Prevalence and incidence of hyperkalaemia in the Spanish population with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a systematic review and populational relevance

Economic impact of the use of patiromer in chronic kidney disease or heart failure for the treatment of chronic hyperkalemia in Spain

INTRODUCTION

Chronic hyperkalemia has negative consequences in the medium and long term, and determines the suspension of nephro and cardioprotective drugs, such as renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi). There is an alternative to the suspension or dose reduction of these treatments: the administration of potassium chelators. The aim of this study is to estimate the economic impact of the use of patiromer in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or heart failure (HF) and hyperkalemia in Spain.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The annual economic impact of the use of patiromer has been estimated from the perspective of the Spanish society. Two scenarios were compared: patients with CKD or HF and hyperkalemia treated with and without patiromer. The costs have been updated to 2020 euros, using the Health Consumer Price Index. Direct healthcare costs related to the use of resources (treatment with RAASi, CKD progression, cardiovascular events and hospitalization due to hyperkalemia), direct non-healthcare costs (informal care: costs derived from time dedicated by patient's relatives), the indirect costs (productivity loss), as well as an intangible cost (due to premature mortality) were considered. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed to validate the robustness of the study results.

RESULTS

The mean annual cost per patient in the scenario without patiromer is €9,834.09 and €10,739.37 in CKD and HF, respectively. The use of patiromer would lead to cost savings of over 30% in both diseases. The greatest savings in CKD come from the delay in the progression of CKD. While in the case of HF, 80.1% of these savings come from premature mortality reduction. The sensitivity analyses carried out show the robustness of the results, obtaining savings in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The incorporation of patiromer allows better control of hyperkalemia and, as a consequence, maintain treatment with RAASi in patients with CKD or HF. This would generate a 32% of annual savings in Spain (€3,127 in CKD; €3,466 in HF). The results support the positive contribution of patiromer to health cost in patients with only CKD or in patients with only HF.

Epidemiology and treatment of heart failure in Spain: the HF-PATHWAYS study

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

To describe the epidemiology and treatment of a large contemporary cohort of patients with heart failure (HF).

METHODS

Observational, retrospective, population-based study using the BIG-PAC database, which includes people aged ≥ 18 years seeking care for HF between 2017 and 2019. The main variables were the prevalence/annual incidence rate, comorbidities, clinical variables, and medication administered.

RESULTS

We identified 19 762 patients with HF from a total of 1 189 003 persons seeking medical attention from 2017 to 2019 (2019: mean age, 78.3 years; 53.0% men). Distribution by type of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was as follows: 51.7% reduced, 40.2% preserved, and 8.1% mid-range. In 2019, the prevalence was 1.89% (95%CI, 1.70-2.08), with an incidence rate of 2.78 new cases per 1000 persons/y. No statistically significant differences were observed in prevalence and/or incidence from 2017 to 2019. Among patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 64% received beta-blockers, 80.5% angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blockers or sacubitril-valsartan, and 29.8% an aldosterone antagonist. In addition, from the diagnosis (baseline) to 24 months of follow-up, there was discreet treatment optimization, which was notable in the first 3 to 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Epidemiological data on HF remained stable during the study period, with a lower prevalence than that reported in non-population-based studies. There is wide room for improvement in the optimization of medical treatment of HFrEF.

Estimated Population Prevalence of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction in Spain, According to DAPA-HF Study Criteria

Heart failure (HF) is one of the main causes of morbidity, mortality, and high healthcare costs. Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, reduced cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization for HF compared to placebo in patients with chronic HF, and reduced ejection fraction (EF) in the Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure (DAPA-HF) study. Our aim was to estimate the number of patients with DAPA-HF characteristics in Spain. Our literature review identified epidemiological studies whose objective was to quantify the prevalence of HF and its comorbidities in Spain. We estimated the prevalence of HF with reduced EF, of New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II–IV, and with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m². In this population, we analysed the prevalence of diabetes using data from the REDINSCOR (Spanish Network for Heart Failure) registry. Our estimations indicate there are 594,684 patients ≥45 years old with HF in Spain (2.6% of this population age group), of which 52.4%, 84.0%, and 93.9% have reduced EF, are NYHA II–IV, and have a GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively. By our calculations, approximately 245,789 Spanish patients would meet the DAPA-HF patient profile, and therefore could benefit from the protective cardiovascular effects of dapagliflozin.

[Predictive factors of early readmission and mortality in patients with heart failure hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine of the San Carlos University Hospital, Spain]

INTRODUCTION

Heart failure (HF) is a health problem in Spain where the prevalence rate for this disease is correlated with aging. Heart failure-related mortality and hospital readmissions are high. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of patients with HF hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine as well as factors associated with readmission and intra-hospital mortality.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, and retrospective study based on the review of the clinical records of patients with primary diagnosis of HF in the Basic Minimum Set of Data (BMSD, Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos),who were discharged from the Department of Internal Medicine of the San Carlos Clinical Hospital (HCSC) in 2014.

RESULTS

The study involved 199 patients, with an average age of 82.7 years (61.8% were females); 85% of them had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 40%, with an average pro-BNP of 9.101,3 pg/ml and 64.3% had ongoing atrial fibrillation. Thirty point two percent of patients were readmitted within 30 days, with an average rate of readmission/year of 1.45 (±0.86). Twenty five percent of patients died during the follow-up period in hospital. Among factors associated with intra-hospital mortality, older age was an associated variable (OR 1,050)(1,002-1,101) (p = 0.04). The most important factors associated with early readmission were polypharmacy (p = 0.024) as well as pluripathology based on Ollero criteria 4,974 (1,396-17,730) (p = 0.024). Patients hospitalized for HF in our Department are elderly patients treated with polymedication.

CONCLUSION

Patients hospitalized for cardiac insufficiency are older and are characterized by pluripathology and polypharmacy. Short-term prognosis is associated with high rates of readmission and mortality in hospitalmainly for patients suffering from kidney disease and/or neurological disorders.

Acute heart failure and adverse events associated with the presence of renal dysfunction and hyperkalaemia. EAHFE- renal dysfunction and hyperkalaemia

OBJECTIVE

To study the outcomes of patients with acute heart failure (AHF) presenting renal dysfunction (RD) or hyperkalaemia (Hk) alone or in combination.

METHOD

We analysed the data of the EAHFE registry, a multicentre, non interventionist cohort with prospective follow-up of patients with AHF. Four groups were defined based on the presence or not of RD or Hk alone or in combination. The primary endpoint was 30-day all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 11,935 of the 13,791 patients included in the EAHFE registry were analysed. Of these, 5088 (42.6%) did not have RD or Hk (NoRD-NoHk), 150 (1.3%) had no RD but had Hk (NoRD-Hk), 6012 (50.4%) had RD but not Hk (RD-NoHk) and 685 (5.7%) had both RD and Hk (RD-Hk). Thirty-day all-cause mortality was greatest in the RD-Hk group with an adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) of 2.44 (confidence interval 95% [CI95%] 1.67-3.55; p < 0.001) and in the RD-NoHk group with an adjusted HR of 1.34 (CI95% 1.04-1.71; p = 0.022). There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality and reconsultation at 30 days for HF. For the combined endpoint of 30-day all-cause mortality the adjusted HR was 1.33 (CI95% 1.04-1.70); (p = 0.021) for the RD-Hk group.

CONCLUSIONS

The association of 30-day all-cause mortality with the presence of RD and Hk in patients presenting AHF at admission is greater than in those without this combination.