials, FINEARTS-HF participants were more likely to have recent (within 6 months) HF hospitalization and greater symptoms and functional limitations. Further, concomitant medications included a larger percentage of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors than previous trials.

CONCLUSIONS

FINEARTS-HF has enrolled a broad range of high-risk patients with HFmrEF and HFpEF. The trial will determine the safety and efficacy of finerenone in this population.