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Abstract
Despite the number of available methods to predict prognosis in patients with heart failure, prognosis remains poor, likely because of marked patient heterogeneity and varied heart failure etiologies. Thus, identification of novel prognostic indicators to stratify risk in patients with heart failure is of paramount importance. The spleen is emerging as a potential novel prognostic indicator for heart failure. In this article, we provide an overview of the current prognostic tools used for heart failure. We then introduce the spleen as a potential novel prognostic indicator, before outlining the structure and function of the spleen and introducing the concept of the cardiosplenic axis. This is followed by a focused discussion on the function of the spleen in the immune response and in hemodynamics, as well as a review of what is known about the usefulness of the spleen as an indicator of heart failure. Expert insight into the most effective spleen-related measurement indices for the prognostication of patients with heart failure is provided, and suggestions on how these could be measured in clinical practice are considered. In future, studies in humans will be required to draw definitive links between specific splenic measurements and different heart failure manifestations, as well as to determine whether splenic prognostic measurements differ between heart failure classes and etiologies. These contributions will provide a step forward in our understanding of the usefulness of the spleen as a prognostic predictor in heart failure.
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Hiraiwa H, Okumura T, Sawamura A, Araki T, Mizutani T, Kazama S, Kimura Y, Shibata N, Oishi H, Kuwayama T, Kondo T, Furusawa K, Morimoto R, Adachi T, Yamada S, Mutsuga M, Usui A, Murohara T. Relationship between spleen size and exercise tolerance in advanced heart failure patients with a left ventricular assist device. BMC Res Notes 2022; 15:40. [PMID: 35144676 PMCID: PMC8832641 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-022-05939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Spleen volume increases in patients with advanced heart failure (HF) after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. However, the relationship between spleen volume and exercise tolerance (peak oxygen consumption [VO2]) in these patients remains unknown. In this exploratory study, we enrolled 27 patients with HF using a LVAD (median age: 46 years). Patients underwent blood testing, echocardiography, right heart catheterization, computed tomography (CT), and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Spleen size was measured using CT volumetry, and the correlations/causal relationships of factors affecting peak VO2 were identified using structural equation modeling. RESULTS The median spleen volume was 190.0 mL, and peak VO2 was 13.2 mL/kg/min. The factors affecting peak VO2 were peak heart rate (HR; β = 0.402, P = .015), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP; β = - 0.698, P = .014), right ventricular stroke work index (β = 0.533, P = .001), blood hemoglobin concentration (β = 0.359, P = .007), and spleen volume (β = 0.215, P = .041). Spleen volume correlated with peak HR, PCWP, and hemoglobin concentration, reflecting sympathetic activity, cardiac preload, and oxygen-carrying capacity, respectively, and was thus related to peak VO2. These results suggest an association between spleen volume and exercise tolerance in advanced HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Hiraiwa
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Takahiro Okumura
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Akinori Sawamura
- Department of Cardiology, Ichinomiya Municipal Hospital, 2-2-22 Bunkyo, Ichinomiya, 491-8558, Japan
| | - Takashi Araki
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Takashi Mizutani
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Shingo Kazama
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yuki Kimura
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Naoki Shibata
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Hideo Oishi
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Tasuku Kuwayama
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Toru Kondo
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Kenji Furusawa
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Ryota Morimoto
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Takuji Adachi
- Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-20 Daiko-minami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, 461-8673, Japan
| | - Sumio Yamada
- Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-20 Daiko-minami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, 461-8673, Japan
| | - Masato Mutsuga
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Akihiko Usui
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Toyoaki Murohara
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
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