Patterns of comorbidity in older adults with heart failure: the Cardiovascular Research Network PRESERVE study

The Economic Burden of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Living Longer but Poorer?

Treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has benefitted from a proliferation of new medications and devices. These treatments carry important clinical benefits, but also come with costs relevant to payers, providers, and patients. Patient out-of-pocket costs have been implicated in the avoidance of medical care, nonadherence to medications, and the exacerbation of health care disparities. In the absence of major health care policy and payment redesign, high-quality HFrEF care delivery requires transparent integration of cost considerations into system design, patient-clinician interactions, and medical decision making.

Association of multimorbidity with guideline-directed medical therapy intensification in heart failure: Findings from the EPIC-HF trial

A potential contributor to the suboptimal rates of guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) prescribing for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is the burden of multimorbidity in patients with HFrEF. We examined the effect of multimorbidity on GDMT prescription in the EPIC-HF trial, finding that multimorbidity was associated with decreased likelihood of GDMT intensification. Further study is needed to guide treatment in high-risk, multimorbid patients with HFrEF.

The impact of multimorbidity and functional limitation on quality of life in patients with heart failure: A multi-site study

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity and functional limitation are associated with poor outcomes in heart failure (HF). However, the individual and combined effect of these on health-related quality of life in patients with HF is not well understood.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥30 years with two or more HF diagnostic codes and one or more HF-related prescription drugs from four U.S. institutions were mailed a survey to measure patient-centric factors including functional status (activities of daily living [ADLs]) and health-related quality of life (PROMIS-29 Health Profile). Patients with HF from January 1, 2013 to February 1, 2018 were included. Multimorbidity was defined as ≥2 non-cardiovascular comorbidities; functional limitation as any limitation in at least one of eight ADLs. Patients were categorized into four groups by multimorbidity (Yes/No) and functional limitation (Yes/No). We dichotomized the PROMIS-29 sub-scale scores at the median and calculated odd ratios for the four multimorbidity/functional limitation groups.

RESULTS

A total of 3330 patients with HF returned the survey (response rate 31%); 3020 completed the questions of interest and were retained. Among these patients (45% female; mean age 73 [standard deviation: 12] years), 29% had neither multimorbidity nor functional limitation, 24% had multimorbidity only, 22% had functional limitation only, and 25% had both. After adjustment, having functional limitation only was associated with higher anxiety (odds ratio [OR]: 3.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.66-4.45), depression (OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 2.39-4.06), and fatigue (OR: 4.19, 95% CI: 3.25-5.40); worse sleep (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.69-2.72) and pain (OR: 6.73, 95% CI: 5.15-8.78); and greater difficulty with social activities (OR: 9.40, 95% CI: 7.19-12.28) compared with having neither. Results were similar for having both multimorbidity and functional limitation.

CONCLUSION

Patients with only functional limitation have similar poor health-related quality of life scores as those with both multimorbidity and functional limitation, underscoring the important role that physical functioning plays in the well-being of patients with HF.

Fear of falling and associated factors in older adults with heart failure

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of fear of falling and associated factors in older adults with heart failure.

METHODS

A prospective, cross-sectional study. The study included 100 geriatric patients who were hospitalised and treated in the cardiology department of our hospital with ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) lower than 50% for at least 1 year. A series of geriatric assessments were performed by face-to-face interview on the day of admission. Electrocardiography (ECG) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were also performed on the day of admission.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 72 years, and 72.0% were men. Falls Efficacy Scale scores indicated a fear of falling in 46 (46.0%) of the patients. Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was significantly higher in patients with fear of falling (P < 0.001). Severe depression, severe clinical insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and malnutrition were significantly more frequent among patients with fear of falling. Fear of falling was associated with significantly lower LVEF (P = 0.001). The presence of severe depression increased the risk of fear of falling by 13.97 times (95% CI: 3.064-63.707; P = 0.001), and the presence of daytime sleepiness increased the risk by 3.49 times (95% CI: 1.012-12.037; P = 0.048). A one-unit increase in CCI increased the risk of fear of falling by 1.56 times (95% CI: 1.093-2.238; P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

Heart failure patients with concomitant depression, sleep disorders, and high comorbidities have greater fear of falling.

Multimorbidity in patients with acute heart failure across world regions and country income levels (REPORT-HF): a prospective, multicentre, global cohort study

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity (two or more comorbidities) is common among patients with acute heart failure, but comprehensive global information on its prevalence and clinical consequences across different world regions and income levels is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of multimorbidity and its effect on pharmacotherapy and prognosis in participants of the REPORT-HF study.

METHODS

REPORT-HF was a prospective, multicentre, global cohort study that enrolled adults (aged ≥18 years) admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of acute heart failure from 358 hospitals in 44 countries on six continents. Patients who currently or recently participated in a clinical treatment trial were excluded. Follow-up data were collected at 1-year post-discharge. The primary outcome was 1-year post-discharge mortality. All patients in the REPORT-HF cohort with full data on comorbidities were eligible for the present study. We stratified patients according to the number of comorbidities, and countries by world region and country income level. We used one-way ANOVA, χ2 test, or Mann-Whitney U test for comparisons between groups, as applicable, and Cox regression to analyse the association between multimorbidity and 1-year mortality.

FINDINGS

Between July 23, 2014, and March 24, 2017, 18 553 patients were included in the REPORT-HF study. Of these, 18 528 patients had full data on comorbidities, of whom 11 360 (61%) were men and 7168 (39%) were women. Prevalence rates of multimorbidity were lowest in southeast Asia (72%) and highest in North America (92%). Fewer patients from lower-middle-income countries had multimorbidity than patients from high-income countries (73% vs 85%, p<0·0001). With increasing comorbidity burden, patients received fewer guideline-directed heart failure medications, yet more drugs potentially causing or worsening heart failure. Having more comorbidities was associated with worse outcomes: 1-year mortality increased from 13% (no comorbidities) to 26% (five or more comorbidities). This finding was independent of common baseline risk factors, including age and sex. The population-attributable fraction of multimorbidity for mortality was higher in high-income countries than in upper-middle-income or lower-middle-income countries (for patients with five or more comorbidities: 61% vs 27% and 31%, respectively).

INTERPRETATION

Multimorbidity is highly prevalent among patients with acute heart failure across world regions, especially in high-income countries, and is associated with higher mortality, less prescription of guideline-directed heart failure pharmacotherapy, and increased use of potentially harmful medications.

FUNDING

Novartis Pharma.

TRANSLATIONS

For the Arabic, French, German, Hindi, Mandarin, Russian and Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

The Economic Burden of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Living Longer but Poorer?

Treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has benefitted from a proliferation of new medications and devices. These treatments carry important clinical benefits, but also come with costs relevant to payers, providers, and patients. Patient out-of-pocket costs have been implicated in the avoidance of medical care, nonadherence to medications, and the exacerbation of health care disparities. In the absence of major health care policy and payment redesign, high-quality HFrEF care delivery requires transparent integration of cost considerations into system design, patient-clinician interactions, and medical decision making.

Impact of Radar Chart-Based Information Sharing in a Multidisciplinary Team on In-Hospital Outcomes and Prognosis in Older Patients With Heart Failure

Background: A multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is crucial for managing older patients with heart failure (HF). We investigated the impact on clinical outcomes of implementation of a conference sheet (CS) with an 8-component radar chart for visualizing and sharing patient information. Methods and Results: We enrolled 395 older inpatients with HF (median age 79 years [interquartile range 72-85 years]; 47% women) and divided them into 2 groups according to CS implementation: a non-CS group (before CS implementation; n=145) and a CS group (after CS implementation; n=250). The clinical characteristics of patients in the CS group were assessed using 8 scales (physical function, functional status, comorbidities, nutritional status, medication adherence, cognitive function, HF knowledge level, and home care level). In-hospital outcomes (Short Physical Performance Battery, Barthel Index score, length of hospital stay, and hospital transfer rate) were significantly better in the CS than non-CS group. During the follow-up period, 112 patients experienced composite events (all-cause death or admission for HF). Inverse probabilities of treatment-weighted Cox proportional hazard analyses demonstrated a 39% reduction in risk of composite events in the CS group (adjusted hazard ratio 0.65; 95% confidence interval 0.43-0.97). Conclusions: Radar chart-based information sharing among MDT members is associated with superior in-hospital clinical outcomes and a favorable prognosis.

Approach to Multimorbidity Burden Classification and Outcomes in Older Adults With Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

The optimal approach to classifying multimorbidity burden in assessing treatment-associated outcomes using real-world data remains uncertain. We assessed whether 2 measurement approaches to characterize multimorbidity influenced observed associations of β-blocker use with outcomes in adults with heart failure (HF).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study on adults with HF from 4 integrated health care delivery systems. Multimorbidity burden was characterized by either (1) simple counts of chronic conditions or (2) a weighted multiple chronic conditions score using data from electronic health records. We assessed the impact of these 2 approaches to characterizing multimorbidity on associations between exposure to β-blockers and subsequent all-cause death, hospitalization for HF, and hospitalization for any cause.

RESULTS

The study population characterized by a count of chronic conditions included 9988 adults with HF who had a mean (SD) age of 76.4 (12.5) years, with 48.7% women and 24.7% racial/ethnic minorities. The cohort characterized by weighted multiple chronic conditions included 10,082 adults with HF who had a mean (SD) age of 76.4 (12.4) years, 48.9% women, and 25.5% racial/ethnic minorities. The multivariable associations of risks of death or hospitalizations for HF or for any cause associated with incident β-blocker use were similar regardless of how multimorbidity burden was characterized.

CONCLUSIONS

Simple counts of chronic conditions performed similarly to a weighted multimorbidity score in predicting outcomes using real-world data to examine clinical outcomes associated with β-blocker therapy in HF. Our findings challenge conventional wisdom that more complex measures of multimorbidity are always necessary to characterize patients in observational studies examining therapy-associated outcomes.

One-year mortality after hospitalization for acute heart failure: Predicting factors (PRECIC study subanalysis)

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

One-year mortality after hospitalization for heart failure (HF) is high. This study aims to identify predictive factors of one-year mortality.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, single-center and observational study. All patients hospitalized for acute HF for one-year were enrolled.

RESULTS

A total of 429 patients were enrolled, mean age of 79 years. The in-hospital and one-year all-cause mortality rates were 7.9% and 34.3%, respectively. In the univariable analysis, the factors significantly associated with higher one-year mortality risk were: age ≥80 years (odds ratio (OR)=2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-3.11, p=0.001); active cancer (OR=2.93, 95% CI 1.36-6.32, p=0.008); dementia (OR=2.84, 95% CI 1.81-4.47, p<0.001); functional dependency (OR=2.63, 95% CI 1.65-4.19, p<0.001); atrial fibrillation (OR=1.86, 95% CI 1.24-2.80, p=0.004); higher creatinine (OR=2.03, 95% CI 1.29-3.21, p=0.002), urea (OR=2.92, 95% CI 1.95-4.36, p<0.001) and red cell distribution width (RDW; 4thQ OR=5.59, 95% CI 3.03-10.32, p=0.001); and lower hematocrit (OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.91-0.97, p<0.001), hemoglobin (OR=0.83, 95% CI 0.75-0.92, p<0.001) and platelet distribution width (PDW; OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.97, p=0.005). In the multivariable analysis, the independent predictors of higher one-year mortality risk were: age ≥80 years (OR=2.05, 95% CI 1.21-3.48); active cancer (OR=2.70, 95% CI 1.03-7.01); dementia (OR=2.69, 95% CI 1.53-4.74); higher urea (OR=2.97, 95% CI 1.84-4.80) and RDW (4thQ OR=5.24, 95% CI 2.55-10.76); and lower PDW (OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.97).

CONCLUSIONS

Active cancer, dementia, and high values for urea and RDW at admission are predictors of one-year mortality in patients hospitalized for HF. These variables are readily available at admission and can support the clinical management of HF patients.

Adverse Events After Initiating Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor/Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Therapy in Individuals with Heart Failure and Multimorbidity

BACKGROUND

Current clinical practice guidelines recommend routine kidney function and serum potassium testing within 30 days of initiating angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) therapy. However, evidence is lacking on whether routine follow-up testing reduces therapy-related adverse events in adults with heart failure and if multimorbidity influences the association between laboratory testing and these adverse events.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study among adults with heart failure from 4 US integrated health care delivery systems. Multimorbidity was defined using counts of chronic conditions. Patients with outpatient serum creatinine and potassium tests in the 30 days after starting ACEI or ARB therapy were matched 1:1 to patients without follow-up tests. We evaluated the association of follow-up testing with 30-day all-cause mortality and hospitalization with acute kidney injury or hyperkalemia using Cox regression.

RESULTS

We identified 3629 matched adults with heart failure initiating ACEI or ARB therapy between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2012. Follow-up testing was not significantly associated with 30-day all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14; 1.39) and hospitalization with hyperkalemia (aHR 0.73, 95% CI, 0.33; 1.61). However, follow-up testing was significantly associated with hospitalization with acute kidney injury (aHR, 1.40, 95% CI, 1.01; 1.94). Interaction between multimorbidity burden and follow-up testing was not statistically significant in any of the outcome models examined.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine laboratory monitoring after ACEI or ARB therapy initiation was not associated with risk of 30-day all-cause mortality or hospitalization with hyperkalemia across the spectrum of multimorbidity burden in a cohort of patients with heart failure.

Phenotypic Disease Network-Based Multimorbidity Analysis in Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy Patients with Hospital Discharge Records

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic cardiomyopathy (ICM) is a rare disease affecting numerous physiological and biomolecular systems with multimorbidity. However, due to the small sample size of uncommon diseases, the whole spectrum of chronic disease co-occurrence, especially in developing nations, has not yet been investigated. To grasp the multimorbidity pattern, we aimed to present a multidimensional model for ICM and differences among age groups.

METHODS

Hospital discharge records were collected from a rare disease centre of ICM inpatients (n = 1036) over 10 years (2012 to 2021) for this retrospective analysis. One-to-one matched controls were also included. First, by looking at the first three digits of the ICD-10 code, we concentrated on chronic illnesses with a prevalence of more than 1%. The ICM and control inpatients had a total of 71 and 69 chronic illnesses, respectively. Second, to evaluate the multimorbidity pattern in both groups, we built age-specific cosine-index-based multimorbidity networks. Third, the associated rule mining (ARM) assessed the comorbidities with heart failure for ICM, specifically.

RESULTS

The comorbidity burden of ICM was 78% larger than that of the controls. All ages were affected by the burden, although those over 50 years old had more intense interactions. Moreover, in terms of disease connectivity, central, hub, and authority diseases were concentrated in the metabolic, musculoskeletal and connective tissue, genitourinary, eye and adnexa, respiratory, and digestive systems. According to the age-specific connection, the impaired coagulation function was required for raising attention (e.g., autoimmune-attacked digestive and musculoskeletal system disorders) in young adult groups (ICM patients aged 20-49 years). For the middle-aged (50-60 years) and older (≥70 years) groups, malignant neoplasm and circulatory issues were the main confrontable problems. Finally, according to the result of ARM, the comorbidities and comorbidity patterns of heart failure include diabetes mellitus and metabolic disorder, sleeping disorder, renal failure, liver, and circulatory diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

The main cause of the comorbid load is aging. The ICM comorbidities were concentrated in the circulatory, metabolic, musculoskeletal and connective tissue, genitourinary, eye and adnexa, respiratory, and digestive systems. The network-based approach optimizes the integrated care of patients with ICM and advances our understanding of multimorbidity associated with the disease.

Influenza vaccination and mortality among adults with heart failure in an integrated healthcare delivery system, 2009-2018

BACKGROUND

Influenza infection can result in decompensation or exacerbation of heart failure (HF) symptoms, hospitalization, and death.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of influenza vaccination with mortality and hospitalization during influenza and non-influenza seasons between 2009 and 2018.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

In this prospective, observational cohort study, we included Kaiser Permanente Southern California members with a HF diagnosis prior to September 1 each year from 2009 to 2017.

EXPOSURE

The first influenza vaccination in each season (September 1 to May 31) was recorded. Vaccinated/unvaccinated patients were matched 1:1 on age, sex, and ejection fraction at the vaccination date (n-total = 74,870).

MAIN OUTCOMES

Patients were followed through the end of each influenza season for all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular mortality and all-cause hospitalization. In a sensitivity analysis, we examined mortality in the non-influenza season.

RESULTS

Influenza vaccinated vs unvaccinated patients had more comorbidities and higher healthcare utilization. After multivariable adjustment for utilization, sociodemographics, comorbidities, and medications, influenza vaccinated vs unvaccinated patients had a lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality during the influenza season (hazard ratio [HR] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63, 0.70 and HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.63, 0.74, respectively) but a higher risk of all-cause hospitalization (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.21, 1.31). There was no association between influenza vaccination and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality during the non-influenza season (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.89, 1.09 and HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.84, 1.21, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Influenza vaccination in HF patients was associated with a lower risk of mortality during the influenza season. Our findings provide support for recommendations of universal influenza vaccination in patients with HF.

Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure in elderly patients (2021)

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome caused by ventricular insufficiency, which results in decreased activity tolerance and repeated hospitalization, seriously affecting quality of life, and it is the main cause of death in elderly people. In recent years, great progress has been made in the treatment of heart failure, but the prevalence, mortality, and readmission rate among elderly patients with heart failure remain high. Because elderly patients have multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors, coexistence of multiple diseases accompanied by multiple syndromes, multiple medications, and natural decline of body functions, the clinical diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term management of these patients differ from those in other populations. To facilitate clinical practice and application of clinical geriatric medicine, especially among community physicians, experts from the Cardiovascular Group, Geriatrics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association have drafted this consensus to summarize the diagnosis and treatment regimens for elderly patients with chronic heart failure and provide guidance for its clinical diagnosis and treatment in China.

Multimorbidity Burden and Incident Heart Failure Among People With and Without HIV: The HIV-HEART Study

Objective

To examine the association between multimorbidity burden and incident heart failure (HF) among people with HIV (PWH) and people without HIV (PWoH).

Patients and Methods

The HIV-HEART study is a retrospective cohort study that included adult PWH and PWoH aged 21 years or older at Kaiser Permanente between 2000 and 2016. Multimorbidity burden was defined by the baseline prevalence of 22 chronic conditions and was categorized as 0-1, 2-3, and 4 or more comorbidities on the basis of distribution of the overall population. People with HIV and PWoH were followed for a first HF event, all-cause death, or up to the end of follow-up on December 31, 2016. Using Cox proportional hazard regression, hazard ratios and 95% CIs were calculated to examine the association between multimorbidity burden and incident HF among PWH and PWoH, separately.

Results

The prevalences of 0-1, 2-3, and 4 or more comorbidities were 83.3%, 13.0%, and 3.7% in PWH (n=38,868), and 82.2%, 14.3%, and 3.5% in PWoH (n=386,586), respectively. After multivariable adjustment, compared with people with 0-1 comorbidities, the hazard ratios of incident HF associated with 2-3 and 4 or more comorbidities were 1.33 (95% CI, 1.04-1.71) and 2.41 (95% CI, 1.78-3.25) in PWH and 2.10 (95% CI, 1.92-2.29) and 4.09 (95% CI, 3.64-4.61) in PWoH, respectively.

Conclusion

Multimorbidity was associated with a higher risk of incident HF among PWH and PWoH, with more prominent associations in PWoH and certain patient subgroups. The identification of specific multimorbidity patterns that contribute to higher HF risk in PWH may lead to future preventative strategies.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Variation in Heart Failure Risk by Age, Sex, and Ethnicity: The HIV HEART Study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the risk of heart failure (HF) linked to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, how risk varies by demographic characteristics, and whether it is explained by atherosclerotic disease or risk factor treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of persons with HIV (PWHs) from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2016, frequency-matched 1:10 to persons without HIV on year of entry, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and treating facility. We evaluated the risk of incident HF associated with HIV infection, overall and by left ventricular systolic function, and whether HF risk varied by demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Among 38,868 PWHs and 386,586 matched persons without HIV, mean ± SD age was 41.4±10.8 years, with 12.3% female, 21.1% Black, 20.5% Hispanic, and 3.9% Asian/Pacific Islander. During median follow-up of 3.8 years (interquartile range, 1.4-9.0 years), the rate (per 100 person-years) of incident HF was 0.23 in PWHs vs 0.15 in those without HIV (P<.001). The PWHs had a higher adjusted HF rate (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57 to 1.91), which was only modestly attenuated after accounting for interim acute coronary syndrome events. Results were similar by systolic function category. The adjusted risk of HF in PWHs was more prominent for those 40 years and younger (aHR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.92 to 3.03), women (aHR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.90 to 3.26), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (aHR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.27 to 4.74).

CONCLUSION

HIV infection increases the risk of HF, which varied by demographic characteristics and was not primarily mediated through atherosclerotic disease pathways or differential use of cardiopreventive medications.

Heart Failure Spending Function: An Investment Framework for Sequencing and Intensification of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapies

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is managed with increasing numbers of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMT). Benefits tend to be additive. Burdens can also be additive. We propose a heart failure spending function as a conceptual framework for tailored intensification of GDMT that maximizes therapeutic opportunity while limiting adverse events and patient burden. Each patient is conceptualized to have reserve in physiological and psychosocial domains, which can be spent for a future return on investment. Key domains are blood pressure, heart rate, serum creatinine, potassium, and out-of-pocket costs. For each patient, GDMT should be initiated and intensified in a sequence that prioritizes medications with the greatest expected cardiac benefit while drawing on areas where the patient has ample reserves. When reserve is underspent, patients fail to gain the full benefit of GDMT. Conversely, when a reserve is fully spent, addition of new drugs or higher doses that draw upon a domain will lead to patient harm. The benefit of multiple agents drawing upon varied physiological domains should be balanced against cost and complexity. Thresholds for overspending are explored, as are mechanisms for implementing these concepts into routine care, but further health care delivery research is needed to validate and refine clinical use of the spending function. The heart failure spending function also suggests how newer therapies may be considered in terms of relative value, prioritizing agents that draw on different spending domains from existing GDMT.

Phenotypic Disease Network Analysis to Identify Comorbidity Patterns in Hospitalized Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease Using Large-Scale Administrative Data

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) exhibits elevated comorbidity. However, few studies have systematically analyzed the comorbid status of IHD patients with respect to the entire spectrum of chronic diseases. This study applied network analysis to provide a complete picture of physical and mental comorbidities in hospitalized patients with IHD using large-scale administrative data. Hospital discharge records from a provincial healthcare database of IHD inpatients (n = 1,035,338) and one-to-one matched controls were included in this retrospective analysis. We constructed the phenotypic disease networks in IHD and control patients and further assessed differences in comorbidity patterns. The community detection method was applied to cluster diagnoses within the comorbidity network. Age- and sex-specific patterns of IHD comorbidities were also analyzed. IHD inpatients showed 50% larger comorbid burden when compared to controls. The IHD comorbidity network consisted of 1941 significant associations between 71 chronic conditions. Notably, the more densely connected comorbidities in IHD patients were not within the highly prevalent ones but the rarely prevalent ones. Two highly interlinked communities were detected in the IHD comorbidity network, where one included hypertension with heart and multi-organ failures, and another included cerebrovascular diseases, cerebrovascular risk factors and anxiety. Males exhibited higher comorbid burden than females, and thus more complex comorbidity relationships were found in males. Sex-specific disease pairs were detected, e.g., 106 and 30 disease pairs separately dominated in males and females. Aging accounts for the majority of comorbid burden, and the complexity of the comorbidity network increased with age. The network-based approach improves our understanding of IHD-related comorbidities and enhances the integrated management of patients with IHD.

Disparity and Multimorbidity in Heart Failure Patients Over the Age of 80

Background: Healthcare is currently struggling to provide access and coverage for an increasingly diverse aging population who frequently have multiple co-morbid conditions complicating their care and medical management. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the prevalence and distribution of common co-morbid conditions (hypertension, dyslipidemia, dementia, and diabetes mellitus) in 316 elderly heart failure patients (age range 80-103; mean 87 ±4.9). Results: Chart review analysis showed a racial distribution of 65 African American versus 251 Caucasian patients (21 vs. 79%). Hypertension was comparable in both groups (98.5% African American vs. 92.4% Caucasian). Dyslipidemia, diabetes and dementia diagnoses were all approximately 20% higher in African American versus Caucasian patients. The concurrent presence of all four conditions was approximately three times more prevalent in African Americans (18.5%) versus Caucasians (7.2%). Conclusion: Our study is unique for studying disparity in octogenarian and nonagenarians residing in a rural setting. Our results also highlight the importance of making a special effort to engage older African American patients in seeking healthcare. In addition, strategies must be designed to reduce barriers that impede access and availability of resources and clinical care, especially in economically underserved regions of the country.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure: a propensity score-matched study from the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry

OBJECTIVE

The effect of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASIs) in patients with heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate associations between RASI use and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with AF and HF.

METHODS

Using data from the China Atrial Fibrillation Registry study, we included 938 patients with AF and HF with a left ventricular ejection fraction <50%. Cox regression models for RASIs vs. non-RASIs with all-cause mortality as the primary outcome were fitted in a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort. A sensitivity analysis was performed by using a multivariable time-dependent Cox regression model. As an internal control, we assessed the relation between β-blocker use and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up of 35 months, the risk of all-cause mortality was similar in RASI users compared with non-users (hazard ratio: 0.92; 95% confidence interval: 0.67-1.26). Similar results were obtained in the sensitivity analysis. In contrast, β-blocker use was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality in the same population.

CONCLUSIONS

RASI use was not associated with better outcomes in patients with AF and HF in this prospective cohort, which raises questions about their value in this specific subset.Trail Registration: ChiCTR-OCH-13003729.

Association Between Beta-Blockers and Mortality and Readmission in Older Patients with Heart Failure: an Instrumental Variable Analysis

BACKGROUND

The demographics of heart failure are changing. The rate of growth of the "older" heart failure population, specifically those ≥ 75, has outpaced that of any other age group. These older patients were underrepresented in the early beta-blocker trials. There are several reasons, including a decreased potential for mortality benefit and increased risk of side effects, why the risk/benefit tradeoff may be different in this population.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine the association between receipt of a beta-blocker after heart failure discharge and early mortality and readmission rates among patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), specifically patients aged 75+.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

We used 100% Medicare Parts A and B and a random 40% sample of Part D to create a cohort of beneficiaries with ≥ 1 hospitalization for HFrEF between 2008 and 2016 to run an instrumental variable analysis.

MAIN MEASURE

The primary measure was 90-day, all-cause mortality; the secondary measure was 90-day, all-cause readmission.

KEY RESULTS

Using the two-stage least squared methodology, among all HFrEF patients, receipt of a beta-blocker within 30-day of discharge was associated with a - 4.35% (95% CI - 6.27 to - 2.42%, p < 0.001) decrease in 90-day mortality and a - 4.66% (95% CI - 7.40 to - 1.91%, p = 0.001) decrease in 90-day readmission rates. Even among patients ≥ 75 years old, receipt of a beta-blocker at discharge was also associated with a significant decrease in 90-day mortality, - 4.78% (95% CI - 7.19 to - 2.40%, p < 0.001) and 90-day readmissions, - 4.67% (95% CI - 7.89 to - 1.45%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Patients aged ≥ 75 years who receive a beta-blocker after HFrEF hospitalization have significantly lower 90-day mortality and readmission rates. The magnitude of benefit does not appear to wane with age. Absent a strong contraindication, all patients with HFrEF should attempt beta-blocker therapy at/after hospital discharge, regardless of age.

Older and younger patients' perceptions, evaluations, and responses to worsening heart failure symptoms

BACKGROUND

Whether recognition and prompt response to worsening symptoms are worse in older compared with younger patients with heart failure (HF) is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to compare older and younger patients (1) perceptions, evaluations, and responses to worsening HF symptoms, and (2) responses once worsening symptoms were perceived.

METHODS

A mixed-methods study was conducted and to compare data between older (≥ 65) and younger (< 65) in 185 patients hospitalized with HF.

RESULTS

There were few differences attributed to age. In response to higher perceived symptom distress, patients in both groups did nothing and hoped their symptoms would go away (p = 0.004), ignored symptoms and continued doing what they were doing (p = 0.002), or laid down to relax (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of patients, regardless of age, did not recognize, interpret, and respond appropriately to HF symptoms. Interventions should be tested that target better symptom appraisal and promote appropriate symptom responses in patients with HF across all ages.

Clinical impact of compound sarcopenia in hospitalized older adult patients with heart failure

OBJECTIVES

Skeletal muscle loss or sarcopenia is a frequent complication in heart failure (HF) and contributes to adverse clinical outcomes. We evaluated if age (primary) and chronic disease (secondary) related sarcopenia, that we refer to as compound sarcopenia, impacts clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with HF.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study using hospitalized patient data.

SETTING

Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality through the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).

PARTICIPANTS

Hospitalized adult patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of HF (n = 64,476) and a concurrent random 2% sample of general medical population (GMP; n = 322,217) stratified by age (<50 years of age [y], 51-65y, >65y) from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (years 2010-2014).

MEASUREMENTS

In-hospital mortality, length of stay (LoS), cost of hospitalization per admission (CoH), comorbidities and discharge disposition, with and without muscle loss phenotype, were analyzed. Muscle loss phenotype was defined using a comprehensive code set from international classification of diseases-9 (ICD-9).

RESULTS

Muscle loss phenotype was observed in 8673 (13.5%) patients with HF compared to 5213 (1.6%) GMP across all age strata. In patients with HF, muscle loss phenotype was associated with higher mortality, LoS, and CoH. Patients with HF (>65y) and muscle loss phenotype had higher mortality (adjusted OR: 1.81; 95% CI 1.56-2.10), CoH (adjusted OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.44-1.1.52), and LoS (adjusted OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.37-1.43) compared to >65y GMP with muscle loss phenotype.

CONCLUSION

Muscle loss phenotype is more commonly associated with increasing age in hospitalized patients with HF. Clinical outcomes were significantly worse in patients with HF aged >65y compared to younger patients with HF and all age strata in GMP with and without a muscle loss phenotype.

Daytime Sleep as Compensation for the Effects of Reduced Nocturnal Sleep on the Incidence of Hypertension: A Cohort Study

PURPOSE

The role of sleep duration in the development of hypertension remains controversial. Little is known about the combined effects of nocturnal and daytime sleep. We assessed the association between total sleep duration and the development of hypertension in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data were obtained from 3 waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study surveys. Middle-aged and elderly Chinese initially without hypertension were followed biennially from 2011 to 2015. Sleep duration was self-reported. Hypertension was defined as a systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 140/90 (mmHg), the current use of anti-hypertensive medications or self-reported hypertension.

RESULTS

Over 31,392 person-years of follow-up, 2682 of 10,176 participants developed hypertension. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HR) (95% confidence intervals, 95% CI) for the development of hypertension between those with 0-30 minutes and ≥30 minutes daytime sleep vs those without daytime sleep were 0.67 (0.58, 0.77), and 0.73 (0.59, 0.92), respectively. The protective role of longer periods of daytime sleep (>30 minutes) varied between different subgroups. Compared with moderate nocturnal sleepers, long nocturnal sleepers (HR: 1.66, 95% CI=1.25-2.21) had an increased risk of hypertension. Compared with moderate nocturnal sleepers without daytime sleep, HRs (95% CI) for hypertension were 0.52 (0.45, 0.59) for short nocturnal sleep plus short daytime sleep and 0.55 (0.49, 0.62) for short nocturnal sleep plus long daytime sleep. People with extremely short (HR: 1.34, 95% CI=1.22-1.48) and long (HR: 1.28, 95% CI=1.13-1.44) combined sleep periods had an increased risk of hypertension. Consistent results were also found in subgroups stratified by age and gender.

CONCLUSION

Both extremely long and short total sleep periods were associated with an increased risk of hypertension. People with short or moderate nocturnal sleep durations, especially short nocturnal sleep duration, can benefit from habitual daytime sleep to prevent hypertension.

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

BACKGROUND

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

METHODS AND RESULTS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR-ECS-14004641.

Noncardiac-Related Morbidity, Mobility Limitation, and Outcomes in Older Adults With Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

To examine the individual and combined associations of noncardiac-related conditions and mobility limitation with morbidity and mortality in adults with heart failure (HF).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a large, diverse group of adults with HF from five U.S. integrated healthcare delivery systems. We characterized patients with respect to the presence of noncardiac conditions (<3 vs ≥3) and/or mobility impairment (defined by the use/nonuse of a wheelchair, cane, or walker), categorizing them into four subgroups. Outcomes included all-cause death and hospitalizations for HF or any cause.

RESULTS

Among 114,553 adults diagnosed with HF (mean age: 73 years old, 46% women), compared with <3 noncardiac conditions/no mobility limitation, adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause death among those with <3 noncardiac conditions/mobility limitation, ≥3 noncardiac conditions/no mobility limitation, ≥3 noncardiac conditions/mobility limitation (vs) were 1.40 (95% CI, 1.31-1.51), 1.72 (95% CI, 1.69-1.75), and 1.93 (95% CI, 1.85-2.01), respectively. We did not observe an increased risk of any-cause or HF-related hospitalization related to the presence of mobility limitation among those with a greater burden of noncardiac multimorbidity. Consistent findings regarding mortality were observed within groups defined according to age, gender, and HF type (preserved, reduced, mid-range ejection fraction), with the most prominent impact of mobility limitation in those <65 years of age.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an additive association of mobility limitation, beyond the burden of noncardiac multimorbidity, on mortality for patients with HF, and especially prominent in younger patients.

Consensus and development of document for management of stabilized acute decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in India

Aim

Ensuring adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is an effective strategy to reduce mortality and readmission rates for heart failure (HF). Use of a checklist is one of the best tools to ensure GDMT. The aim was to develop a consensus document with a robust checklist for stabilized acute decompensated HF patients with reduced ejection fraction. While there are multiple checklists available, an India-specific checklist that is easy to fill and validated by regional and national subject matter experts (SMEs) is required.

Methodology

A total of 25 Cardiology SMEs who consented to participate from India discussed data from literature, current evidence, international guidelines and practical experiences in two national and four regional meetings.

Results

Recommendations included HF management, treatment optimization, and patient education. The checklist should be filled at four time points- (a) transition from intensive care unit to ward, (b) at discharge, (c) 1st follow-up and (d) subsequent follow-up. The checklist is the responsibility of the consultant or the treating physician which can be delegated to a junior resident or a trained HF nurse.

Conclusion

This checklist will ensure GDMT, simplify transition of care and can be used by all doctors across India. Institutions, associations, and societies should recommend this checklist for adaptability in public and private hospital. Hospital administrations should roll out policy for adoption of checklist by ensuring patient files have the checklist at the time of discharge and encourage practice of filling it diligently during follow-up visits.

Iatrogenic Decompensated Heart Failure

Purpose of Review

To provide an overview of the potential iatrogenic causes of acute decompensated heart failure (AHF) and an evidence-based management strategy to address this.

Recent Findings

As the heart failure (HF) population continues to age and become burdened with greater comorbidities and polypharmacy, patients become more susceptible to the iatrogenic precipitants of HF. The following clinical scenarios are familiar to clinicians, but the sequelae to AHF are often unanticipated: HF medications withdrawn during an intercurrent illness and not restarted, cardiotoxic therapy prescribed for cancer without timely and regular monitoring of left ventricular function, excessive intravenous fluids administered for sepsis or postoperatively, a blood transfusion volume not adjusted for body weight, iatrogenic anaemia that goes unnoticed or an inappropriate type of pacemaker implanted in a patient with underlying left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Summary

Iatrogenic decompensated HF is a phenomenon that is infrequently documented in the literature but increasingly confronted by clinicians of all specialties. It is associated with a high mortality and morbidity rate. By having greater awareness of these triggers, iatrogenic AHF should be one that is prevented rather than managed when it occurs.

Multimorbidity patterns in patients with heart failure: an observational Spanish study based on electronic health records

OBJECTIVES

To characterise the comorbidities of heart failure (HF) in men and women, to explore their clustering into multimorbidity patterns, and to measure the impact of such patterns on the risk of hospitalisation and mortality.

DESIGN

Observational retrospective population study based on electronic health records.

SETTING

EpiChron Cohort (Aragón, Spain).

PARTICIPANTS

All the primary and hospital care patients of the EpiChron Cohort with a diagnosis of HF on 1 January 2011 (ie, 8488 women and 6182 men). We analysed all the chronic diseases registered in patients' electronic health records until 31 December 2011.

PRIMARY OUTCOME

We performed an exploratory factor analysis to identify the multimorbidity patterns in men and women, and logistic and Cox proportional-hazards regressions to investigate the association between the patterns and the risk of hospitalisation in 2012, and of 3-year mortality.

RESULTS

Almost all HF patients (98%) had multimorbidity, with an average of 7.8 chronic diseases per patient. We identified six different multimorbidity patterns, named cardiovascular, neurovascular, coronary, metabolic, degenerative and respiratory. The most prevalent were the degenerative (64.0%) and cardiovascular (29.9%) patterns in women, and the metabolic (49.3%) and cardiovascular (43.2%) patterns in men. Every pattern was associated with higher hospitalisation risks; and the cardiovascular, neurovascular and respiratory patterns significantly increased the likelihood of 3-year mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Multimorbidity is the norm rather than the exception in patients with heart failure, whose comorbidities tend to cluster together beyond simple chance in the form of multimorbidity patterns that have different impact on health outcomes. This knowledge could be useful to better understand common pathophysiological pathways underlying this condition and its comorbidities, and the factors influencing the prognosis of men and women with HF. Further large scale longitudinal studies are encouraged to confirm the existence of these patterns as well as their differential impact on health outcomes.

Prevalence of comorbidities in heart failure patients and those treated with cellular therapeutics

Introduction: Changes in our daily living, particularly in work routines, diet, and physical exercise, have influenced a worldwide crisis for life-threatening comorbidities and the likelihood of cardiovascular disease diagnosis. Cardiovascular regenerative medicine researchers continue to investigate new therapeutic approaches and reexamine completed clinical trials to design more effective future studies. As the frequency of cardiovascular disease diagnosis continues to rise, investigations of how to repair and regenerate the failing myocardium remains an essential mission for human health. Areas covered: This review first examines the aging process, the rising rate of comorbidities, and the likelihood of developing heart disease. In the ongoing efforts to recapitulate human health needs in clinical trials, a review of clinical trials involving cellular therapeutics for cardiac repair, with a focus on the patient population and patients' complex medical records, is presented. Expert opinion: The expert opinion first draws attention to the changing demographics of patients diagnosed with diseases that lead to heart failure and focusing on obesity as a primary driver for increased cardiovascular disease. The opinion focuses on the importance of designing preclinical models and experimentation that better mimic the patient population and clinical situations to evaluate the effectiveness of potential future therapeutic interventions.

Comorbidities and the decision to undergo or forego destination therapy left ventricular assist device implantation: An analysis from the Trial of a Shared Decision Support Intervention for Patients and their Caregivers Offered Destination Therapy for End-Stage Heart Failure (DECIDE-LVAD) study

BACKGROUND

Patients considering destination therapy left ventricular assist devices (DT LVAD) often have high comorbid burden but the association between these comorbidities and post-decision outcomes is unknown.

METHODS

We included subjects in DECIDE-LVAD (NCT02344576), a stepped-wedge multicenter trial of patients considering LVADs, recording comorbidities per INTERMACS protocol. We compared decisional conflict, regret, perceived stress, quality of life (EQ-VAS), depression (PHQ-2), struggle with- and acceptance of illness by comorbid burden and amongst the most common comorbidities.

RESULTS

Of 239 patients, LVAD recipients (n = 164) and non-recipients (n = 75) had a similar proportion with ≥1 comorbidity (70% v. 80%, P = .09). Patients with comorbidities were younger regardless of LVAD implantation status. After adjusting for age, overall and amongst LVAD recipients, patients with ≥1 comorbidity had higher mean decision conflict at baseline (23.2 ± 1.5 vs. 17.4 ± 2.2), and at 6 months, higher stress (13.0 ± 0.6 vs. 10.4 ± 1.0) and struggle with illness (13.3 ± 0.4 vs. 11.1 ± 0.6) than those without comorbidities (P < .05). No difference was noted in decision regret, PHQ-2, EQ-VAS, acceptance of illness and survival overall and amongst LVAD recipients. Of the three most common comorbidities, while patients with pulmonary hypertension had worse decision regret, depression, stress and acceptance of illness at 6-month follow-up than those who did not have pulmonary hypertension, no difference was noted in patients with chronic renal disease or high body mass index.

CONCLUSION

Patients considering LVAD implantation with comorbidities experience increased decision conflict, stress and struggle with illness. These findings provide insights in the role comorbidities play in patient decision-making and decisional outcomes.

A hundred heart failure deaths: lessons learnt from the Dr Foster heart failure hospital mortality alert

Background

Despite advances in evidence-based pharmacotherapy, the latest National Heart Failure Audit (NHFA) has shown that in-hospital mortality of heart failure (HF) remains high with large interhospital variations. University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire, a tertiary cardiac centre, received a mortality alert of excess HF deaths based on a high Dr Foster hospital standardised mortality ratio (HSMR). This conflicted with our local NHFA data which showed lower than national average mortality rates.

Objective

To review various systemic and individual processes of care in patients admitted with HF and examine the validity of HSMR in HF.

Design, setting, patients

A retrospective case note analysis was performed on a random sample of 100 HF deaths identified by Dr Foster from 2010 to 2016.

Measures

Case record reviews were performed on the following aspects of care: admission to appropriate wards, resuscitation status, palliative care input and National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death classification. Primary diagnosis coding, diagnostic accuracy and actual causes of death were examined to assess limitations of HSMR.

Results

Despite evidence of lower mortality on cardiology wards, only 28% of patients with acute HF were admitted to a cardiology-ward. Sixty four per cent were considered palliative but only 4.6% were referred to palliative care. The Do Not Attempt Resuscitation order was appropriate in 91% patients but only 74% had this in place. The primary diagnosis of HF was incorrectly coded in 34% while three cases were misdiagnosed.

Conclusion

HF may be coded as a cause of death in some cases where the cause is uncertain and misdiagnosed. Although HSMR has many limitations, it is a smoke alarm that should not be ignored.

Impact of cardiac- and noncardiac-related conditions on adverse outcomes in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction

Background

To examine the impact of cardiac- and noncardiac-related conditions on the risk of hospital complications and 7- and 30-day rehospitalizations in older adult patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods and Results

The study population consisted of 3863 adults aged 65 years and older hospitalized with AMI in Worcester, Massachusetts, during six annual periods between 2001 and 2011. Individuals were categorized into four groups based on the presence of 11 previously diagnosed cardiac and noncardiac conditions. The median age of the study population was 79 years and 49% were men. Twenty-eight percent of patients had two or less cardiac- and no noncardiac-related conditions, 21% had two or less cardiac and one or more noncardiac conditions, 20% had three or more cardiac and no noncardiac conditions, and 31% had three or more cardiac and one or more noncardiac conditions. Individuals who presented with one or more noncardiac-related conditions were less likely to have been prescribed evidence-based medications and/or to have undergone coronary revascularization procedures than patients without any noncardiac condition. After multivariable adjustment, individuals with three or more cardiac and one or more noncardiac conditions were at greatest risk for all adverse outcomes.

Conclusions

Older patients hospitalized with AMI carry a significant burden of cardiac- and noncardiac-related conditions. Older adults who presented with multiple cardiac and noncardiac conditions experienced the worse short-term outcomes and treatment strategies should be developed to improve their in-hospital and post-discharge care and outcomes.

Influence of Multimorbidity on Burden and Appropriateness of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapies

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether burden of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) influences the risk of receiving inappropriate vs appropriate device therapies.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Seven US healthcare delivery systems.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with left ventricular systolic dysfunction receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention.

MEASUREMENTS

Data on 24 comorbid conditions were captured from electronic health records and categorized into quartiles of comorbidity burden (0-3, 4-5, 6-7 and 8-16). Incidence of ICD therapies (shock and antitachycardia pacing [ATP] therapies), including appropriateness, was collected for 3 years after implantation. Outcomes included time to first ICD therapy, total ICD therapy burden, and risk of inappropriate vs appropriate ICD therapy.

RESULTS

Among 2235 patients (mean age = 69 ± 11 years, 75% men), the median number of comorbidities was 6 (interquartile range = 4-8), with 98% having at least two comorbidities. During a mean 2.2 years of follow-up, 18.3% of patients experienced at least one appropriate therapy and 9.9% experienced at least one inappropriate therapy. Higher comorbidity burden was associated with an increased risk of first inappropriate therapy (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.94 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.14-3.31] for 4-5 comorbidities; HR = 2.25 [95% CI = 1.25-4.05] for 6-7 comorbidities; and HR = 2.91 [95% CI = 1.54-5.50] for 8-16 comorbidities). Participants with 8-16 comorbidities had a higher total burden of ICD therapy (adjusted relative risk [RR] = 2.12 [95% CI = 1.43-3.16]), a higher burden of inappropriate therapy (RR = 3.39 [95% CI = 1.67-6.86]), and a higher risk of receiving inappropriate vs appropriate therapy (RR = 1.74 [95% CI = 1.07-2.82]). Comorbidity burden was not significantly associated with receipt of appropriate ICD therapies. Patterns were similar when separately examining shock or ATP therapies.

CONCLUSIONS

In primary prevention ICD recipients, MCC burden was independently associated with an increased risk of inappropriate but not appropriate device therapies. Comorbidity burden should be considered when engaging patients in shared decision making about ICD implantation.

Multimorbidity Burden and Adverse Outcomes in a Community-Based Cohort of Adults with Heart Failure

OBJECTIVES

To assess multimorbidity burden and its association with clinical outcomes in adults with heart failure (HF) according to sex, age, and HF type.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Five healthcare delivery systems across the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with HF (N=114,553).

MEASUREMENTS

We characterized participants with respect to the presence of 26 chronic conditions categorized into quartiles based on overall burden of comorbidity (<5, 5-6, 7-8, ≥9). Outcomes included all-cause death and hospitalization for HF or any cause. Multivariable Cox regression was used to evaluate the adjusted association between categorized burden of multimorbidity burden and outcomes.

RESULTS

Individuals with more morbidities were more likely to die than those with fewer then 5 morbidities (5-6 morbidities: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.24-1.31; 7-8 morbidities: aHR=1.52, 95% CI=1.48-1.57; ≥9 morbidities: aHR=1.92, 95% CI=1.86-1.99). There was a graded, higher adjusted rate of any-cause hospitalization associated with 5 or 6 (aHR=1.28, 95% CI=1.25-1.30), 7 or 8 (aHR=1.47, 95% CI=1.44-1.50), or 9 or more (aHR=1.77, 95% CI=1.73-1.82) morbidities (vs <5). Similar findings were observed for HF-specific hospitalization in those with 5 or 6 (aHR=1.22, 95% CI=1.19-1.26), 7 or 8 (aHR=1.39, 95% CI=1.34-1.44), or 9 or more (aHR 1.68, 95% CI=1.61-1.74) morbidities (vs <5). Consistent findings were seen according to sex, age group, and HF type (preserved, reduced, borderline HF), in the association between categorical burden of multimorbidity and outcomes especially prominent in individuals younger than 65.

CONCLUSION

After adjustment, higher levels of multimorbidity predicted worse HF outcomes and may be an important consideration in strategies to improve clinical and person-centered outcomes. J Am Geriatr Soc 66:2305-2313, 2018.

General Practitioners Records Are Epidemiological Predictors of Comorbidities: An Analytical Cross-Sectional 10-Year Retrospective Study

Background. Comorbidity represents the co-occurrence of pathological conditions in the same individual, and presents with very complex patterns. In most cases, reference data for the study of various types of comorbidities linked to complex diseases are those of hospitalized patients. Such patients may likely require cure due to acute conditions. We consider the emerging role of EHR (Electronic Healthcare Records), and study comorbidity patterns in a general population, focusing on diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Methods. We propose a cross-sectional 10-year retrospective study of 14,958 patients and 1,728,736 prescriptions obtained from family doctors, and thus refer to these data as General Practitioner Records (GPR). We then choose networks as the tools to analyze the diabetes comorbidity patterns, distinguished by both prescription type and main patient characteristics (age, gender). Results. As expected, comorbidity increases with patients’ age, and the network representations allow the assessment of associations between morbidity groups. The specific morbidities present in the diabetic population justify the higher comorbidity patterns observed in the target group compared to the non-diabetic population. Conclusions. GPR are usually combined with other data types in EHR studies, but we have shown that prescription data have value as standalone predictive tools, useful to anticipate trends observed at epidemiological level on large populations. This study is thus relevant to policy makers seeking inference tools for an efficient use of massive administrative database resources, and suggests a strategy for detecting comorbidities and investigating their evolution.

Using Patients and Their Caregivers Feedback to Develop ENABLE CHF-PC: An Early Palliative Care Intervention for Advanced Heart Failure

OBJECTIVE:

Models of early, community-based palliative care for individuals with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III/IV heart failure and their families are lacking. We used the Medical Research Council process of developing complex interventions to conduct a formative evaluation study to translate an early palliative care intervention from cancer to heart failure.

METHOD:

One component of the parent formative evaluation pilot study was qualitative satisfaction interviews with 8 patient-caregiver dyad participants who completed Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends Comprehensive Heartcare For Patient and Caregivers (ENABLE CHF-PC) intervention. The ENABLE CHF-PC consists of an in-person palliative care assessment, weekly telehealth coaching sessions, and monthly follow-up. Subsequent to completing the coaching sessions, patient and caregiver participants were interviewed to elicit their experiences with ENABLE CHF-PC. Digitally recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic approach.

RESULTS:

Patients (n = 8) mean age was 67.3, 62.5% were female, 75% were married/living with a partner; caregivers (n = 8) mean age was 56.8, and 87.5% were female. Four themes related to experiences with ENABLE CHF-PC included "allowed me to vent," "gained perspective," "helped me plan," and "gained illness management and decision-making skills." Recommendations for intervention modification included (1) start program at diagnosis, (2) maintain phone-based approach, and (3) expand topics and modify format.

CONCLUSION:

Patients and caregivers unanimously found the intervention to be helpful and acceptable. After incorporating modifications, ENABLE CHF-PC is currently undergoing efficacy testing in a large randomized controlled trial.

A machine learning model to predict the risk of 30-day readmissions in patients with heart failure: a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records data

BACKGROUND

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in the United States. Advances in big data solutions allow for storage, management, and mining of large volumes of structured and semi-structured data, such as complex healthcare data. Applying these advances to complex healthcare data has led to the development of risk prediction models to help identify patients who would benefit most from disease management programs in an effort to reduce readmissions and healthcare cost, but the results of these efforts have been varied. The primary aim of this study was to develop a 30-day readmission risk prediction model for heart failure patients discharged from a hospital admission.

METHODS

We used longitudinal electronic medical record data of heart failure patients admitted within a large healthcare system. Feature vectors included structured demographic, utilization, and clinical data, as well as selected extracts of un-structured data from clinician-authored notes. The risk prediction model was developed using deep unified networks (DUNs), a new mesh-like network structure of deep learning designed to avoid over-fitting. The model was validated with 10-fold cross-validation and results compared to models based on logistic regression, gradient boosting, and maxout networks. Overall model performance was assessed using concordance statistic. We also selected a discrimination threshold based on maximum projected cost saving to the Partners Healthcare system.

RESULTS

Data from 11,510 patients with 27,334 admissions and 6369 30-day readmissions were used to train the model. After data processing, the final model included 3512 variables. The DUNs model had the best performance after 10-fold cross-validation. AUCs for prediction models were 0.664 ± 0.015, 0.650 ± 0.011, 0.695 ± 0.016 and 0.705 ± 0.015 for logistic regression, gradient boosting, maxout networks, and DUNs respectively. The DUNs model had an accuracy of 76.4% at the classification threshold that corresponded with maximum cost saving to the hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

Deep learning techniques performed better than other traditional techniques in developing this EMR-based prediction model for 30-day readmissions in heart failure patients. Such models can be used to identify heart failure patients with impending hospitalization, enabling care teams to target interventions at their most high-risk patients and improving overall clinical outcomes.

Multimorbidity Analysis According to Sex and Age towards Cardiovascular Diseases of Adults in Northeast China

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are great challenges in public health, where cardiovascular diseases (CVD) accounted for the large part of mortality that caused by NCDs. Multimorbidity is very common in NCDs especially in CVD, thus multimorbidity could make NCDs worse and bring heavy economic burden. This study aimed to explore the multimorbidity among adults, especially the important role of CVD that played in the entire multimorbidity networks. A total of 21435 participants aged 18-79 years old were recruited in Jilin province in 2012. Weighted networks were adopted to present the complex relationships of multimorbidity, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to evaluate the burden of multimorbidity. The prevalence of CVD was 14.97%, where the prevalence in females was higher than that in males (P < 0.001), and the prevalences of CVD increased with age (from 2.22% to 38.38%). The prevalence of multimorbidity with CVD was 96.17%, and CVD could worsen the burden of multimorbidity. Multimorbidity and multimorbidity with CVD were more marked in females than those in males. And the prevalence of multimorbidity was the highest in the middle-age, while the prevalence of multimorbidity with CVD was the highest in the old population.

Effect of multimorbidity on survival of patients diagnosed with heart failure: a retrospective cohort study in Singapore

OBJECTIVE

Multimorbidity in patients with heart failure (HF) results in poor prognosis and is an increasing public health concern. We aim to examine the effect of multimorbidity focusing on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) on all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality among patients diagnosed with HF in Singapore.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Primary and tertiary care in three (out of six) Regional Health Systems in Singapore.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients diagnosed with HF between 2003 and 2016 from three restructured hospitals and nine primary care polyclinics were included in this retrospective cohort study.

PRIMARY OUTCOMES

All-cause mortality and CVD-specific mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 34 460 patients diagnosed with HF from 2003 to 2016 were included in this study and were followed up until 31 December 2016. The median follow-up time was 2.1 years. Comorbidities prior to HF diagnosis were considered. Patients were categorised as (1) HF only, (2) T2DM+HF, (3) CKD+HF and (4) T2DM+CKD+HF. Cox regression model was used to determine the effect of multimorbidity on (1) all-cause mortality and (2) CVD-specific mortality. Adjusting for demographics, other comorbidities, baseline treatment and duration of T2DM prior to HF diagnosis, 'T2DM+CKD+HF' patients had a 56% higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.56, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.63) and a 44% higher risk of CVD-specific mortality (HR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.56) compared with patients diagnosed with HF only.

CONCLUSION

All-cause and CVD-specific mortality risks increased with increasing multimorbidity. This study highlights the need for a new model of care that focuses on holistic patient management rather than disease management alone to improve survival among patients with HF with multimorbidity.

Falls in Patients With Heart Failure: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Many heart failure patients show fall-related signs/symptoms including postural hypotension, cerebellar injury, and cognitive impairments. Falls contribute to injuries, increased healthcare use, and death, but falls have been understudied in this population.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this review is to identify fall rates, fall injuries, and risk factors for falls in heart failure patients.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library to identify publications from August 1973 to June 2013. Keywords were accidental falls, heart failure, fall rates, fall injuries, and fall risk. Inclusion criteria were publications that were primary data based, included heart failure sample, had falls/fall risk as study variables, and were written in English language. Exclusion criteria were quality improvement/evaluation, case reports/studies, news, opinions, narrative reviews, meeting reports, reflections, and letters to editors. Data were abstracted using a standardized data collection form.

RESULTS

Four publications met the inclusion criteria. In the first study, fall rate was 43%, which is higher than the fall rates among community-dwelling older adults. Fall-related injuries were not examined in any of studies. Benzodiazepines and digoxin were identified as medications that increased risk of falls in 1 case-control study. Loop diuretics were not significantly associated with falls in 1 cohort study. In the fourth study, patients who had poor gait and balance were at greater risk of falling.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies are needed to determine factors associated with falls, characterize injuries resulting from falls, and most importantly design testable interventions to prevent falls in heart failure patients.

Multimorbidity and Functional Limitation in Individuals with Heart Failure: A Prospective Community Study

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the individual and combined effects of multimorbidity and functional limitation on healthcare use and mortality in a large, community cohort of individuals with heart failure (HF).

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Eleven southeastern Minnesota counties.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals (mean age 74, 54% male) with a first-ever HF code (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 428 or Tenth Revision code I50) between January 1, 2013 and March 31, 2016 (N=2,692).

MEASUREMENTS

Eight activities of daily living measured using a survey on a Likert scale (1=without any difficulty, 5=unable to do; median=8). Participants with a score greater than 8 were categorized as having functional limitation. Multimorbidity was defined as having 2 or more noncardiac comorbidities.

RESULTS

Twenty-five percent of participants had neither multimorbidity nor functional limitation, 35% had multimorbidity, 9% had functional limitation, and 31% had both. After adjustment, participants with multimorbidity and functional limitation had greater risks of all outcomes (death: hazard ratio (HR)=4.92, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.03-8.00; emergency department (ED) visit: HR=3.67, 95% CI=2.94-4.59; hospitalization: HR=3.66, 95% CI=2.85-4.70; outpatient visit: HR=1.73, 95% CI=1.52-1.96) than those with neither. Participants with functional limitation alone had greater risks of death (HR=4.84, 95% CI=2.78-8.43), ED visits (HR=2.35, 95% CI=1.75-3.16), and hospitalizations (HR=2.10, 95% CI=1.52-2.88) but not outpatient visits. Those with multimorbidity alone had similar risks of ED visits and hospitalizations as those with functional limitation alone but were more likely to have outpatient visits (HR=1.50, 95% CI=1.34-1.67).

CONCLUSION

Individuals with both multimorbidity and functional limitation have the highest risk of death and healthcare use. Individuals with only functional limitation have similar rates of hospitalizations and ED visits as those with only multimorbidity, underscoring the need to consider both when managing individuals with HF.

Magnitude and Impact of Multimorbidity on Clinical Outcomes in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease: A Literature Review

The authors aim to synthesize the current literature on the magnitude and impact of multimorbidity on clinical outcomes in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most studies reported a significant association between the number of morbidities and the risk of dying. Multimorbidity was assessed either by counting the number of conditions or by use of the Charlson or Elixhauser indices. There are limited data available on the magnitude and impact of multimorbidity on clinical outcomes in patients with CVD and essentially no data on universal health outcomes (eg, health-related quality of life, symptom burden, and function).

Who are they? Patients with heart failure in American skilled nursing facilities

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is common among skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents, yet patients with HF in the SNF setting have not been well described.

METHODS

Using Minimum Data Set 3.0 cross-linked to Medicare data (2011-2012), we studied 150,959 HF patients admitted to 13,858 SNFs throughout the USA. ICD-9 codes were used to differentiate patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), or unspecified HF.

RESULTS

The median age of the study population was 82 years, 68% were women, 34% had HFpEF, and 27% had HFrEF. HFpEF patients were older than those with HFrEF. Moderate/severe physical limitations (82%) and cognitive impairment (37%) were common, regardless of HF type. The burden and pattern of common comorbidities, with the exception of coronary heart disease, were similar among all groups, with a median of five comorbidities. One half of patients with HF had been prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and 39% evidence-based β-blockers.

CONCLUSIONS

SNF residents with HF are old and suffer from significant physical limitations and cognitive impairment and a high degree of comorbidity. These patients differ substantially from HF patients enrolled in randomized clinical trials and that might explain divergence from treatment guidelines.

Do patients have worse outcomes in heart failure than in cancer? A primary care-based cohort study with 10-year follow-up in Scotland

AIMS

This study was designed to evaluate whether survival rates in patients with heart failure (HF) are better than those in patients with diagnoses of the four most common cancers in men and women, respectively, in a contemporary primary care cohort in the community in Scotland.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data were obtained from the Primary Care Clinical Informatics Unit from a database of 1.75 million people registered with 393 general practices in Scotland. Sex-specific survival modelling was undertaken using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders. A total of 56 658 subjects were eligible for inclusion in the study. These represented a total of 147 938 person-years of follow-up (median follow-up: 2.04 years). In men, HF (reference group; 5-year survival: 55.8%) had worse mortality outcomes than prostate cancer [hazard ratio (HR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.65; 5-year survival: 68.3%], and bladder cancer (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.96; 5-year survival: 57.3%), but better outcomes than lung cancer (HR 3.86, 95% CI 3.65-4.07; 5-year survival: 8.4%) and colorectal cancer (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.16-1.31; 5-year survival: 48.9%). In women, HF (reference group; 5-year survival: 49.5%) had worse mortality outcomes than breast cancer (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.51-0.59; 5-year survival 77.7%), but better outcomes than colorectal cancer (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.13-1.29; 5-year survival 51.5%), lung cancer (HR 3.82, 95% CI 3.60-4.05; 5-year survival 10.4%), and ovarian cancer (HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.80-2.17; 5-year survival 38.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite advances in management, HF remains as 'malignant' as some of the common cancers in both men and women.

Comorbidity and polypharmacy in chronic heart failure: a large cross-sectional study in primary care

BACKGROUND

Comorbidity is common in heart failure, but previous prevalence estimates have been based on a limited number of conditions using mainly non-primary care data sources.

AIM

To compare prevalence rates of comorbidity and polypharmacy in those with and without chronic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD).

DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional study of 1.4 million patients in primary care in Scotland.

METHOD

Data on the presence of LVSD, 31 other physical, and seven mental health comorbidities, and prescriptions were extracted from a database of 1 424 378 adults. Comorbidity prevalence was compared in patients with and without LVSD, standardised by age, sex, and deprivation. Pharmacology data were also compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were 17 285 patients (1.2%) who had a diagnosis of LVSD. Compared with standardised controls, the LVSD group had greater comorbidity, with the biggest difference found for seven or more conditions (odds ratio [OR] 4.10; 95% confidence interval (CI] = 3.90 to 4.32). Twenty-five physical conditions and six mental health conditions were significantly more prevalent in those with LVSD relative to standardised controls. Polypharmacy was higher in the LVSD group compared with controls, with the biggest difference found for ≥11 repeat prescriptions (OR 4.81; 95% CI = 4.60 to 5.04). However, these differences in polypharmacy were attenuated after controlling for the number of morbidities, indicating that much of the additional prescribing was accounted for by multimorbidity rather than LVSD per se.

CONCLUSION

Extreme comorbidity and polypharmacy is significantly more common in patients with chronic heart failure due to LVSD. The efficient management of such complexity requires the integration of general and specialist expertise.

Effect of contraindicated drugs for heart failure on hospitalization among seniors with heart failure: A nested case-control study

Little is known about the effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), thiazolidinediones (TZDs), nifedipine and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCBs) usage on the risk of all-cause hospitalization among seniors with heart failure (HF). We assessed the risk of all-cause hospitalization associated with exposure to each of these drug classes, in a population of seniors with HF.Using the Quebec provincial databases, we conducted a nested case-control study in a population of individuals aged ≥65 with a first HF diagnosis between 2000 and 2009. Patients were considered users of a potentially inappropriate drug class if their date of hospital admission occurred in the interval between the date of the last drug claim and the end date of its days' supply. The risks of hospitalization were estimated using multivariate conditional logistic regression.Of the 128,853 individuals included in the study population, 101,273 (78.6%) were hospitalized. When compared to nonusers, users of NSAIDs (adjusted odds ratio: 1.16; 95% confidence interval: 1.13-1.20), TZD (1.09; 1.04-1.14), and CCBs (1.03; 1.01-1.05) had an increased risk of all-cause hospitalization, but not the users of nifedipine (1.00; 0.97-1.03).Seniors with HF exposed to a potentially inappropriate drug class are at increased risk of worse health outcomes. Treatment alternatives should be considered, as they are available.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Parameters and Heart Failure With Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction in Elderly Treated Hypertensive Patients

BACKGROUND

The association between ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and future risk of heart failure (HF) is unclear. We investigated the association between ambulatory BP parameters and risk of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) in elderly treated hypertensive patients.

METHODS

The occurrence of HFREF and HFPEF was evaluated in 1,191 elderly treated hypertensive patients who underwent clinical and instrumental evaluation, including ambulatory BP monitoring to evaluate daytime, nighttime, and 24-hour BP, dipping status, and morning surge (MS) of BP.

RESULTS

During the follow-up (9.1±4.9 years, range 0.4-20 years), 123 patients developed HF, of whom 56 had HFREF and 67 had HFPEF. After adjustment for other covariates, Cox regression analysis showed that 24-hour systolic BP, but not clinic BP, was independently associated with risk of both HFREF (hazard ratio (HR): 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.63, per 10mm Hg increment) and HFPEF (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.13-1.61, per 10mm Hg increment); moreover, high MS of BP (>23mm Hg) in dippers was independently associated with risk of HFREF (HR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.00-5.15) and nondipping was independently associated with risk of HFPEF (HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.38-5.63).

CONCLUSIONS

In elderly treated hypertensive patients, 24-hour systolic BP is independently associated with future risk of both HFREF and HFPEF, whereas high MS is independently associated with risk of HFREF and nondipping is independently associated with risk of HFPEF.