Haemodynamic effects of rolofylline in the treatment of patients with heart failure and impaired renal function

Searching for novel antagonists of adenosine A1 receptors among azolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine nitro derivatives

Introduction: Ligands of adenosine A1Rs are potential candidates for the development of drugs for the treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, angina pectoris, hypertriglyceridemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, neuropathic pain, and heart failure. At the same time, there is a deficiency of drugs that can regulate the functions of A1 receptors. A number of A1-antagonists are at the various stages of clinical trials; other drugs are not very selective or are characterized by an insufficient breadth of their therapeutic action. Therefore, the search for new medicinal compounds for the prevention and treatment of A1-depended diseases among nitro derivatives of tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine and 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine is of scientific interest.

Materials and methods: The search for active compounds was carried out by in silico and in vitro methods. At the first stage, a computer forecast of A1-antagonistic activity was carried out using the Microcosm BioS software. At the second stage, the prediction results were verified in vitro in a model of isolated mouse atria.

Results and discussion: Based on the results of the prediction by the method of maximum similarity to standards, the most active compounds III, VIII, and XVII were selected. After testing the prediction results by the isolated atria method, the compound VIII was characterized by A1-blocking effect in vitro at a concentration of 10 μmol/L.

Conclusion: The most promising compound with A1-blocking effect in vitro was identified; it is a derivative of tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine under the code of VIII. It is of interest for us for further in-depth study of its pharmacological properties.

A role for the Reitan catheter pump for percutaneous cardiac circulatory support of patients presenting acute congestive heart failure with low output and renal dysfunction?

Outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure remain poor, in particular when patients present with impaired renal function. Recent results indicate that treatment of acute decompensated heart failure patients with the Reitan catheter pump not only increases cardiac index, but also improves renal function resulting in maintained increase of diuresis. These favorable effects were achieved without significant hemolysis, bleeding or vascular complications suggesting that Reitan catheter pump treatment has the potential to facilitate recovery from acute decompensated heart failure with low output and complicated by renal dysfunction.

Pharmacological interventions for heart failure in people with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Approximately half of people with heart failure have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Pharmacological interventions for heart failure in people with CKD have the potential to reduce death (any cause) or hospitalisations for decompensated heart failure. However, these interventions are of uncertain benefit and may increase the risk of harm, such as hypotension and electrolyte abnormalities, in those with CKD.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to look at the benefits and harms of pharmacological interventions for HF (i.e., antihypertensive agents, inotropes, and agents that may improve the heart performance indirectly) in people with HF and CKD.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies through 12 September 2019 in consultation with an Information Specialist and using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Register (ICTRP) Search Portal and ClinicalTrials.gov.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials of any pharmacological intervention for acute or chronic heart failure, among people of any age with chronic kidney disease of at least three months duration.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently screened the records to identify eligible studies and extracted data on the following dichotomous outcomes: death, hospitalisations, worsening heart failure, worsening kidney function, hyperkalaemia, and hypotension. We used random effects meta-analysis to estimate treatment effects, which we expressed as a risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane tool. We applied the GRADE methodology to rate the certainty of evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

One hundred and twelve studies met our selection criteria: 15 were studies of adults with CKD; 16 studies were conducted in the general population but provided subgroup data for people with CKD; and 81 studies included individuals with CKD, however, data for this subgroup were not provided. The risk of bias in all 112 studies was frequently high or unclear. Of the 31 studies (23,762 participants) with data on CKD patients, follow-up ranged from three months to five years, and study size ranged from 16 to 2916 participants. In total, 26 studies (19,612 participants) reported disaggregated and extractable data on at least one outcome of interest for our review and were included in our meta-analyses. In acute heart failure, the effects of adenosine A1-receptor antagonists, dopamine, nesiritide, or serelaxin on death, hospitalisations, worsening heart failure or kidney function, hyperkalaemia, hypotension or quality of life were uncertain due to sparse data or were not reported. In chronic heart failure, the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (4 studies, 5003 participants: RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.02; I² = 78%; low certainty evidence), aldosterone antagonists (2 studies, 34 participants: RR 0.61 95% CI 0.06 to 6.59; very low certainty evidence), and vasopressin receptor antagonists (RR 1.26, 95% CI 0.55 to 2.89; 2 studies, 1840 participants; low certainty evidence) on death (any cause) were uncertain. Treatment with beta-blockers may reduce the risk of death (any cause) (4 studies, 3136 participants: RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.79; I² = 0%; moderate certainty evidence). Treatment with ACEi or ARB (2 studies, 1368 participants: RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.90; I² = 97%; very low certainty evidence) had uncertain effects on hospitalisation for heart failure, as treatment estimates were consistent with either benefit or harm. Treatment with beta-blockers may decrease hospitalisation for heart failure (3 studies, 2287 participants: RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.05; I² = 87%; low certainty evidence). Aldosterone antagonists may increase the risk of hyperkalaemia compared to placebo or no treatment (3 studies, 826 participants: RR 2.91, 95% CI 2.03 to 4.17; I² = 0%; low certainty evidence). Renin inhibitors had uncertain risks of hyperkalaemia (2 studies, 142 participants: RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.49; I² = 0%; very low certainty). We were unable to estimate whether treatment with sinus node inhibitors affects the risk of hyperkalaemia, as there were few studies and meta-analysis was not possible. Hyperkalaemia was not reported for the CKD subgroup in studies investigating other therapies. The effects of ACEi or ARB, or aldosterone antagonists on worsening heart failure or kidney function, hypotension, or quality of life were uncertain due to sparse data or were not reported. Effects of anti-arrhythmic agents, digoxin, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, renin inhibitors, sinus node inhibitors, vasodilators, and vasopressin receptor antagonists were very uncertain due to the paucity of studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The effects of pharmacological interventions for heart failure in people with CKD are uncertain and there is insufficient evidence to inform clinical practice. Study data for treatment outcomes in patients with heart failure and CKD are sparse despite the potential impact of kidney impairment on the benefits and harms of treatment. Future research aimed at analysing existing data in general population HF studies to explore the effect in subgroups of patients with CKD, considering stage of disease, may yield valuable insights for the management of people with HF and CKD.

Comparison of Intraoperative Aminophylline Versus Furosemide in Treatment of Oliguria During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVES

To determine if intraoperative aminophylline was superior to furosemide to prevent or attenuate postoperative cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury.

DESIGN

Single-center, historical control, retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

PICU, university-affiliated children's hospital.

PATIENTS

Children with congenital heart disease in PICU who received furosemide or aminophylline to treat intraoperative oliguria.

INTERVENTIONS

Intraoperative oliguria was treated either with furosemide (September 2007 to February 2012) or with aminophylline (February 2012 to June 2013). The postoperative 48 hours renal outcomes of the aminophylline group were compared with the furosemide group. The primary outcomes were acute kidney injury and renal replacement therapy use at 48 hours postoperatively. Surgical complexity was accounted for by the use of Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 score.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The study involves 69 months of observation. There were 200 cases younger than 21 years old reviewed for this study. Eighty-five cases (42.5%) developed acute kidney injury. The aminophylline group patients produced significantly more urine (mL/kg/hr) during the first 8 hours postoperatively than furosemide patients (5.1 vs 3.4 mL/kg/hr; p = 0.01). The urine output at 48 hours postoperatively was similar between the two groups. There was no difference in acute kidney injury incidence at 48 hours between the aminophylline and furosemide groups (38% vs 47%, respectively; p = 0.29). Fewer aminophylline group subjects required renal replacement therapy compared to the furosemide group subjects (n = 1 vs 7, respectively; p = 0.03). In the multi-variant predictive model, intraoperative aminophylline infusion was noted as a negative predictive factor for renal replacement therapy, but not for cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury.

CONCLUSION

The intraoperative use of aminophylline was more effective than furosemide in reversal of oliguria in the early postoperative period. There were less renal replacement therapy-requiring acute kidney injury in children in the aminophylline group. Future prospective studies of intraoperative aminophylline to prevent cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury may be warranted.

Kidney disease in heart failure: the importance of novel biomarkers for type 1 cardio-renal syndrome detection

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in heart failure (HF) has been recognized as an independent risk factor for adverse outcome, although the most important clinical trials tend to exclude patients with moderate and severe renal insufficiency. Despite this common association, the precise pathophysiological connection and liaison between heart and kidney is partially understood. Moreover, is it not enough considering how much cardio-renal syndrome type 1 is attributable to previous CKD, and how much to new-onset acute kidney injury (AKI). Neither development of AKI, its progression and time nor duration is related to an adverse outcome. An AKI definition is not universally recognized, and many confounding terms have been used in literature: "worsening renal function", "renal impairment", "renal dysfunction", etc., are all names that contribute to misunderstanding, and do not facilitate an universal classification. Therefore, AKI development should be the consequence of the basal clinical characteristics of patients, different primitive kidney disease and hemodynamic status. AKI could also be the mirror of several underlying associated diseases poorly controlled. Finally, it is not clear which is the optimal laboratory tool for identifying patients with an increased risk of AKI. In the current report, we review the different kidney diseases' impact in HF, and we analyze the modalities for AKI recognition during HF focusing our attention about some new biomarkers with potential application in the current setting.

Adenosine, type 1 receptors: role in proximal tubule Na+ reabsorption

Adenosine type 1 receptor (A1 -AR) antagonists induce diuresis and natriuresis in experimental animals and humans. Much of this effect is due to inhibition of A1 -ARs in the proximal tubule, which is responsible for 60-70% of the reabsorption of filtered Na(+) and fluid. Intratubular application of receptor antagonists indicates that A1 -AR mediates a portion of Na(+) uptake in PT and PT cells, via multiple transport systems, including Na(+) /H(+) exchanger-3 (NHE3), Na(+) /PO4(-) co-transporter and Na(+) -dependent glucose transporter, SGLT. Renal microperfusion and recollection studies have shown that fluid reabsorption is reduced by A1 -AR antagonists and is lower in A1 -AR KO mice, compared to WT mice. Absolute proximal reabsorption (APR) measured by free-flow micropuncture is equivocal, with studies that show either lower APR or similar APR in A1 -AR KO mice, compared to WT mice. Inhibition of A1 -ARs lowers elevated blood pressure in models of salt-sensitive hypertension, partially due to their effects in the proximal tubule.

Acute heart failure: lessons learned so far

Acute heart failure (AHF) affects nearly every Canadian with heart failure (HF) at least once. Despite several attempts, no medical therapies have been shown to improve the natural history of AHF. In addition, the place of diagnosis of AHF is increasingly made in the outpatient setting. In this view, AHF is a moving target, and from recent registry data and from clinical trials, 5 critical lessons regarding the syndrome of AHF emerge: (1) The period of clinical instability preceding AHF may be much longer than previously thought. (2) Refinement of tools used to aid the early and accurate diagnosis of AHF will impact patient outcomes. (3) Standard supportive care of patients with AHF includes early use of diuretics with frequent reassessment in nearly all patients and supplemental vasodilators and oxygen therapy in selected cases. (4) Patients who survive presentation of AHF continue to suffer high rates of re-presentation, death, and rehospitalization following discharge from either hospital or emergency department. (5) Interventions shown to improve patient outcomes for AHF to date are related to process of care rather than new medications or devices. This report reviews the recent literature regarding the presentation, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of AHF. Areas of future research priority are indicated and guidelines for improving treatment are provided. AHF is an important clinical area that has not been as intensively studied as chronic HF; it presents both important needs and exciting opportunities for research and innovation.