Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in Asia: the far side of the moon?

A non-invasive nomogram for predicting heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in taiwanese outpatients with unexplained dyspnea and fatigue

BACKGROUND

While Reddy proposed the H2FPEF diagnostic algorithm to aid in diagnosing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), certain parameters like age and obesity are not suitable for Asian population, especially given the increasing incidence of HFpEF in younger individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an easy-to-use nomogram with non-invasive indices that can be used in outpatient clinics in Taiwan to quickly estimate the probability of HFpEF and help decide whether further invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is needed.

METHODS

Outpatients with unexplained dyspnea and fatigue were recruited divided into HFpEF (n = 64) and non-HFpEF (n = 34) groups based on invasive CPET and echocardiography. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified independent noninvasive variables for developing an HFpEF nomogram. The nomogram's performance was assessed and validated using the concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified five independent noninvasive variables for developing an HFpEF nomogram, including dyslipidemia (OR = 5.264, p = 0.010), diabetes (OR = 3.929, p = 0.050), left atrial area (OR = 1.130, p = 0.046), hemoglobin <13 g/dL (OR = 5.372, p = 0.010), and NT-proBNP ≥245 pg/mL (OR = 5.108, p = 0.027). The nomogram showed good discriminatory ability (C-index = 0.842) and calibration performance (p = 0.873) and high net benefit (0.1-0.95). Notably, the HFpEF nomogram showed better diagnostic accuracy than the H2FPEF score model in predicting Taiwanese HFpEF patients (AUC: 0.873 vs. 0.608, p = 0.0006).

CONCLUSION

The noninvasive HFpEF nomogram provides a preliminary estimation of the probability of HFpEF in Taiwanese outpatients with unexplained dyspnea and fatigue, which may help the decision-making on further invasive CPET.

Time to Death and Its Determinant Factors Among Patients With Chronic Heart Failure in Northwest Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study at Selected Referral Hospitals

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a major health problem that affects patients and healthcare systems worldwide. It is the leading cause of morbidity and death and negatively impacts the quality of life, healthcare costs, and longevity. However, the causes of death were not well defined. This study aimed to identify the determinants of death among patients with HF in the Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted on 285 patients in the age group 15 years or older under follow-up from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019. Descriptive analyses were summarized using the Kaplan–Meier survival curve and the log-rank test. Then, the Cox-proportional hazard regression model was employed to estimate the hazard of death up to 5 years after they were admitted to the HF department to follow up on their treatment.

Results

Out of 285 patients with HF, 93(32.6%) of the respondents were dying within 5 years of follow-up. Anemia was the common comorbid disease (30.5%), and valvular heart disease was the most common etiology (33.7%) of chronic heart failure in this study. This study showed a significant mortality difference between hospitals. HF patients with hypertension [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR): 3.5076, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43, 8.60], anemia (AHR: 2.85, 95% 1.61, 5.03), pneumonia (AHR: 2.02, 95% 1.20, 3.39), chronic kidney disease (2.23, CI: 1.31, 3.77), and diabetes mellitus (AHR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.43, 4.09) were at a higher risk of death. Moreover, patients with symptoms listed in the New York Heart Association Class (III and IV), Ischemic Heart Disease and unknown etiologies, men (AHR: 2.76, 95%:1.59, 4.78), and those with a high pulse rate (AHR: 1.02, 95%:1.00, 1.04) were at a higher risk of death.

Conclusion

There was a mortality difference between hospitals. This study has revealed that HF patients with anemia, diabetes mellitus, pneumonia, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, HF etiologies, severe New York Heart Association Class (III and IV), men, and high pulse rate were the main factors associated with death. Health professionals could give more attention to patients whose pulse rate is high, men, and a patient who had comorbidities in the ward.

Clinical Phenotypes and Age-Related Differences in Presentation, Treatment, and Outcome of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Vietnamese Multicenter Research

Background

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a rising health problem with heterogeneous presentation and no evidence-based treatment. While Southeast Asia reported the highest mortality and morbidity among Asian population, little is known about the Vietnamese population, including patient characteristics, prescribing pattern and mortality rate.

Methods

We conducted an observational study on 477 patients diagnosed with HFpEF from seven hospitals in Southern Vietnam from January 2019 to December 2019.

Results

Mean age was 67.6 (40.9% < 65 years). 62.3% were female. 82.4% were diagnosed within 5 years. Dyspnea, congestion, and hypoperfusion on admission were noted in 63.9%, 48.8%, and 4.6% of the patients, respectively. Median ejection fraction was 63%. Valvular heart disease (VHD) was the leading cause of heart failure (35.9%). 78.6% had at least two comorbidities, mostly hypertension (68.6%). 30.6% of the patients were hospitalized, with a median stay of 7.0 (4.0–10.0) days and inhospital mortality of 4.8%. Older patients (≥65 years) were more likely to be females (OR = 1.52); had multimorbid conditions (OR = 3.14), including hypertension (OR = 4.28), diabetes (OR = 1.73), coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR = 2.50), dyslipidemia (OR = 1.94), and chronic kidney disease (OR = 2.44); and were more frequently prescribed statin (OR = 3.15). Younger individuals (<65 years) were associated with higher mineralocorticoid antagonist uptake (OR = 0.52) and VHD (OR = 0,40). Prescription rate for renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor, beta blocker, mineralocorticoid antagonist, and loop diuretic was 72.5%, 59.1%, 43.0%, and 60.6%, respectively. Four phenotypes were identified, including the lean/elderly/multimorbid; congestive/metabolic; CAD-induced; and younger/atrial fibrillation (AF)/VHD. The novel phenotype “younger/AF/VHD” exhibited high symptom burden and poor functional capacity despite being the youngest and least multimorbid. The “lean/elderly/multimorbid” phenotype demonstrated the highest symptom severity and inhospital mortality.

Conclusions

Our research highlights a younger, predominantly female population with high disease burden. The four novelly identified phenotypes provide contemporary and pragmatic insights into a phenotype-guided approach, exclusively targeting the Vietnamese population.

Heart failure in the last year: progress and perspective

Research about heart failure (HF) has made major progress in the last years. We give here an update on the most recent findings. Landmark trials have established new treatments for HF with reduced ejection fraction. Sacubitril/valsartan was superior to enalapril in PARADIGM-HF trial, and its initiation during hospitalization for acute HF or early after discharge can now be considered. More recently, new therapeutic pathways have been developed. In the DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced trials, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite endpoint, compared with placebo [hazard ratio (HR) 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65-0.85; P < 0.001 and HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.65-0.86; P < 0.001, respectively]. Second, vericiguat, an oral soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, reduced the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization vs. placebo (HR 0.90; 95% CI 0.82-0.98; P = 0.02). On the other hand, both the diagnosis and treatment of HF with preserved ejection fraction, as well as management of advanced HF and acute HF, remain challenging. A better phenotyping of patients with HF would be helpful for prognostic stratification and treatment selection. Further aspects, such as the use of devices, treatment of arrhythmias, and percutaneous treatment of valvular heart disease in patients with HF, are also discussed and reviewed in this article.

Prevalence of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction in China: the China Hypertension Survey, 2012-2015

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a major health burden worldwide. However, there is no nationwide epidemiological data on HF in China after 2000. The aims of this study are (i) to determine the prevalence of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and HF (with reduced, mid-range, and preserved ejection fraction) in a nationally representative Chinese population, and (ii) to investigate the treatment and control of hypertension in HF patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data from the China Hypertension Survey (CHS) and 22 158 participants were eligible for analysis in this study. For each participant, a self-reported history of HF and any other cardiovascular diseases was acquired. Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography was used to assess LV dysfunction. Overall, 1.3% (estimated 13.7 million) of the Chinese adult population aged ≥35 years had HF, 1.4% of participants had LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%), and 2.7% were graded as having 'moderate' or 'severe' LV diastolic dysfunction. The weighted prevalence of HF was similar between urban and rural residents (1.6% vs. 1.1%, P = 0.266), and between men and women (1.4% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.632). In addition, among HF patients with hypertension, 57.7% received antihypertensive medication, and 14.5% had their blood pressure controlled <140/90 mmHg.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, there was an increase in the prevalence of HF, and LV dysfunction was very common in China. However, treatment and control of hypertension in participants with HF were low.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR-ECS-14004641.