Optimal timing of electrical cardioversion for acute decompensated heart failure caused by atrial arrhythmias: The earlier, the better?

The optimal timing for electrical cardioversion (ECV) in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) with atrial arrhythmias (AAs) is unknown. Here, we retrospectively evaluated the impact of ECV timing on SR maintenance, hospitalization duration, and cardiac function in patients with ADHF and AAs. Between October 2017 and December 2022, ECV was attempted in 73 patients (62 with atrial fibrillation and 11 with atrial flutter). Patients were classified into two groups based on the median number of days from hospitalization to ECV, as follows: early ECV (within 8 days, n = 38) and delayed ECV (9 days or more, n = 35). The primary endpoint was very short-term and short-term ECV failure (unsuccessful cardioversion and AA recurrence during hospitalization and within one month after ECV). Secondary endpoints included (1) acute ECV success, (2) ECVs attempted, (3) periprocedural complications, (4) transthoracic echocardiographic parameter changes within two months following successful ECV, and (5) hospitalization duration. ECV successfully restored SR in 62 of 73 patients (85%), with 10 (14%) requiring multiple ECV attempts (≥ 3), and periprocedural complications occurring in six (8%). Very short-term and short-term ECV failure occurred without between-group differences (51% vs. 63%, P = 0.87 and 61% vs. 72%, P = 0.43, respectively). Among 37 patients who underwent echocardiography before and after ECV success, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) significantly increased (38% [31-52] to 51% [39-63], P = 0.008) between admission and follow-up. Additionally, hospital stay length was shorter in the early ECV group than in the delayed ECV group (14 days [12-21] vs. 17 days [15-26], P < 0.001). Hospital stay duration was also correlated with days from admission to ECV (Spearman's ρ = 0.47, P < 0.001). In clinical practice, early ECV was associated with a shortened hospitalization duration and significantly increased LVEF in patients with ADHF and AAs.

Worsening heart failure: a concept in evolution

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Worsening heart failure (WHF) has developed as a unique definition within heart failure (HF) in recent years. It captures the disease as a dynamic process. This review describes what is currently known about WHF, why it should be considered a discrete scientific endpoint, and future directions for research.

RECENT FINDINGS

There is no single agreed upon definition for WHF. It can be identified as being due to treatment side-effects, related to concomitant comorbidity, or true disease progression. Risk scores based on criteria like those already developed for HF can be created to stratify risk for WHF.

CONCLUSIONS

WHF is an emerging entity within HF that defines itself as a unique point of interest. Understanding it as a clinical measure of where a patient's HF is evolving allows for identifying patients that require a refreshed approach to their care. Keeping this in mind will help redefine more patient-centric outcome measures in research to come.

Organ perfusion pressure at admission and clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure

AIMS

Hypoperfusion portends adverse outcomes in acute heart failure (AHF). The gradient between end-organ inflow and outflow pressures may more closely reflect hypoperfusion than mean arterial pressure (MAP) alone. The aim of this study was to investigate organ perfusion pressure (OPP), calculated as MAP minus central venous pressure (CVP), as a prognostic marker in AHF.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Sodium NItroPrusside Treatment in Acute Heart Failure (SNIP)-AHF study was a multicentre retrospective cohort study of 200 consecutive patients hospitalized for AHF treated with sodium nitroprusside. Only patients with both MAP and invasive CVP data available from the SNIP-AHF cohort were included in this analysis. The primary endpoint was to assess OPP as a predictor of worsening heart failure (WHF), defined as the worsening of signs and symptoms of heart failure leading to intensification of therapy at 48 h. One hundred and forty-six patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included [mean age: 61.1 ± 13.5 years, 32 (21.9%) females; mean body mass index: 26.2 ± 11.7 kg/m2; mean left ventricular ejection fraction: 23.8%±11.4%, mean MAP: 80.2 ± 13.2 mmHg, and mean CVP: 14.0 ± 6.1 mmHg]. WHF occurred in 14 (9.6%) patients. At multivariable models including hemodynamic variables (OPP, shock index, and CVP), OPP at admission was the best predictor of WHF at 48 h [OR 0.91 (95% confidence interval 0.86-0.96), P-value = 0.001] with an optimal cut-off value of 67.5 mmHg (specificity 47.3%, sensitivity 100%, and AUC 0.784 ± 0.054). In multivariable models, including univariable significant parameters available at first bedside assessment, namely New York Heart Association functional class, OPP, shock index, CVP, and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, OPP consistently and significantly predicted WHF at 48 h.

CONCLUSION

In this retrospective analysis on patients hospitalized for AHF treated with sodium nitroprusside, on-admission OPP significantly predicted WHF at 48 h with high sensitivity.

Acute heart failure: mechanisms and pre-clinical models-a Scientific Statement of the ESC Working Group on Myocardial Function

While chronic heart failure (CHF) treatment has considerably improved patient prognosis and survival, the therapeutic management of acute heart failure (AHF) has remained virtually unchanged in the last decades. This is partly due to the scarcity of pre-clinical models for the pathophysiological assessment and, consequently, the limited knowledge of molecular mechanisms involved in the different AHF phenotypes. This scientific statement outlines the different trajectories from acute to CHF originating from the interaction between aetiology, genetic and environmental factors, and comorbidities. Furthermore, we discuss the potential molecular targets capable of unveiling new therapeutic perspectives to improve the outcome of the acute phase and counteracting the evolution towards CHF.

Randomized controlled trial of urinE chemiStry guided aCute heArt faiLure treATmEnt (ESCALATE): Rationale and design

Diuresis to achieve decongestion is a central aim of therapy in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). While multiple clinical trials have investigated initial diuretic strategies for a designated period of time, there is a paucity of evidence to guide diuretic titration strategies continued until decongestion is achieved. The use of urine chemistries (urine sodium and creatinine) in a natriuretic response prediction equation accurately estimates natriuresis in response to diuretic dosing, but a randomized clinical trial is needed to compare a urine chemistry-guided diuresis strategy with a strategy of usual care. The urinE chemiStry guided aCute heArt faiLure treATmEnt (ESCALATE) trial is designed to test the hypothesis that protocolized diuretic therapy guided by spot urine chemistry through completion of intravenous diuresis will be superior to usual care and improve outcomes over the 14 days following randomization. ESCALATE will randomize and obtain complete data on 450 patients with acute heart failure to a diuretic strategy guided by urine chemistry or a usual care strategy. Key inclusion criteria include an objective measure of hypervolemia with at least 10 pounds of estimated excess volume, and key exclusion criteria include significant valvular stenosis, hypotension, and a chronic need for dialysis. Our primary outcome is days of benefit over the 14 days after randomization. Days of benefit combines patient symptoms captured by global clinical status with clinical state quantifying the need for hospitalization and intravenous diuresis. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04481919.

Characteristics of symptoms and symptom change across different heart failure subtypes: a sex-stratified analysis

AIMS

To examine sex-stratified differences in the association of left ventricular ejection fraction-based heart failure (HF) subtypes and the characteristics and correlates of self-reported changes in HF symptoms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We report a secondary data analysis from 528 hospitalized individuals diagnosed with HF characterised by a reduced, mildly reduced, or preserved ejection fraction [HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF), or HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)] who completed 12-month follow-up within a multicentre disease management trial. There were 302 men (71.1 ± 11.9 years, 58% with HFrEF) and 226 women (77.1 ± 10.6 years, 49% with HFpEF). The characteristics of self-reported symptoms measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) at baseline and 12-month were analysed. At baseline, shortness of breath and fatigue predominated; with key differences according to HF subtypes in bilateral ankle oedema (both sexes), walking problems (women) and depressive symptoms (men). At 12-month follow-up, most KCCQ scores had not significantly changed. However, 25% of individuals reported worse symptom. In women, those with HFpEF had worse symptoms than those with HFmrEF/HFrEF (P = 0.025). On an adjusted basis, women [odds ratios (OR): 1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-3.16 vs. men], those with coronary artery disease (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.21-3.31) and baseline acute pulmonary oedema (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.02-2.75) were most likely to report worsening symptoms. Among men, worsening symptoms correlated with a history of hypertension (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.07-4.35) and a non-English-speaking background (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.02-5.20).

CONCLUSION

We found significant heterogeneity (with potential clinical implications) in the symptomatic characteristics and subsequent symptom trajectory according to the sex and HF subtype of those hospitalized with the syndrome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ANZCTR12613000921785.

The characteristics and outcomes in patients with acute heart failure who used tolvaptan: from KCHF registry

AIMS

The use of tolvaptan is increasing in clinical practice in Japan. However, the characteristics of patients who used tolvaptan and the timing of its use in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) are not fully elucidated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Among consecutive 4056 patients in the Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure registry, we analysed 3802 patients after excluding patients on dialysis, prior or unknown tolvaptan use at admission, and unknown timing of tolvaptan use, and we divided them into two groups: tolvaptan use (N = 773) and no tolvaptan use (N = 3029). The prevalence of tolvaptan use varied widely from 48.7% to 0% across the participating centres. Factors independently associated with tolvaptan use were diabetes, poor medical adherence, oedema, pleural effusion, hyponatraemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 , moderate/severe tricuspid regurgitation, dobutamine infusion within 24 h, and additional inotropes infusion beyond 24 h after admission. The mortality rate at 90 days after admission was significantly higher in the tolvaptan use group than in the no tolvaptan use group (14.3% vs. 8.6%, P = 0.049). However, after adjustment, the excess mortality risk of tolvaptan use relative to no tolvaptan use was no longer significant (hazard ratio = 1.53, 95% confidence interval = 0.77-3.02, P = 0.22). Patients with tolvaptan use had a longer hospital stay [median (interquartile range): 22 (15-34) days vs. 15 (11-21) days, P < 0.0001] and a higher prevalence of worsening renal failure (47.0% vs. 31.8%, P < 0.0001) and worsening heart failure (24.8% vs. 14.4%, P < 0.0001) than those without.

CONCLUSIONS

AHF patients with tolvaptan use had more congestive status with poorer in-hospital outcomes and higher short-term mortality than those without tolvaptan use.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02334891 (NCT02334891) and https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000017241 (UMIN000015238).

Classification of Heart Failure Events by Severity: Insights From the VICTORIA Trial

BACKGROUND

Hospitalization due to heart failure (HFH) is a major source of morbidity, consumes significant economic resources and is a key endpoint in HF clinical trials. HFH events vary in severity and implications, but they are typically considered equivalent when analyzing clinical trial outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the frequency and severity of HF events, assess treatment effects and describe differences in outcomes by type of HF event in VICTORIA (Vericiguat Global Study in Subjects with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction).

METHODS

VICTORIA compared vericiguat with placebo in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (< 45%) and a recent worsening HF event. All HFHs were prospectively adjudicated by an independent clinical events committee (CEC) whose members were blinded to treatment assignment. We evaluated the frequency and clinical impact of HF events by severity, categorized by highest intensity of HF treatment (urgent outpatient visit or hospitalization treated with oral diuretics, intravenous diuretics, intravenous vasodilators, intravenous inotropes, or mechanical support) and treatment effect by event categories.

RESULTS

In VICTORIA, 2948 HF events occurred in 5050 enrolled patients. Overall total CEC HF events for vericiguat vs placebo were 43.9 vs 49.1 events/100 patient-years (P = 0.01). Hospitalization for intravenous diuretics was the most common type of HFH event (54%). HF event types differed markedly in their clinical implications for both in-hospital and post-discharge events. We observed no difference in the distribution of HF events between randomized treatment groups (P = 0.78).

CONCLUSION

HF events in large global trials vary significantly in severity and clinical implications, which may have implications for more nuanced trial design and interpretation.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02861534).

Serum Osmolarity and Vasopressin Concentration in Acute Heart Failure-Influence on Clinical Course and Outcome

Neurohormone activation plays an important role in Acute Heart Failure (AHF) pathophysiology. Serum osmolarity can affect this activation causing vasopressin excretion. The role of serum osmolarity and vasopressin concentration and its interaction remain still unexplored in AHF. The objective of our study was to evaluate the relationship of serum osmolarity with clinical parameters, vasopressin concentration, in-hospital course, and outcomes in AHF patients. The study group consisted of 338 AHF patients (male (76.3%), mean age of 68 ± 13 years) with serum osmolarity calculated by the equation: 1.86 × sodium [mmol/L] + (glucose [mg/dL]/18) + (urea [mg/dL]/2.8) + 9 and divided into osmolarity quartiles marked as: low: <287 mOsm/L, intermediate low: 287−294 mOsm/L, intermediate high: 295−304 mOsm/L, and high: >304 mOsm/L. There was an increasing age gradient in the groups and patients differed in the occurrence of comorbidities and baseline clinical and laboratory parameters. Importantly, analysis revealed that vasopressin presented a linear correlation with osmolarity (r = −0.221, p = 0.003) and its concentration decreased with quartiles (61.6 [44.0−81.0] vs. 57.8 [50.0−77.3] vs. 52.7 [43.1−69.2] vs. 45.0 [30.7−60.7] pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.034). This association across quartiles was observed among de novo AHF (63.6 [55.3−94.5] vs. 58.0 [50.7−78.6] vs. 52.0 [46.0−58.0] vs. 38.0 [27.0−57.0] pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.022) and was not statistically significant in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) (59.5 [37.4−80.0] vs. 52.0 [38.0−74.5] vs. 57.0 [38.0−79.0] vs. 50.0 [33.0−84.0] pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.849). The worsening of renal function episodes were more frequent in quartiles with higher osmolarity (4 vs. 2 vs. 13 vs. 11%, respectively, p = 0.018) and patients that belonged to the quartiles with low and high osmolarity were characterized more often by incidence of worsening heart failure (20 vs. 9 vs. 10 vs. 22%, respectively, p = 0.032). There was also a U-shape distribution in relation to one-year mortality (31 vs. 19 vs. 23 vs. 37%, respectively, p = 0.022). In conclusion, there was an association of serum osmolarity with clinical status and both in-hospital and out-of-hospital outcomes. Moreover, the linear dependence between vasopressin concentration and serum osmolarity in the AHF population was identified and was driven mainly by patients with de novo AHF which suggests different pathophysiological paths in ADHF and AHF de novo.

Evolving therapeutic strategies for patients hospitalized with new or worsening heart failure across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, progressive, and increasingly prevalent syndrome characterized by stepwise declines in health status and residual lifespan. Despite significant advancements in both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management approaches for chronic HF, the burden of HF hospitalization-whether attributable to new-onset (de novo) HF or worsening of established HF-remains high and contributes to excess HF-related morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditures. Owing to a paucity of evidence to guide tailored interventions in this heterogeneous group, management of acute HF events remains largely subject to clinician discretion, relying principally on alleviation of clinical congestion, as-needed correction of hemodynamic perturbations, and concomitant reversal of underlying trigger(s). Following acute stabilization, the subsequent phase of care primarily involves interventions known to improve long-term outcomes and rehospitalization risk, including initiation and optimization of disease-modifying pharmacotherapy, targeted use of adjunctive therapies, and attention to contributing comorbid conditions. However, even with current standards of care many patients experience recurrent HF hospitalization, or after admission incur worsening clinical trajectories. These patterns highlight a persistent unmet need for evidence-based approaches to inform in-hospital HF care and call for renewed focus on urgent implementation of interventions capable of ameliorating risk of worsening HF. In this review, we discuss key contemporary and emerging therapeutic strategies for patients hospitalized with de novo or worsening HF.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict the risk of death within 1 year in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy: a retrospective cohort study

Predicting the chances mortality within 1 year in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy patients can be very useful in clinical decision-making. This study has developed and validated a risk-prediction model for identifying factors contributing to mortality within 1 year in such patients. The predictive nomogram was constructed using a retrospective cohort study, with 615 of patients hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between October 2012 and May 2020. A variety of factors, including presence of comorbidities, demographics, results of laboratory tests, echocardiography data, medication strategies, and instances of heart transplant or death were collected from electronic medical records and follow-up telephonic consultations. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and logistic regression analyses were used to identify the critical clinical factors for constructing the nomogram. Calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness of the predictive model were assessed using the calibration plot, C-index and decision curve analysis. Internal validation was assessed with bootstrapping validation. Among the patients from whom follow-up data were obtained, the incidence of an end event (deaths or heart transplantation within 1 year) was 171 cases per 1000 person-years (105 out of 615). The main predictors included in the nomogram were pulse pressure, red blood cell count, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, levels of N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide, medical history, in-hospital worsening heart failure, and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. The model showed excellent discrimination with a C-index of 0.839 (95% CI 0.799-0.879), and the calibration curve demonstrated good agreement. The C-index of internal validation was 0.826, which demonstrated that the model was quite efficacious. A decision curve analysis confirmed that our nomogram was clinically useful. In this study, we have developed a nomogram that can predict the risk of death within 1 year in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. This will be useful in the early identification of patients in the terminal stages for better individualized clinical decisions.

Newly Diagnosed Infection After Admission for Acute Heart Failure: From the KCHF Registry

Background

No studies have explored the association between newly diagnosed infections after admission and clinical outcomes in patients with acute heart failure. We aimed to explore the factors associated with newly diagnosed infection after admission for acute heart failure, and its association with in‐hospital and post‐discharge clinical outcomes.

Methods and Results

Among 4056 patients enrolled in the Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure registry, 2399 patients without any obvious infectious disease upon admission were analyzed. The major in‐hospital and post‐discharge outcome measures were all‐cause deaths. There were 215 patients (9.0%) with newly diagnosed infections during hospitalization, and 2184 patients (91.0%) without infection during hospitalization. The factors independently associated with a newly diagnosed infection were age ≥80 years, acute coronary syndrome, non‐ambulatory status, hyponatremia, anemia, intubation, and patients who were not on loop diuretics as outpatients. The newly diagnosed infection group was associated with a higher incidence of in‐hospital mortality (16.3% and 3.2%, P<0.001) and excess adjusted risk of in‐hospital mortality (odds ratio, 6.07 [95% CI, 3.61–10.19], P<0.001) compared with the non‐infection group. The newly diagnosed infection group was also associated with a higher 1‐year incidence of post‐discharge mortality (19.3% in the newly diagnosed infection group and 13.6% in the non‐infection group, P<0.001) and excess adjusted risk of post‐discharge mortality (hazard ratio, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.08–2.07], P=0.02) compared with the non‐infection group.

Conclusions

Elderly patients with multiple comorbidities were associated with the development of newly diagnosed infections after admission for acute heart failure. Newly diagnosed infections after admission were associated with higher in‐hospital and post‐discharge mortality in patients with acute heart failure.

Registration

URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02334891.

Potential Role of Natriuretic Response to Furosemide Stress Test During Acute Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Poor natriuresis has been associated with a poorer response to diuretic treatment and worse prognosis in acute heart failure. Recommendations on how and when to measure urinary sodium (UNa) are lacking. We aim to evaluate UNa quantification after a furosemide stress test (FST) capacity to predict appropriate decongestion during acute heart failure hospitalization.

METHODS

Patients underwent an FST on day-1 of admission, and UNa was measured 2 hours after, dividing patients into low or high UNa based on the sample median value. A semiquantitative composite congestive score (CCS; 0-9) and NT pro-BNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) quantification were assessed before the FST and at day 5 after the FST.

RESULTS

Median UNa after FST in the 65 patients included was 113 (97-122) mmol/L. At day 5, a lower proportion of patients with a low UNa reached a 30% decrease in NT-proBNP levels (21 [66%] for low UNa versus 31 [94%] for high UNa; P=0.005) and an appropriate grade of decongestion (CCS<3) (20 [62%] for low UNa versus 32 [97%] for high UNa; P<0.001). A UNa>83 mmol/L 2 hours after FST had a 96% sensitivity to predict an NT-proBNP reduction ≥30% and 95% to predict a CCS<3 at day 5. Low UNa patients presented a lower cumulative diuresis and weight loss and presented more often with prolonged hospitalization, worsening heart failure, and readmission because of acute heart failure or death at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Low natriuresis after an FST identified patients at a higher risk of an inadequate diuretic response and an inappropriate decongestion. FST-guided diuretic treatment might help to improve decongestion, shorten hospitalizations, and to reduce adverse outcomes.

Association Between Symptoms of Patients With Heart Failure and Patient Outcomes Based on Electronic Nursing Records

We examined the association between symptoms (ie, dyspnea and pain) and patient outcomes (ie, length of stay, 30-day readmission, and death in hospital) among patients with heart failure using EMRs. This was a descriptive study that was conducted from July 1, 2014, to November 30, 2017. Participants were 754 hospitalized patients with heart failure (mean age, 70.62 ± 14.78 years; male-to-female ratio, 1:1.1). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and logistic regression analyses. Patients' average length of stay was 8.92 ± 13.12 days. Thirty-two patients (4.2%) were readmitted, and 100 patients (13.3%) died during hospitalization. Two-thirds (67.7%) experienced dyspnea, and 367 (48.7%) experienced pain. Symptoms and ICU admission were significantly related to patient outcomes. In the regression analyses, dyspnea, pain, and ICU admission were significantly related to higher-than-average lengths of stay. Dyspnea and ICU admission were related to death in hospital. Information regarding patients' symptoms, which was extracted from records, was a valuable resource in examining the relationship between symptoms and patient outcomes. The use of EMRs may be more advantageous than self-reported surveys when examining patients' symptom and utilizing big data.

Association between Respiratory Failure and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Heart Failure: Analysis of 5 Pooled Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND

Despite a temporal increase in respiratory failure in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (HF), clinical trials have largely not reported the incidence or associated clinical outcomes for patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

After pooling 5 acute HF clinical trials, we used multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, examinations, and laboratory findings to assess associations between mechanical ventilation and clinical outcomes. Among the 8296 patients, 210 (2.5%) required mechanical ventilation. Age, sex, smoking history, baseline ejection fraction, HF etiology, and the proportion of patients randomized to treatment or placebo in the original clinical trial were similar between groups (all, P > 0.05). Baseline diabetes mellitus was more common in the mechanical ventilation group (P = 0.02), but other comorbidities, including chronic lung disease, were otherwise similar (all P > 0.05). HF rehospitalization at 30 days (12.7% vs 6.6%, P < 0.001) and all-cause 60-day mortality (33.3% vs 6.1%, P < 0.001) was higher among patients requiring mechanical ventilation. After multivariable adjustment, mechanical ventilation use was associated with an increased 30-day HF rehospitalization (odds ratio 2.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-3.21, P = 0.002), 30-day mortality (odds ratio 10.40; 95% confidence interval, 7.22-14.98, P < 0.001), and 60-day mortality (odds ratio 7.68; 95% confidence interval, 5.50-10.74, P < 0.001). The influence of mechanical ventilation did not differ by HF etiology or baseline ejection fraction (both, interaction P > 0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory failure during an index hospitalization for acute HF was associated with increased rehospitalization and all-cause mortality. The development of respiratory failure during an acute HF admission identifies a particularly vulnerable population, which should be identified for closer monitoring.

Impact of heart failure on the clinical course and outcomes of patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Results of the Cardio-COVID-Italy multicentre study

AIMS

To assess the prognostic value of a history of heart failure (HF) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We enrolled 692 consecutive patients admitted for COVID-19 in 13 Italian cardiology centres between 1 March and 9 April 2020. Mean age was 67.4 ± 13.2 years, 69.5% of patients were males, 90 (13.0%) had a history of HF, median hospitalization length was 14 days (interquartile range 9-24). In-hospital death occurred in 37 of 90 patients (41.1%) with HF history vs. 126 of those with no HF history (20.9%). The increased risk of death associated with HF history remained significant after adjustment for clinical variables related to COVID-19 and HF severity, including comorbidities, oxygen saturation, lymphocyte count and plasma troponin [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for death: 2.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-4.02; P = 0.006 at multivariable Cox regression model including 404 patients]. Patients with a history of HF also had more in-hospital complications including acute HF (33.3% vs. 5.1%, P < 0.001), acute renal failure (28.1% vs. 12.9%, P < 0.001), multiorgan failure (15.9% vs. 5.8%, P = 0.004) and sepsis (18.4% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.006). Other independent predictors of outcome were age, sex, oxygen saturation and oxygen partial pressure at arterial gas analysis/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (PaO₂ /FiO₂ ). In-hospital treatment with corticosteroids and heparin had beneficial effects (adjusted HR for death: 0.46; 95% CI 0.29-0.74; P = 0.001; n = 404 for corticosteroids, and adjusted HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.25-0.67; P < 0.001; n = 364 for heparin).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and a history of HF have an extremely poor outcome with higher mortality and in-hospital complications. HF history is an independent predictor of increased in-hospital mortality.

In-Hospital Therapy for Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in the United States

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to characterize in-hospital treatment patterns and associated patient outcomes among patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) in U.S. clinical practice.

BACKGROUND

Hospitalizations for HF are common and associated with poor patient outcomes. Real-world patterns of in-hospital treatment, including diuretic therapy, in contemporary U.S. practice are unknown.

METHODS

Using Optum de-identified Electronic Health Record data from 2007 through 2018, patients hospitalized for a primary diagnosis of HF (ejection fraction ≤40%) and who were hemodynamically stable at admission, without concurrent acute coronary syndrome or end-stage renal disease, and treated with intravenous (IV) diuretic agents within 48 h of admission were identified. Patients were categorized into 1 of 4 mutually exclusive hierarchical treatment groups defined by complexity of treatment during hospitalization (intensified treatment with mechanical support or IV vasoactive therapy, IV diuretic therapy reinitiated after discontinuation for ≥1 day without intensified treatment, IV diuretic dose increase/combination diuretic treatment without intensified treatment or IV diuretic reinitiation, or uncomplicated).

RESULTS

Of 22,677 patients hospitalized for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 66% had uncomplicated hospitalizations without escalation of treatment beyond initial IV diuretic therapy. Among 7,809 remaining patients, the highest level of therapy received was IV diuretic dose increase/combination diuretic treatment in 25%, IV diuretic reinitiation in 36%, and intensified therapy in 39%. Overall, 19% of all patients had reinitiation of IV diuretic agents (26% of such patients had multiple instances), 12% were simultaneously treated with multiple diuretics, and 61% were transitioned to oral diuretic agents before discharge. Compared with uncomplicated treatment, IV diuretic reinitiation and intensified treatment were associated with significantly longer median length of stay (uncomplicated: 4 days; IV diuretic reinitiation: 8 days; intensified: 10 days) and higher rates of in-hospital (uncomplicated: 1.6%; IV diuretic reinitiation: 4.2%; intensified: 13.2%) and 30-day post-discharge mortality (uncomplicated: 5.2%; IV diuretic reinitiation: 9.7%; intensified: 12.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this contemporary real-world population of U.S. patients hospitalized for HFrEF, one-third of patients had in-hospital treatment escalated beyond initial IV diuretic therapy. These more complex treatment patterns were associated with highly variable patterns of diuretic use, longer hospital lengths of stay, and higher mortality. Standardized and evidence-based approaches are needed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of in-hospital HFrEF care.

Acute heart failure: More questions than answers

Acute heart failure (AHF) is a life-threatening condition with a dramatic burden in terms of symptoms, morbidity and mortality. It is a specific syndrome requiring urgent, life-saving treatment. Multiple specific pathophysiologic mechanisms may be involved, including congestion, inflammation, and neurohormonal activation. This process eventually leads to symptoms, end-organ damage, and adverse outcomes. Clinical presentation varies, but it almost universally includes worsening of congestion associated with different degrees of hypoperfusion. Due to substantial early symptoms burden and high morbidity and mortality, patients with AHF require intensive monitoring and intravenous treatment. However, beyond variable improvement in congestion, none of the available intravenous therapies for AHF was shown to improve longer term outcomes. Although oral treatment with guideline-directed therapies for stable patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) before discharge may fully prevent subsequent episodes, proof that this strategy may benefit patients is lacking. First, most patients with AHF have preserved EF (HFpEF) where no therapies have been shown to be effective. Second, all therapies developed for patients with HFrEF were tested for efficacy on outcomes in patients who were stable without recent AHF. Hence, the implementation of these chronic therapies during an AHF episode is untested. Third, the problem to better treat AHF patients in their early phase remains crucial with treatment strategies largely untested, yet. Further studies targeting AHF specific mechanisms, such as inflammation and end-organ damage, and finding effective intravenous drugs remain therefore warranted.

Risk factors and clinical outcomes of functional decline during hospitalisation in very old patients with acute decompensated heart failure: an observational study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of functional decline during hospitalisation and its relationship with postdischarge outcomes in very old patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) hospitalisation.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study between 1 October 2014 and 31 March 2016.

SETTING

A physician-initiated, multicentre study of consecutive patients admitted for ADHF in 19 hospitals throughout Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

Among 3555 patients hospitalised for ADHF (median age (IQR), 80 (71-86) years; 1572 (44%) women), functional decline during the index hospitalisation occurred in 528 patients (15%).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES

The primary outcome measure was a composite of all-cause death or heart failure (HF) hospitalisation after discharge. The secondary outcome measures were all-cause death, HF hospitalisation, and a composite of all-cause death or all-cause hospitalisation.

RESULTS

The independent risk factors for functional decline included age ≥80 years (OR 2.71; 95% CI 2.09 to 3.51), female (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.67), prior stroke (OR 1.67; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.19), dementia (OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.74 to 2.95), ambulatory before admission (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.35), elevated body temperature (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.31 to 2.79), New York Heart Association class III or IV on admission (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.22), decreased albumin levels (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.34), hyponatraemia (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.03) and renal dysfunction (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.22 to 1.98), after multivariable adjustment. The cumulative 1-year incidence of the primary outcome in the functional decline group was significantly higher than that in the no functional decline group (50% vs 31%, log-rank p<0.001). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, the higher risk of the functional decline group relative to the no functional decline group remained significant (adjusted HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.24 to 1.71; p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Independent risk factors of functional decline in very old patients with ADHF were related to both frailty and severity of HF. Functional decline during ADHF hospitalisation was associated with unfavourable postdischarge outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02334891, UMIN000015238.

Treatment with 24 hour istaroxime infusion in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial

AIM

Istaroxime is a first-in-class agent which acts through inhibition of the sarcolemmal Na⁺ /K⁺ pump and activation of the SERCA2a pump. This study assessed the effects of a 24 h infusion of istaroxime in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure (AHF).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We included patients hospitalised for AHF with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% and E/e' > 10. Patients were randomised to a 24 h intravenous infusion of placebo or istaroxime at doses of 0.5 μg/kg/min (cohort 1: placebo n = 19; istaroxime n = 41) or 1.0 μg/kg/min (cohort 2: placebo n = 20, istaroxime n = 40). The primary endpoint of change in E/e' ratio from baseline to 24 h decreased with istaroxime vs. placebo (cohort 1: -4.55 ± 4.75 istaroxime 0.5 μg/kg/min vs. -1.55 ± 4.11 placebo, P = 0.029; cohort 2: -3.16 ± 2.59 istaroxime 1.0 μg/kg/min vs. -1.08 ± 2.72 placebo, P = 0.009). Both istaroxime doses significantly increased stroke volume index and decreased heart rate. Systolic blood pressure increased with istaroxime, achieving significance with the high dose. Self-reported dyspnoea and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide improved in all groups without significant differences between istaroxime and placebo. No significant differences in cardiac troponin absolute values or clinically relevant arrhythmias were observed during or after istaroxime infusion. Serious cardiac adverse events (including arrhythmias and hypotension) did not differ between placebo and istaroxime groups. The most common adverse events were injection site reactions and gastrointestinal events, the latter primarily with istaroxime 1.0 μg/kg/min.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients hospitalised for AHF with reduced ejection fraction, a 24 h infusion of istaroxime improved parameters of diastolic and systolic cardiac function without major cardiac adverse effects.

Rationale and design of the AFFIRM-AHF trial: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing the effect of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose on hospitalisations and mortality in iron-deficient patients admitted for acute heart failure

AIMS

Iron deficiency (ID) is a common co-morbidity in heart failure (HF), associated with impaired functional capacity, poor quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. Treatment with intravenous (i.v.) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) has shown improvements in functional capacity, symptoms and quality of life in stable HF patients with reduced ejection fraction. The effect of i.v. iron supplementation on morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalised for acute HF (AHF) and who have ID has yet to be established. The objective of the present article is to present the rationale and design of the AFFIRM-AHF trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02937454) which will investigate the effect of i.v. FCM (vs. placebo) on recurrent HF hospitalisations and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in iron-deficient patients hospitalised for AHF.

METHODS

AFFIRM-AHF is a multicentre, randomised (1:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled trial which recruited 1100 patients hospitalised for AHF and who had iron deficiency ID defined as serum ferritin <100 ng/mL or 100-299 ng/mL if transferrin saturation <20%. Eligible patients were randomised (1:1) to either i.v. FCM or placebo and received the first dose of study treatment just prior to discharge for the index hospitalisation. Patients will be followed for 52 weeks. The primary outcome is the composite of recurrent HF hospitalisations and CV mortality. The main secondary outcomes include the composite of recurrent CV hospitalisations and CV mortality, recurrent HF hospitalisations and safety-related outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The AFFIRM-AHF trial will evaluate, compared to placebo, the effect of i.v. FCM on morbidity and mortality in iron-deficient patients hospitalised for AHF.

Effects of Serelaxin in Patients with Acute Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Serelaxin is a recombinant form of human relaxin-2, a vasodilator hormone that contributes to cardiovascular and renal adaptations during pregnancy. Previous studies have suggested that treatment with serelaxin may result in relief of symptoms and in better outcomes in patients with acute heart failure.

METHODS

In this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, event-driven trial, we enrolled patients who were hospitalized for acute heart failure and had dyspnea, vascular congestion on chest radiography, increased plasma concentrations of natriuretic peptides, mild-to-moderate renal insufficiency, and a systolic blood pressure of at least 125 mm Hg, and we randomly assigned them within 16 hours after presentation to receive either a 48-hour intravenous infusion of serelaxin (30 μg per kilogram of body weight per day) or placebo, in addition to standard care. The two primary end points were death from cardiovascular causes at 180 days and worsening heart failure at 5 days.

RESULTS

A total of 6545 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At day 180, death from cardiovascular causes had occurred in 285 of the 3274 patients (8.7%) in the serelaxin group and in 290 of the 3271 patients (8.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 1.15; P = 0.77). At day 5, worsening heart failure had occurred in 227 patients (6.9%) in the serelaxin group and in 252 (7.7%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.07; P = 0.19). There were no significant differences between the groups in the incidence of death from any cause at 180 days, the incidence of death from cardiovascular causes or rehospitalization for heart failure or renal failure at 180 days, or the length of the index hospital stay. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this trial involving patients who were hospitalized for acute heart failure, an infusion of serelaxin did not result in a lower incidence of death from cardiovascular causes at 180 days or worsening heart failure at 5 days than placebo. (Funded by Novartis Pharma; RELAX-AHF-2 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01870778.).

Progressive Mobilization Program for Patients With Acute Heart Failure Reduces Hospital Stay and Improves Clinical Outcome

Background: Early ambulation has been shown to be associated with shorter hospital stay and better clinical outcomes in patients with acute heart failure (HF). Early mobilization program in combination with structured exercise training is recommended, but has yet to be developed and implemented in HF. Methods and Results: We developed a progressive mobilization program for HF patients that classifies the mobilization process into 7 stages based on disease condition and physical function. We retrospectively analyzed 136 patients with acute HF (80±11 years), who were assigned either to the mobilization program (intervention group, n=75) or to usual care (control group, n=61). The program was safely implemented without any adverse events. Hospital stay was significantly reduced in the intervention group compared with the control group (33±25 vs. 51±36 days, P<0.01). The intervention group had higher activities of daily living (ADL) score at discharge evaluated using the Barthel index (64±38 vs. 49±36, P<0.05). The intervention group also had a higher percentage of discharge to home (71% vs. 52%, P<0.05) and a lower rate of HF-related readmission (16% vs. 36%, P<0.05) compared with the control group. Conclusions: The progressive mobilization program for acute HF was feasible and was associated with better ADL and reduced hospital stay, leading to improvement of clinical outcome.

Efficacy and safety of serelaxin when added to standard of care in patients with acute heart failure: results from a PROBE study, RELAX-AHF-EU

AIM

Serelaxin is a recombinant human relaxin-2 hormone, which confers receptor-mediated vasodilatation in a tissue-specific fashion. The RELAX-AHF-EU study assessed the effect of serelaxin when added to standard-of-care (SoC) therapy on worsening heart failure (WHF)/all-cause death through Day 5 in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure (AHF) in Europe.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This multicentre, prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoint validation study enrolled hospitalised AHF patients and randomised (2:1) eligible patients (mild-to-moderate renal impairment and systolic blood pressure ≥ 125 mmHg) within 16 h of presentation with signs/symptoms of AHF, to receive 48 h intravenous infusion of 30 μg/kg/day serelaxin + SoC or SoC alone. The primary endpoint was adjudicated WHF/all-cause death through Day 5. Of 3183 patients targeted, 2666 were randomised when the study was terminated early by the sponsor due to the neutral results of the pivotal RELAX-AHF-2 study. Adjudicated WHF/all-cause death through Day 5 was significantly reduced in the serelaxin + SoC vs. SoC group (5.0% vs. 6.9%; hazard ratio 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.51-0.98; P = 0.0172) (absolute risk reduction 1.9%, number needed to treat 53). The difference between treatment groups was not significant for WHF/all-cause death/heart failure rehospitalisation through Day 14 and length of hospital stay. A significantly smaller proportion of patients in the serelaxin + SoC vs. SoC group experienced persistent heart failure signs/symptoms at each visit until Day 4, or renal deterioration through Day 5 (all P ≤ 0.01). Overall incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events was comparable between treatment groups. Hypotension and decrease in haemoglobin/haematocrit were more frequent in the serelaxin + SoC group.

CONCLUSION

When added to SoC, serelaxin reduced adjudicated WHF or all-cause death through Day 5 in AHF patients. The results from this open-label study should be considered in the context of the totality of the double-blind, randomised evidence on serelaxin in AHF.

Patterns of dyspnoea onset in patients with acute heart failure: clinical and prognostic implications

Aims

Despite attempts to improve the management of patients with acute heart failure (HF), virtually all therapeutic agents investigated in large clinical trials failed to show any consistent reduction in mortality and morbidity. Complexity of the clinical syndrome of acute HF seems to be likely an underlying explanation. Traditionally, clinical trials studied mixed patient populations with acute HF, and only recently, better clinical characterization of patients has been proposed. Dyspnoea is the most common presenting symptom related to hospital admission for acute HF. Whether in patients with acute HF, the pattern of symptoms onset preceding hospital admission is associated with clinical characteristics, and the outcomes have not yet been established.

Methods and results

We investigated 137 patients (mean age: 65 ± 13 years; 80% men) hospitalized due to acute HF with dyspnoea as major reported symptom, who were divided according to the time of its onset into those with acute (n = 98) vs. subacute (n = 39) onset (i.e. within 7 days vs. >7 days preceding hospital admission, respectively). On admission, the former group presented higher blood pressure (138 ± 33 vs. 121 ± 32 mmHg), more often moderate–severe pulmonary congestion (33 vs. 8%), and lower bilirubin level [1.07 (0.72–1.60) vs. 1.27 (0.87–2.06); P < 0.05 in all comparisons]. There were no other differences in baseline clinical characteristics and laboratory indices. Higher percentage of patients with an acute dyspnoea onset reported marked/moderate dyspnoea relief after 6 (18% vs. 7%), 24 (59% vs. 24%), and 48 h (80% vs. 46% assessed as an improvement of at least 5 points in self‐reported 10‐point Likert scale; P < 0.05 in all time points). In patients with an acute onset of dyspnoea after 48 h, a decrease of N‐terminal pro BNP was more frequently observed (83% vs. 65%), and the levels of endothelin‐1 were more reduced [−1.1 (−2.9–0.03) vs 0.4 (−2.2–1.4); all P < 0.05]. Patients with acute onset experienced less in‐hospital HF worsening (13% vs. 40%, P = 0.001), and 1 year cardiovascular mortality was significantly lower (20% vs. 41%, P = 0.01). On the multivariable analysis, subacute pattern of dyspnoea was independent predictor of 12 month cardiovascular mortality in patients with acute HF after adjusting for other prognostic factors: systolic blood pressure, urea, and HF de novo [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 2.32 (1.13–4.75), P = 0.02].

Conclusions

In patients with acute HF, the pattern of symptoms onset is associated with baseline differences in clinical characteristics, biomarker profile, response to standard treatment, and the long‐term outcomes. This is relevant information for planning future clinical trials.

An integrative review of the literature on in-hospital worsening heart failure

A subset of patients hospitalized for acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure develop in-hospital worsening heart failure. The objective of this paper is to present an integrative review of in-hospital worsening heart failure, including definitions, incidence, prevalence, mechanisms, treatments, outcomes, and early identification by providers. A search of electronic databases was conducted from January 2000-August 2017 using multiple search terms. Papers were reviewed for relevance; retained papers were abstracted and data were reported in a narrative synthesis. Twenty papers were selected. Many papers were observational data from in-hospital events that occurred during research trials. There was great variability in in-hospital worsening heart failure definition, incidence, prevalence, and treatments offered. Despite rescue therapies, in-hospital worsening heart failure was associated with increased risk for longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates, and death. To date, there are no therapies that target the underlying mechanisms or minimize its occurrence.

Rationale and design of the AdaptResponse trial: a prospective randomized study of cardiac resynchronization therapy with preferential adaptive left ventricular-only pacing

The AdaptResponse trial is designed to test the hypothesis that preferential adaptive left ventricular‐only pacing with the AdaptivCRT^® algorithm reduces the incidence of the combined endpoint of all‐cause mortality and intervention for heart failure (HF) decompensation, compared with conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), among patients with a CRT indication, left bundle branch block (LBBB) and normal atrioventricular (AV) conduction. The AdaptResponse study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, single‐blinded, multicentre, clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02205359), conducted at up to 200 centres worldwide. Following enrolment and baseline assessment, eligible subjects will be implanted with a CRT system containing the AdaptivCRT algorithm, and randomized in a 1:1 fashion to either a treatment (‘AdaptivCRT’) or control (‘Conventional CRT’) group. The study is designed to observe a primary endpoint in 1100 patients (‘event‐driven’) and approximately 3000 patients will be randomized. The primary endpoint is the composite of all‐cause mortality and intervention for HF decompensation; secondary endpoints include all‐cause mortality, intervention for HF decompensation, clinical composite score (CCS) at 6 months, atrial fibrillation, quality of life measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), health outcome measured by the EQ‐5D instrument, all‐cause readmission after a HF admission, and cost‐effectiveness. The AdaptResponse clinical trial is powered to assess clinical endpoints and is expected to provide definitive evidence on the incremental utility of AdaptivCRT‐enhanced CRT systems.

Negotiating renal dysfunction when treating patients with heart failure

INTRODUCTION

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most prevalent comorbidities in HF, and no specific treatment is still available for the so-called cardiorenal syndrome. Areas covered: The aim of this review is to describe the interaction of heart and kidney function and the consequences of cardiorenal syndrome, focusing on the use of available therapeutics. Expert commentary: The presence of CKD has been associated with adverse outcomes in HF regardless of ejection fraction. On the other hand, cardiovascular events are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among CKD patients, reflecting the close pathophysiological crosstalk between these organs. Multiple mechanisms are involved in the development of cardiorenal syndrome, including hemodynamic, neurohormonal and inflammatory mediators. The management of several HF drugs is a challenge in the presence of CKD mainly due to blunted diuretic response and increased risk of worsening of kidney function. Therefore, finding a balance between the optimization of cardiac and renal outcomes is a real negotiation in the everyday clinical practice.

Lessons learned in acute heart failure

Acute heart failure (HF) is a global pandemic with more than one million admissions to hospital annually in the US and millions more worldwide. Post-discharge mortality and readmission rates remain unchanged and unacceptably high. Although recent drug development programmes have failed to deliver novel therapies capable of reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalized for worsening chronic HF, hospitalized HF registries and clinical trial databases have generated a wealth of information improving our collective understanding of the HF syndrome. This review will summarize key insights from clinical trials in acute HF and hospitalized HF registries over the last several decades, focusing on improving the management of patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction.

Heart failure

Heart failure is common in adults, accounting for substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its prevalence is increasing because of ageing of the population and improved treatment of acute cardiovascular events, despite the efficacy of many therapies for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and advanced device therapies. Combined angiotensin receptor blocker neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) have been associated with improvements in hospital admissions and mortality from heart failure compared with enalapril, and guidelines now recommend substitution of ACE inhibitors or ARBs with ARNIs in appropriate patients. Improved safety of left ventricular assist devices means that these are becoming more commonly used in patients with severe symptoms. Antidiabetic therapies might further improve outcomes in patients with heart failure. New drugs with novel mechanisms of action, such as cardiac myosin activators, are under investigation for patients with heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a heterogeneous disorder that remains incompletely understood and will continue to increase in prevalence with the ageing population. Although some data suggest that spironolactone might improve outcomes in these patients, no therapy has conclusively shown a significant effect. Hopefully, future studies will address these unmet needs for patients with heart failure. Admissions for acute heart failure continue to increase but, to date, no new therapies have improved clinical outcomes.

Effects of serelaxin on the outcome of patients with or without substantial peripheral edema: A subgroup analysis from the RELAX-AHF trial

BACKGROUND

Acute heart failure (AHF) is a heterogeneous disorder, with most of the patients presenting with breathlessness along with varying degrees of peripheral edema. The presence of peripheral edema suggests that volume overload is the cause of decompensation leading to AHF, whereas breathlessness in the absence of edema may reflect a "vascular phenotype." This analysis investigated the characteristics, therapeutic response, and outcome of patients with AHF, with and without overt peripheral edema in the RELAX-AHF trial.

METHODS

Physician-assessed edema scores at baseline were used to categorize the population into those with no/mild edema (score 0 or 1+) and moderate/severe edema (score 2+ or 3+). The effect of serelaxin vs placebo was assessed within each subgroup.

RESULTS

Patients with moderate/severe edema (n = 583; 50.5%) were more likely to have severe dyspnea, orthopnea (>30°), rales (≥1/3), and elevated jugular venous pressure (>6 cm) than the patients with little or no peripheral edema (n=571; 49.5%). The relative benefits of serelaxin in terms of reduction in breathlessness, lower diuretic requirements, decreased length of initial hospital stay and days in intensive care unit/cardiac care unit, and improved prognosis (180-day cardiovascular and all-cause mortality) were generally similar for patients with or without peripheral edema. However, because patients with moderate/severe peripheral edema had worse outcomes, the absolute benefit was generally greater than in patients with no/mild edema.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, patients with AHF and moderate/severe peripheral edema have a worse prognosis but appear to receive similar relative benefit and perhaps greater absolute benefit from serelaxin administration.

Implications of Using Different Definitions on Outcomes in Worsening Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

In-hospital worsening heart failure (WHF) is an important event that has inconsistent definitions used across trials. We used data from 2 acute heart failure (HF) trials from the National Institutes of Health HF Network, DOSE (Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation) and ROSE (Renal Optimization Strategies), to understand event rates associated with different WHF definitions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We pooled data from 668 patients in DOSE and ROSE and assessed the relationship between WHF and the composite end point of rehospitalization, emergency room visits for HF, and mortality through 60 days. We also assessed for a differential relationship between the timing of WHF development and outcomes. The overall incidence of WHF was 14.6% (24.1% in DOSE, 6.3% in ROSE, and 5.0% in DOSE using the ROSE definition). WHF was associated with an increase in the composite end point (hazard ratio [HR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-2.42; P=0.01). However, the association between WHF and outcomes was significantly stronger in ROSE than in DOSE (HR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.45-4.91; P<0.01 and HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.79-2.08; P=0.31, respectively). Development of WHF between baseline to 24 hours compared with 24 to 48 hours or 48 to 72 hours demonstrated a trend toward improved outcomes (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.21-1.17; P=0.11 and HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20-1.04; P=0.06, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

A WHF definition that excluded the intensification of diuretics resulted in a lower event rate but a stronger association with outcomes. These data support the need for continued efforts to standardize WHF definitions in clinical trials.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT00577135 (DOSE) and NCT01132846 (ROSE).

Effect of Ularitide on Cardiovascular Mortality in Acute Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

In patients with acute heart failure, early intervention with an intravenous vasodilator has been proposed as a therapeutic goal to reduce cardiac-wall stress and, potentially, myocardial injury, thereby favorably affecting patients' long-term prognosis.

METHODS

In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 2157 patients with acute heart failure to receive a continuous intravenous infusion of either ularitide at a dose of 15 ng per kilogram of body weight per minute or matching placebo for 48 hours, in addition to accepted therapy. Treatment was initiated a median of 6 hours after the initial clinical evaluation. The coprimary outcomes were death from cardiovascular causes during a median follow-up of 15 months and a hierarchical composite end point that evaluated the initial 48-hour clinical course.

RESULTS

Death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 236 patients in the ularitide group and 225 patients in the placebo group (21.7% vs. 21.0%; hazard ratio, 1.03; 96% confidence interval, 0.85 to 1.25; P=0.75). In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was no significant between-group difference with respect to the hierarchical composite outcome. The ularitide group had greater reductions in systolic blood pressure and in levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide than the placebo group. However, changes in cardiac troponin T levels during the infusion did not differ between the two groups in the 55% of patients with paired data.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with acute heart failure, ularitide exerted favorable physiological effects (without affecting cardiac troponin levels), but short-term treatment did not affect a clinical composite end point or reduce long-term cardiovascular mortality. (Funded by Cardiorentis; TRUE-AHF ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01661634 .).

Serelaxin in addition to standard therapy in acute heart failure: rationale and design of the RELAX-AHF-2 study

Patients admitted for acute heart failure (AHF) experience high rates of in-hospital and post-discharge morbidity and mortality despite current therapies. Serelaxin is recombinant human relaxin-2, a hormone with vasodilatory and end-organ protective effects believed to play a central role in the cardiovascular and renal adaptations of human pregnancy. In the phase 3 RELAX-AHF trial, serelaxin met its primary endpoint of improving dyspnoea through day 5 in patients admitted for AHF. Compared to placebo, serelaxin also reduced worsening heart failure (WHF) by 47% through day 5 and both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 37% through day 180. RELAX-AHF-2 ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01870778) is designed to confirm serelaxin's effect on these clinical outcomes. RELAX-AHF-2 is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, event-driven, phase 3 trial enrolling ∼6800 patients hospitalized for AHF with dyspnoea, congestion on chest radiograph, increased natriuretic peptide levels, mild-to-moderate renal insufficiency, and systolic blood pressure ≥125 mmHg. Patients are randomized within 16 h of presentation to 48 h intravenous infusions of serelaxin (30 µg/kg/day) or placebo, both in addition to standard of care treatments. The primary objectives are to demonstrate that serelaxin is superior to placebo in reducing: (i) 180 day cardiovascular death, and (ii) occurrence of WHF through day 5. Key secondary endpoints include 180 day all-cause mortality, composite of 180 day combined cardiovascular mortality or heart failure/renal failure rehospitalization, and in-hospital length of stay during index AHF. The results from RELAX-AHF-2 will provide data on the potential beneficial effect of serelaxin on cardiovascular mortality and WHF in selected patients with AHF.

Registry-Based Pragmatic Trials in Heart Failure: Current Experience and Future Directions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in heart failure (HF) are becoming increasingly complex and expensive to conduct and if positive deliver expensive therapy tested only in selected populations.

RECENT FINDINGS

Electronic health records and clinical cardiovascular quality registries are providing opportunities for pragmatic and registry-based prospective randomized clinical trials (RRCTs). Simplified regulatory, ethics, and consent procedures; recruitment integrated into real-world care; and simplified or automated baseline and outcome collection allow assessment of study power and feasibility, fast and efficient recruitment, delivery of generalizable findings at low cost, and potentially evidence-based and novel use of generic drugs with low costs to society. There have been no RRCTs in HF to date. Major challenges include generating funding, international collaboration, and the monitoring of safety and adherence for chronic HF treatments. Here, we use the Spironolactone Initiation Registry Randomized Interventional Trial in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (SPIRRIT-HFpEF), to be conducted in the Swedish Heart Failure Registry, to exemplify the advantages and challenges of HF RRCTs.