Body mass index, gender, and clinical outcome among hypertensive and diabetic patients with stage A/B heart failure

Glycaemic control and insulin therapy are significant confounders of the obesity paradox in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

A high body mass index (BMI) confers a paradoxical survival benefit in patients with heart failure (HF) or diabetes mellitus (DM). There is, however, controversy whether an obesity paradox is also present in patients with HF and concomitant DM. In addition, the influence of glycaemic control and diabetes treatment on the presence or absence of the obesity paradox in patients with HF and DM is unknown.

METHODS

We identified 2936 patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the HF registries of the universities of Heidelberg, Germany, and Hull, UK (general sample). Of these, 598 (20%) were treated for concomitant DM (DM subgroup). The relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality was analysed in both the general sample and the DM subgroup. Patients with concomitant DM were stratified according to HbA1c levels or type of diabetes treatment and analyses were repeated.

RESULTS

We found an inverse BMI-mortality relationship in both the general sample and the DM subgroup. However, the obesity paradox was less pronounced in patients with diabetes treated with insulin and it disappeared in those with poor glycaemic control as defined by HbA1c levels > 7.5%.

CONCLUSION

In patients with HFrEF, a higher BMI is associated with better survival irrespective of concomitant DM. However, insulin treatment and poor glycaemic control make the relationship much weaker.

Heterogeneous impact of body mass index on in-hospital mortality in acute heart failure syndromes: An analysis from the ATTEND Registry

BACKGROUND

Although the obesity paradox may vary depending upon clinical background factors such as age, gender, aetiology of heart failure and comorbidities, the reasons underlying the heterogeneous impact of body mass index (BMI) on in-hospital cardiac mortality under various conditions in patients with acute heart failure syndromes (AHFSs) remain unclear.

METHODS

Among 4617 hospitalised patients with AHFSs enrolled in the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Syndromes (ATTEND) registry, the patient characteristics and in-hospital cardiac mortality rates in those with low BMI (BMI <25 kg/m², n = 3263) were compared to those with high BMI (BMI ⩾25 kg/m², n = 1354).

RESULTS

Compared to the high-BMI group, the low-BMI group was significantly older, less likely to be male and to have hypertensive or idiopathic dilated aetiologies and more likely to have valvular aetiologies and a history of prior hospitalisation for AHFS. The low-BMI group also had lower prevalence rates of diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and atrial fibrillation and higher prevalence rates of anaemia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, cardiac mortality was significantly higher in the low-BMI group than in the high-BMI group (5.5 vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that low BMI was a predictor of cardiac mortality (odds ratio: 3.89, 95% confidence interval: 2.44-6.21). In subgroup analyses, the impact of BMI on cardiac mortality differed depending on the presence of hypertensive aetiology, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hyponatremia (all p < 0.05), although there were no interactions between the impacts of BMI and age, gender, other aetiologies, prior hospitalisation, diabetes, anaemia, cardio-renal function and in-hospital management.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to appreciate the obesity paradox in AHFS patients, and a patient's heterogeneous background should also be considered.

Adiponectin as an Independent Predictor of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Nondiabetic Patients With Hypertension

We evaluated novel and traditional biomarkers as well as hemodynamic parameters associated with the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in nondiabetic patients with hypertension. Nondiabetic patients with hypertension (n = 86) were evaluated for lipids, glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), adiponectin, aldosterone, renin, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and endothelin. Arterial elasticity was evaluated using pulse wave contour. The LVH parameters were assessed echographically. Adiponectin was significantly and inversely associated with left ventricular mass (LVM; P = .032). The aldosterone–renin ratio (ARR) was significantly, positively associated with LVM ( P = .031). Fasting insulin as well as HOMA-IR was significantly, positively associated with LVM ( P = .036 and P = .025, respectively). In multiple linear regression analysis, adiponectin and ARR remained a significant predictor of LVM. The present study found that adiponectin and ARR are important independent determinants of LVH in nondiabetic patients with hypertension.

Short-term outcomes after hospital discharge in patients admitted with heart failure in Abeokuta, Nigeria: data from the Abeokuta Heart Failure Registry

Background

Compared to other regions of the world, there is a paucity of data on the short-term outcome of acute heart failure (AHF) in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. We examined the six-month outcomes (including case fatalities) in 285 of 309 AHF subjects admitted with HF to a tertiary hospital in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Methods

The study cohort of 285 subjects comprised 150 men (52.6%) and 135 women (47.4%) with a mean age of 56.3 ± 15.6 years and the majority in NYHA class III (75%).

Results

There were a number of differences according to the subject’s gender; men being older and more likely to present with hypertensive heart disease (with greater left ventricular mass) while also having greater systolic dysfunction. Mean length of stay was 10.5 ± 5.9 days. Mean follow up was 205 days, with 23 deaths and 20 lost to follow up. At 30 days, 4.2% (95% CI: 2.4–7.3%) had died and by 180 days this had increased to 7.5% (95% CI: 4.7–11.2%); with those subjects with pericardial disease demonstrating the highest initial mortality rate. Over the same period, 13.9% of the cohort was re-admitted at least once.

Conclusions

The characteristics of this AHF cohort in Nigeria were different from those reported in high-income countries. Cases were relatively younger and presented with non-ischaemic aetiological risk factors for HF, especially hypertensive heart disease. Moreover, mortality and re-admission rates were relatively lower, suggesting region-specific strategies are required to improve health outcomes.