Arterial Thromboembolism in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and CHA2DS2-VASc Score 1: A Nationwide Study

BACKGROUND

Oral anticoagulation is suggested in patients with atrial fibrillation and a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥1 (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, and sex score). To assess granular differences within CHA2DS2-VASc 1, the incidence of arterial thromboembolism according to CHA2DS2-VASc 1 subgroups was examined.

METHODS

The Danish National Patient Registry and the Danish Prescription Registry were linked on a nationwide level to identify patients with atrial fibrillation from 2000 to 2021 without oral anticoagulation and categorized according to CHA2DS2-VASc score: CHA2DS2-VASc 0 (male and female subjects); CHA2DS2-VASc 1 (hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, vascular disease, and age 65-74 years); or CHA2DS2-VASc 2 (age ≥75 years without other risk factors). Female sex was not considered a risk factor in any risk group. The outcome was arterial thromboembolism (ischemic stroke, embolism of extremity, or transient cerebral ischemia). Study groups were compared using Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

We included 26 701 patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc 0 score; 22 915 with CHA2DS2-VASc 1 (1483 patients with heart failure, 9066 with hypertension, 843 with diabetes, 770 with vascular disease, and 10 753 who were 65 to 74 years of age); and 14 525 patients with CHA2DS2-VASc 2 (≥75 years of age without other risk factors). With a median of 1 year of observation time, the cumulative incidence of arterial thromboembolism was 0.6% (n=154 [95% CI, 0.6%-0.8%]), 1.4% (n=16 [95% CI, 0.8%-2.2%]), 1.9% (n=141 [95% CI, 1.6%-2.2%]), 1.7% (n=12 [95% CI, 0.9%-2.9%]), 2.0% (n=13 [95% CI, 1.1%-3.4%]), 2.3% (n=187 [95% CI, 2.0%-2.7%]), and 4.4% (n=533 [95% CI, 4.1%-4.8%]) for CHA2DS2-VASc 0, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years (CHA2DS2-VASc 1), and age ≥75 years (CHA2DS2-VASc 2), respectively. No statistically significant difference was identified among subgroups of CHA2DS2-VASc 1 (P=0.15 for difference).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with atrial fibrillation, all subgroups of CHA2DS2-VASc 1 were associated with lower incidence of arterial thromboembolism compared with age ≥75 years without other risk factors (ie, CHA2DS2-VASc 2) and a higher incidence compared with CHA2DS2-VASc 0. No statistically significant difference was identified between the subgroups of CHA2DS2-VASc 1. These findings support current recommendations that patients within this intermediate risk group could be identified with a similar risk of arterial thromboembolism.

Comparative outcomes in patients with preexisting heart failure to those without heart failure after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A nationwide registry study

BACKGROUND

The knowledge of prognosis following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in patients with heart failure heart failure (HF) is sparse. The objective of this study was to compare the outcome after OHCA among patients with and without HF.

METHODS

We studied 45,293 patients who were included for the Danish cardiac arrest registry between 2001 and 2014. Patients were stratified into two groups based on the presence of HF prior to cardiac arrest. The primary outcome was 30-day survival and secondary outcome was anoxic brain damage or permanent nursing home admission at 1-year among 30-day survivors.

RESULTS

Among the final 28,955 patients included, 6675 (23%) patients had prior HF and 22,280 (77%) patients had no prior HF. At 30 days, 616 (9.2%) patients survived among the patients with HF and 1916 (8.6%) among the patients without HF. There was a significant interaction between atrial fibrillation (AF) and HF for primary outcome and therefore it was assessed separately between the two study groups stratified based on AF. Among patients without AF a significantly higher odds of 30-day survival were observed among patients with HF (OR 2.69, 95% CI 2.34-3.08, P < 0.001), but no difference was observed among the patients from two study groups with no AF. No significant difference in risk for secondary outcome was observed among the two study groups. In multivariable average treatment effect modeling, all the results largely remain unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Outcome following OHCA among patients with and without HF is found to be similar in this large Danish OHCA registry.

Influence of socioeconomic status on rates of advanced heart failure therapies

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic deprivation is associated with a lower likelihood of referral for advanced heart failure (HF) evaluation, but it is not known whether it influences rates of advanced HF therapies independently of key hemodynamic measures and comorbidity following advanced HF evaluation in a universal healthcare system.

METHODS

We linked data from a single-center Danish clinical registry of consecutive patients evaluated for advanced HF with patient-level information on socioeconomic status. Patients were divided into groups based on the level of education (low, medium, and high), combined degree of socioeconomic deprivation (low, medium, and high), and household income quartiles. Rates of the combined outcome of left ventricular assist device implantation or heart transplantation (advanced HF therapy) with death as a competing risk were estimated with cumulative incidence functions, and Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, central venous pressure, cardiac index, and comorbidities.

RESULTS

We included 629 patients, median age 53 years, of whom 77% were men. During a median follow-up of 5 years, 179 (28%) underwent advanced HF therapy. The highest level of education was associated with higher rates (high vs low, adjusted HR 1.81 95% CI 1.14-2.89, p = 0.01), whereas household income quartile groups (Q4 vs Q1, adjusted HR 1.37 95% CI 0.76-2.47, p = 0.30) or groups of combined socioeconomic deprivation (high vs low degree of deprivation, adjusted HR 0.86 95% CI 0.50-1.46, p = 0.56) were not significantly associated with rates of advanced HF therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a lower level of education might be disfavored for advanced HF therapies and could require specific attention in the advanced HF care center.

Adverse effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Sodium-glucose cotransoporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2Is) improve prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients both with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, these drugs can have some side effects. To estimate the relative risk of side effects in HF patients treated with SGLT-2Is irrespective from left ventricular EF and setting (chronic and non-chronic HF). Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling patients with HFrEF, 4 RCTs enrolling non-chronic HF, and 3 RCTs enrolling HFpEF were included. Among side effects, urinary infection, genital infection, acute kidney injury, diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, bone fractures, and amputations were considered in the analysis. Overall, 24,055 patients were included in the analysis: 9020 (38%) patients with HFrEF, 12,562 (52%) with HFpEF, and 2473 (10%) with non-chronic HF. There were no differences between SGLT-2Is and placebo in the risk to develop diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, bone fractures, and amputations. HFrEF patients treated with SGLT-2Is had a significant reduction of acute kidney injury (RR = 0.54 (95% CI 0.33-0.87), p = 0.011), whereas no differences have been reported in the HFpEF group (RR = 0.94 (95% CI 0.83-1.07), p = 0.348) and non-chronic HF setting (RR = 0.79 (95% CI 0.55-1.15), p = 0.214). A higher risk to develop genital infection (overall 2.57 (95% CI 1.82-3.63), p < 0.001) was found among patients treated with SGLT-2Is irrespective from EF (HFrEF: RR = 1.96 (95% CI 1.17-3.29), p = 0.011; HFpEF: RR = 3.04 (95% CI 1.88-4.90), p < 0.001). The risk to develop urinary infections was increased among SGLT-2I users in the overall population (RR = 1.13 (95% CI 1.00-1.28), p = 0.046) and in the HFpEF setting (RR = 1.19 (95% CI 1.02-1.38), p = 0.029), whereas no differences have been reported in HFrEF (RR = 1.05 (95% CI 0.81-1.36), p = 0.725) and in non-chronic HF setting (RR = 1.04 (95% CI 0.75-1.46), p = 0.806). SGLT-2Is increase the risk of urinary and genital infections in HF patients. In HFpEF patients, the treatment increases the risk of urinary infections compared to placebo, whereas SGLT-2Is reduce the risk of acute kidney disease in patients with HFrEF.

Importance of heart failure duration for development of pulmonary hypertension in advanced heart failure

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is critical when evaluating candidacy for advanced heart failure (HF) therapies, but risk factors for elevated PVR are not well studied. We hypothesized that HF duration would be associated with elevated PVR.

METHODS

Danish single-center registry of consecutive in- and outpatients undergoing right heart catheterization as part of advanced HF work up. The relation between HF duration and PVR was estimated by regression analysis. Finally, the relation between PVR and long-term mortality was assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 549 patients (77% men, median age 54 (43-61) years, median HF duration 1.6 years (0.1-7.1)) were included. Univariate linear regression displayed an association between longer HF duration and increasing PVR (p = 0.014). PVR > 3 WU was present in 92 patients (17%) who were older (median p < 0.001) and had longer HF duration (p = 0.03). HF duration (per 1 year increase) did not predict PVR > 3 WU after adjustment for covariables (OR 1.00; p = 0.99). During a mean follow-up time of 4.5 years, there were 240 (44%) deaths. Increasing PVR was associated with elevated all-cause mortality risk (adjusted HR 1.24; p < 0.001). PVR > 3 WU was associated with higher mortality (adjusted HR 1.49; p = 0.027).

CONCLUSION

Longer duration of HF was associated with higher PVR in patients with advanced HF, but this association disappeared in multivariate analyses. Longer HF duration per se likely does not cause elevated PVR and should not discourage evaluation for heart transplantation.

Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation and One-year Clinical Outcomes in Patients Following Major Emergency Abdominal Surgery

The prevalence and impact of perioperative atrial fibrillation (AF) during an admission for major emergency abdominal surgery are sparsely examined. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the 30-day and 1-year outcomes (AF-related hospitalization, stroke, and all-cause mortality) in patients with and without perioperative AF to their major emergency abdominal surgery. All patients without a history of AF who underwent major emergency abdominal surgery from 2000 to 2019 and discharged alive were identified using Danish nationwide registries. Patients with and without perioperative AF (defined as new-onset AF during the index hospitalization) were matched 1:4 on age, gender, year of surgery, and type of surgery. The cumulative incidences and hazard ratios of outcomes were assessed using a multivariable Cox regression analysis comparing patients with and without perioperative AF. A total of 2% of patients were diagnosed with perioperative AF. The matched cohort comprised 792 and 3,168 patients with and without perioperative AF, respectively (median age 78 years [twenty-fifth to seventy-fifth percentile 70 to 83 years]; 43% men). Cumulative incidences of AF-related hospitalizations, stroke, and mortality 1 year after discharge were 30% versus 3.4%, 3.4% versus 2.7%, and 35% versus 22% in patients with and without perioperative AF, respectively. The 30-day outcomes were similarly elevated among patients with perioperative AF. Perioperative AF during an admission for major emergency abdominal surgery was associated with higher 30-day and 1-year rates of AF-related hospitalization and mortality and similar rates of stroke. These findings suggest that perioperative AF is a prognostic marker of increased morbidity and mortality in relation to major emergency abdominal surgery and warrants further investigation.

Sacubitril/valsartan and arrhythmic burden in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to assess whether angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) decreases ventricular arrhythmic burden compared to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor antagonist (ACE-I/ARB) treatment in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients. Further, we assessed if ARNI influenced the percentage of biventricular pacing. A systematic review of studies (both RCTs and observational studies) including HFrEF patients and those receiving ARNI after ACE-I/ARB treatment was conducted using Medline and Embase up to February 2023. Initial search found 617 articles. After duplicate removal and text check, 1 RCT and 3 non-RCTs with a total of 8837 patients were included in the final analysis. ARNI was associated with a significative reduction of ventricular arrhythmias both in RCT (RR 0.78 (95% CI 0.63-0.96); p = 0.02) and observational studies (RR 0.62; 95% CI 0.53-0.72; p < 0.001). Furthermore, in non-RCTs, ARNI also reduced sustained (RR 0.36 (95% CI 0.2-0.63); p < 0.001), non-sustained VT (RR 0.67 (95% CI 0.57-0.80; p = 0.007), ICD shock (RR 0.24 (95% CI 0.12-0.48; p < 0.001), and increased biventricular pacing (2.96% (95% CI 2.25-3.67), p < 0.001). In patients with chronic HFrEF, switching from ACE-I/ARB to ARNI treatment was associated with a consistent reduction of ventricular arrhythmic burden. This association could be related to a direct pharmacological effect of ARNI on cardiac remodeling.Trial registration: CRD42021257977.

Long-Term Incidence of Ischemic Stroke After Transient Ischemic Attack: A Nationwide Study From 2014 to 2020

BACKGROUND

The short-term incidence of ischemic stroke after a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is high. However, data on the long-term incidence are not well known but are needed to guide preventive strategies.

METHODS

Patients with first-time TIA (index date) in the Danish Stroke Registry (January 2014-December 2020) were included and matched 1:4 with individuals from the background population and 1:1 with patients with a first-time ischemic stroke on the basis of age, sex, and calendar year. The incidences of ischemic stroke and mortality from index date were estimated by Aalen-Johansen and Kaplan-Meier estimators, respectively, and compared between groups using multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS

We included 21 500 patients with TIA, 86 000 patients from the background population, and 21 500 patients with ischemic stroke (median age, 70.8 years [25th-75th percentile, 60.8-78.7]; 53.1% males). Patients with TIA had more comorbidities than the background population, yet less than the control stroke population. The 5-year incidence of ischemic stroke after TIA (6.1% [95% CI, 5.7-6.5]) was higher than the background population (1.5% [95% CI, 1.4-1.6], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 5.14 [95% CI, 4.65-5.69]) but lower than the control stroke population (8.9% [95% CI, 8.4-9.4], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.53-0.64]). The 5-year mortality for patients with TIA (18.6% [95% CI, 17.9-19.3]) was higher than the background population (14.8% [95% CI, 14.5-15.1], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.20-1.32]) but lower than the control stroke population (30.1% [95% CI, 29.3-30.9], P<0.01; hazard ratio, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.39-0.44]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with first-time TIA had an ischemic stroke incidence of 6.1% during the 5-year follow-up period. After adjustment for relevant comorbidities, this incidence was approximately 5-fold higher than what was found for controls in the background population and 40% lower than for patients with recurrent ischemic stroke.

Long-term cardiovascular outcomes among immigrants and non-immigrants in cardiac resynchronization therapy: a nationwide study

AIMS

To date, potential differences in outcomes for immigrants and non-immigrants with a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), in a European setting, remain underutilized and unknown. Hence, we examined the efficacy of CRT measured by heart failure (HF)-related hospitalizations and all-cause mortality among immigrants and non-immigrants.

METHODS AND RESULTS

All immigrants and non-immigrants who underwent first-time CRT implantation in Denmark (2000-2017) were identified from nationwide registries and followed for up to 5 years. Differences in HF related hospitalizations and all-cause mortality were evaluated by Cox regression analyses. From 2000 to 2017, 369 of 10 741 (3.4%) immigrants compared with 7855 of 223 509 (3.5%) non-immigrants with a HF diagnosis underwent CRT implantation. The origins of the immigrants were Europe (61.2%), Middle East (20.1%), Asia-Pacific (11.9%), Africa (3.5%), and America (3.3%). We found similar high uptake of HF guideline-directed pharmacotherapy before and after CRT and a consistent reduction in HF-related hospitalizations the year before vs. the year after CRT (61% vs. 39% for immigrants and 57% vs. 35% for non-immigrants). No overall difference in 5-year mortality among immigrants and non-immigrants was seen after CRT [24.1% and 25.8%, respectively, P-value = 0.50, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8-1.7]. However, immigrants of Middle Eastern origin had a higher mortality rate (HR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2-4.1) compared with non-immigrants. Cardiovascular causes were responsible for the majority of deaths irrespective of immigration status (56.7% and 63.9%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

No overall differences in efficacy of CRT in improving outcomes between immigrants and non-immigrants were identified. Although numbers were low, a higher mortality rate among immigrants of Middle Eastern origin was identified compared with non-immigrants.

Temporal changes in incidence, treatment strategies and 1-year re-admission rates in patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter under 65 years of age: A Danish nationwide study

AIM

To examine temporal changes in incidence rates of atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF), treatment strategies, and AF readmission rates in patients <65 years.

METHODS

Using Danish nationwide registries, we identified patients <65 years with a first-time AF diagnosis from 2000 to 2018. The cohort was categorized according to calendar periods; 2000-2002, 2003-2006, 2007-2010, 2011-2014, and 2015-2018. In this retrospective cohort study the incidence rate (IR) of AF per 100,000 person years (PY), catheter ablation, electrical cardioversion, use of pharmacotherapy, and AF readmission, were investigated in the first year following AF diagnosis.

RESULTS

We identified 60,917 patients; 8150 (13.4%) in 2000-2002, 11,898 (19.5%) in 2003-2006, 13,560 (22.3%) in 2007-2010, 14,167 (23.3%) in 2011-2014, and 13,142 (21.6%) in 2015-2018. Apart from 2015 to 2018, a stepwise increase in the crude IR of AF was observed across calendar periods; 2000-2002: 78.7 (95% CI 77.0;80.4), 2003-2006: 86.3 (84.7;87.8), 2007-2010: 97.9 (96.3;99.6), 2011-2014: 102.3 (100.7;104.0), 2015-2018: 93.6 (92.0;95.2). Over the studied time-periods, we found a stepwise increase in the cumulative incidence of catheter ablation (1.2% to 7.6%) electrical cardioversion (2.0% to 8.7%) and treatment with oral anticoagulant therapy (OAC) (28.5% to 47.8%) within the first year of diagnosis. No temporal differences in incidence of 1-year AF readmission were identified (AF-readmissions: 2000-2002: 32.7%, 2003-2006: 31.1%, 2007-2010: 32.2%, 2011-2014: 32.1% and 2015-2018: 31.7%).

CONCLUSION

The incidence rate of AF in patients <65 years increased from 2000 to 2018, as did the use of catheter ablation, electrical cardioversion and OAC in the first year following AF diagnosis. 1-year AF readmission incidence remained stable around 32% over the study period.

Diuretic treatment before and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A Danish nationwide study

OBJECTIVES

We examined loop diuretic treatment before and 1-year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), as a proxy for changes in symptom severity and secondly assessed how changes in loop diuretics related to mortality risk.

BACKGROUND

Randomized clinical trials suggest that approximately one third of patients undergoing TAVI do not achieve symptom relief, but "all-comer" data are lacking.

METHODS

Using Danish nationwide registries, we identified all citizens, who underwent TAVI from 2008 to 2019 and were alive at 1-year post-discharge. Loop diuretic treatment pre-TAVI and at 1-year post-TAVI were assessed and grouped as receiving 1) no-loop diuretics; 2) low: 1-40 mg of furosemide (or equivalent bumetanide) daily; 3) intermediate: 41-120 mg of furosemide daily; or 4) high: >120 mg furosemide daily.

RESULTS

Among the 4431 patients undergoing TAVI, 2173 (49%) patients were not treated with loop diuretics at the time of TAVI, 918 (21%) had low-loop diuretics, 881 (20%) had intermediate-loop diuretics, and 459 (10%) had high-loop diuretics. At 1-year post-TAVI, 893 (20%) patients had increased, 1010 (23%) had reduced, and 2528 (57%) had unchanged loop diuretic treatment. The cumulative 5-year risk of death in patients surviving one year, was 61% (95% CI: 56.4% to 65.3%) in patients with increased and 47% (95% CI: 44.9% to 49.9%) in patients with reduced/unchanged loop diuretic treatment, respectively. In multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, increased loop diuretic treatment was associated with a higher risk of death compared with reduced/unchanged loop diuretic treatment (Hazard ratio: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.52).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients undergoing TAVI, surviving one year, one fifth of patients had increased loop diuretic treatment, and a little over one fifth had reduced loop diuretic treatment 1-year post-procedure. In patients with increased diuretic treatment, the risk of death was higher compared to those with reduced/unchanged loop diuretic treatment.

Incidence of thyroid dysfunction following initiation of amiodarone treatment in patients with and without heart failure: a nationwide cohort study

AIMS

Thyroid dysfunction is considered the most frequent complication to amiodarone treatment, but data on its occurrence outside clinical trials are sparse. The present study aimed to examine the incidence of thyroid dysfunction following initiation of amiodarone treatment in a nationwide cohort of patients with and without heart failure (HF).

METHODS AND RESULTS

In Danish registries, we identified all patients with first-time amiodarone treatment during the period 2000-18, without prior thyroid disease or medication. The primary outcome was a composite of thyroid diagnoses and initiation of thyroid drugs. Outcomes were assessed at 1-year follow-up, and for patients free of events in the first year, in a landmark analysis for the subsequent 5 years. We included 43 724 patients with first-time amiodarone treatment, of whom 16 939 (38%) had HF. At 1-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence and adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of the primary outcome were 5.3% and 1.37 (95% confidence interval 1.25-1.50) in patients with a history of HF and 4.2% in those without HF (reference). In the 1-year landmark analysis, the subsequent 5-year cumulative incidences and adjusted HRs of the primary outcome were 5.3% (reference) in patients with 1-year accumulated dose <27.38 g [corresponding to average daily dose (ADD <75 mg)], 14.0% and HR 2.74 (2.46-3.05) for 27.38-45.63 g (ADD 75-125 mg), 20.0% and HR 4.16 (3.77-4.59) for 45.64-63.88 g (ADD 126-175 mg), and 24.5% and HR 5.30 (4.82-5.90) for >63.88 g (ADD >175 mg).

CONCLUSION

Among patients who initiated amiodarone treatment, around 5% had thyroid dysfunction at 1-year follow-up, with a slightly higher incidence in those with HF. A dose-response relationship was observed between the 1-year accumulated amiodarone dose and the subsequent 5-year cumulative incidence of thyroid dysfunction.

Association between hemodialysis and patient characteristics, microbiological etiology, cardiac surgery, and mortality in patients with infective endocarditis: a nationwide study

Background

Hemodialysis and infective endocarditis are both associated with poor patient outcome. However, despite high mortality rates for each disease entity, little attention is given to patients on hemodialysis who develop infective endocarditis.

Purpose

To examine patient characteristics, microbiological etiology, cardiac surgery, and outcome among patients on hemodialysis with infective endocarditis compared with patients with infective endocarditis without hemodialysis treatment.

Methods

With Danish nationwide registries, we identified patients with infective endocarditis between 2010–2018 and linked them to microbiological data from a nationwide microbiological registry with complete blood culture data. We included patients in the hemodialysis group if they received hemodialysis treatment within 6 months prior to their first-time infective endocarditis admission. Patients not meeting this criteria were put in the non-hemodialysis group. We used Kaplan-Meier estimates for difference in mortality and Cox regression for adjusted analysis.

Results

We included 4,106 patients with infective endocarditis of which 265 (6.5%) patients were also in hemodialysis treatment (66.8% men). Patients on hemodialysis were younger (median age 66 years [IQR=54.2–74.9] vs. 72.3 years [IQR=62.3–80.4]) and had a higher burden of comorbidities including hypertension (68.7 vs. 56.9%), diabetes (47.2% vs. 18.8%), and ischemic heart disease (41.1% vs. 32.2%) compared to patients without hemodialysis treatment, all p-values &lt;0.01. Cardiac surgery was less frequently performed in patients in the hemodialysis group than in the non-hemodialysis group (11.9% vs. 19.4%, respectively, p&lt;0.001) and Staphylococcus aureus was more frequently the microbiological etiology of infective endocarditis in the hemodialysis group than in the non-hemodialysis group (57.0% vs. 25.3%, respectively, p&lt;0.0001). No statistically significant difference for in-hospital mortality was found. Figure 1 shows difference in mortality between the two groups. 1- and 5-year mortality were significantly higher in the hemodialysis group than in the non-hemodialysis group (34.3% vs. 17.2% and 50.5% vs. 33.9%, respectively, p&lt;0.00001) and in adjusted analysis hemodialysis was associated with higher 1- and 5-year mortality (hazard ratio of 2.41, 95% CI 1.85–3.13 and 2.50, 95% CI 2.05–3.05, respectively), as compared with patients in the non-hemodialysis group.

Conclusion

Patients on hemodialysis with infective endocarditis are younger, sicker and have Staphylococcus aureus as causing agent more than twice as often as patients with infective endocarditis without hemodialysis treatment. This patient group have a higher mortality and by 5 years, 75% of patients in our hemodialysis group were dead.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Home care provision and nursing home admission after myocardial infarction in relation to cardiogenic shock and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest status

Background

Autonomy is of great importance for quality of life. There is a paucity of data on autonomy for those who survive myocardial infarction (MI) with and without cardiogenic shock (CS) and out-of-hospital arrest (OHCA).

Purpose

To examine the association between CS, OHCA, and need for home care provision or nursing home admission as a proxy for impaired autonomy in a first-time MI population.

Methods

Danish nationwide registries were used to identify patients with first-time MI (2009–2019), who prior to the event were living at home without home care and discharged alive. The patients were stratified according to CS and OHCA status. We report 1-year cumulative incidence of a composite outcome of home care provision or nursing home admission with competing risk of death and as a secondary outcome all-cause mortality. Cause specific Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) with patients without CS or OHCA as reference.

Results

We identified 61,451 patients in the period with MI (by groups: −OHCA/−CS: 59,316, −OHCA/+CS: 1,597, +OHCA/−CS: 913, and +OHCA/+CS: 669). The 1-year cumulative incidences of home care/nursing home were 6.9% for patients with −OHCA/−CS, 21.1% for −OHCA/+CS, 5.2% for +OHCA/−CS, and 8.1% for those with +OHCA/+CS. With the −OHCA/−CS as reference, the adjusted HRs for home care/nursing home were 3.12 (95% CI: 2.78–3.49) for patients with −OHCA/+CS, 1.27 (95% CI: 0.95–1.70) for +OHCA/−CS, and 2.31 (95% CI: 1.76–3.03) for +OHCA/+CS (Figure). The 1-year cumulative incidences of mortality were 4.8% for patients with −OHCA/−CS, 10.0% for −OHCA/+CS, 2.8% for +OHCA/−CS, and 3.7% for those with +OHCA/+CS (adjusted HRs: 2.81 (95% CI: 2.55–3.10), 1.09 (95% CI: 0.85–1.39) and 1.81 (95% CI: 1.42–2.30) (Figure 1).

Conclusion

In a selected cohort of patients with MI, without previous need for home care/nursing home and surviving until discharge date, patients with CS were independent of OHCA status associated with less autonomy after discharge with a more than two-fold higher 1-year incidence of home care provision or nursing home admission. Further, patients with CS were associated with a two-fold higher 1-year mortality compared with MI patients without CS independent of OHCA status.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): The work was supported by Rigshospitalets Research Foundation, Master cabinetmaker Sophus Jacobsen and Wife Astrid Jacobsen Foundation, and Director Jacob Madsen and Wife Olga Madsens Foundation. The funding source had no role in the design, conduct, analysis, or reporting of the study.

Heart failure hospitalizations and diuretic use before and after first-time pulmonary vein isolation ablation for atrial fibrillation among patients with heart failure

Background

Small randomized clinical trials have found that patients with heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) randomized to an ablation strategy for AF experienced improved cardiovascular outcomes. We examined the relation in routine clinical practice.

Purpose

We aimed to assess if first-time pulmonary vein isolation ablation (PVI) for AF among patients with HF was associated with decrease in HF hospital admissions rates and furosemide dosage in the year after PVI compared with the year before.

Methods

We identified patients with HF and available left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) treated with a first-time PVI using the Danish Ablation Registry, and alive at 1-year follow-up. Patient comorbidities and concomitant pharmacotherapy (including furosemide dosage and HF hospital admissions) were identified utilizing Danish nationwide registries. For inclusion, patients were required to have been diagnosed with HF in an in- or outpatient setting &lt;10 years of first-time PVI or have a LVEF at the time of PVI ≤45%. Patients were grouped according to LVEF at time of PVI: ≤35%, 36–45%, and &gt;45%. For comparison of HF hospital admission and furosemide usage before and after PVI, McNemars test were used. Wilcox signed-rank test were used to test difference in furosemide dosage before and after PVI.

Results

We identified 668/3450 patients with HF treated with first-time PVI for AF between 2010–2017 (median age 62 years [Q1,Q3=56,69 years], 81% male, and median LVEF 45% [Q1,Q3=40,60%]). Of these, 13 patients (2%) died during one-year follow-up. Overall, 36% of patients with HF had one or more HF hospital admissions the year before PVI compared with 7% in the year after PVI (p&lt;0.0001) (Figure 1). Patients with LVEF ≤35% had the highest proportion of HF hospital admissions the year before PVI (53%) and was reduced more than 4-fold (13%) in the year after first-time PVI, with consistent findings in all LVEF groups (Figure 1). At the time of PVI, 36% of patients with HF were treated with furosemide compared with 30% in the year after PVI (p&lt;0.0001) (Figure 2). Moreover, we identified significant reductions in furosemide dose in the year after PVI compared with the year before (median dose 60 mg [Q1,Q3=30,80 mg] and 20 mg [Q1,Q3=0,60 mg], respectively, p=0.001). Here, reductions in furosemide requirements were consistent across LVEF subgroups.

Conclusion

Patients with HF treated with a first-time PVI strategy for AF had a 5-fold decrease in HF hospital admissions in the following year compared with the year before PVI. Among patients treated with furosemide at time of PVI, significant reductions in dose one year after PVI was identified but also significant reductions in proportion of patients requiring any furosemide at all.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Diuretic use before and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a nationwide study

Background

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is the new standard of care in patients of older age with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, and these patients often depend upon diuretics for symptom relief. Randomized clinical trials suggest that approximately one third of patients undergoing TAVI do not achieve symptom relief. Furthermore, some patients have more symptoms after intervention, but “real-life” data are lacking.

Purpose

We examined use of diuretic therapy before and one year after TAVI in order to identify the proportion of patients who had intensification of diuretic treatment after intervention as a proxy for more symptoms. We also examined baseline factors associated with an intensification event.

Methods

Using Danish nationwide registries, we identified all Danish citizens who underwent TAVI from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2019 and were alive one year after the intervention. Diuretic use pre-TAVI and 1-year post-TAVI (based on prescription fillings) was divided into the following groups: 1) no use; 2) low diuretic use: 1–40 mg of furosemide (or equivalent bumetanide); 3) intermediate diuretic use: 41–120 mg of furosemide; and 4) high diuretic use: &gt;120 mg furosemide. Diuretic intensification was defined as a change from one pre-TAVI diuretic group to a higher post-TAVI diuretic group. Factors associated with intensified diuretic treatment was examined with logistic regression. In this analysis of intensification, only patients who could potentially have an intensification event were included (i.e., no diuretic use, low diuretic use, or intermediate diuretic use groups).

Results

A total of 3,978 patients (median age 81 [interquartile range 77–85]; 54% men) undergoing TAVI were identified. Pre-TAVI, 1,279 (32%) had no diuretic use, 1,818 (46%) had low diuretic use and 881 (22%) had intermediate diuretic use. Overall, patients with pre-TAVI intermediate diuretic use had a greater burden of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular comorbidities (higher prevalence of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease and diabetes) compared with those with no or low diuretic use. The distribution of age and sex was similar between diuretic groups. One year post-TAVI, 1,406 (35.3%) had no diuretic use, 1,635 (41.1%) had low diuretic use, 654 (16.4%) had intermediate diuretic use and 283 (7.1%) had high diuretic use (Figure 1). Overall, 1,077 (27%) patients had intensification of diuretic treatment one year after undergoing TAVI. Ischemic heart disease and chronic renal failure were associated with an intensification event (odds ratio 1.23 [95% CI 1.05–1.23] and 1.46 [95% CI 1.10–1.94], respectively).

Conclusion

Among patients undergoing TAVI not treated with high-dose diuretics at time of intervention, approximately 1 out of 4 patients had intensification of diuretic treatment one year after intervention. Ischemic heart disease and chronic renal failure were associated with intensification.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Use of torsades de pointes risk drugs among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and likelihood of shockable rhythm and return of spontaneous circulation: a nationwide study

AIM

Treatment with certain drugs can augment the risk of developing malignant arrhythmias (e.g. torsades de pointes [TdP]). Hence, we examined the overall TdP risk drug use before out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and possible association with shockable rhythm and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).

METHODS

Patients ≥18 years with an OHCA of cardiac origin from the Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry (2001-2014) and TdP risk drug use according to www.CredibleMeds.org were identified. Factors associated with TdP risk drug use and secondly how use may affect shockable rhythm and ROSC were determined by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

We identified 27481 patients with an OHCA of cardiac origin (median age: 72 years [interquartile range 62.0, 80.0 years]). A total of 37% were in treatment with TdP risk drugs 0-30 days before OHCA compared with 33% 61-90 days before OHCA (p<0.001). Most commonly used TdP risk drugs were citalopram (36.1%) and roxithromycin (10.7%). Patients in TdP risk drug treatment were older (75 vs. 70 years) and more comorbid compared with those not in treatment. Subsequently, TdP risk drug use was associated with less likelihood of the presenting rhythm being shockable (odds ratio [OR]=0.63, 95%confidence interval [CI]:0.58-0.69) and ROSC (OR=0.73, 95%CI:0.66-0.80).

CONCLUSION

TdP risk drug use increased in the time leading up to OHCA and was associated with reduced likelihood of presenting with a shockable rhythm and ROSC in an all-comer OHCA setting. However, patients in TdP risk drug treatment were older and more comorbid than patients not in treatment.

Association Between Inappropriately Dosed Anticoagulation Therapy With Stroke Severity and Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is effective for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, some patients experience stroke despite OAC therapy, and knowledge about the impact of prior treatment quality is lacking.

Methods and Results

Patients with atrial fibrillation on OAC therapy who had a first‐time ischemic stroke were identified in the Danish Stroke Registry (2005–2018). Patients treated with vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy were compared according to the international normalized ratio just before stroke (international normalized ratio <2 [subtherapeutic], international normalized ratio 2–3 [therapeutic], international normalized ratio >3 [supratherapeutic]), and patients on underdosed, appropriately dosed, and overdosed direct OAC (DOAC) therapy were compared. Stroke severity was determined using the Scandinavia Stroke Scale (0–58 points), and the risk of very severe stroke (0–14 points) was analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. One‐year mortality was determined using multivariable Cox regression. A total of 2319 patients with atrial fibrillation and stroke were included; 1196 were taking a VKA (subtherapeutic [46%], therapeutic [43%], supratherapeutic [11%]), and 1123 were taking DOAC (underdosed [23%], appropriately dosed [60%], and overdosed [17%]). Subtherapeutic and supratherapeutic VKA therapy (compared with therapeutic) and underdosed DOAC therapy (compared with appropriate and underdosed DOAC) patients were older, more often women, and more comorbid. Subtherapeutic VKA therapy was associated with very severe stroke (odds ratio [OR], 2.06 [95% CI, 1.28–3.31]), whereas supratherapeutic VKA therapy was not (OR, 1.24 [95% CI, 0.60–2.57]) compared with therapeutic VKA therapy. Patients on subtherapeutic and supratherapeutic VKA therapy had a higher 1‐year mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.66 [95% CI, 1.29–2.13]); HR, 1.55 [95% CI, 1.08–2.22], respectively) than those on therapeutic VKA therapy. Treatment with underdosed or overdosed DOAC therapy was not associated with very severe stroke (OR, 1.27 [95% CI, 0.76–2.15]; OR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.37–1.43], respectively) and was not associated with 1‐year mortality (HR, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.83–1.44]; HR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.57–1.18], respectively) than appropriate DOAC.

Conclusions

Half of the patients with atrial fibrillation with stroke were on inappropriate OAC therapy. Subtherapeutic VKA was associated with worse stroke severity and higher mortality rate than therapeutic VKA therapy. Neither underdosed nor overdosed DOAC was associated with worse outcomes in adjusted models compared with appropriately dosed DOAC. This study supports DOAC as a first‐line therapy over VKA.

Incidence of heart valve disease in women treated with the ergot-derived dopamine agonist bromocriptine

BACKGROUND

Ergot-derived dopamine agonists are thought to induce fibrotic changes in cardiac valve leaflets. We sought to determine the incidence of heart valve disease in women treated with bromocriptine compared with age and sex matched controls from the background population.

METHODS

In nationwide Danish registries we identified female patients treated with bromocriptine in the period 1995-2018. Patients were included at date of second redeemed prescription and were matched 1:5 with controls from the background population based on age, sex and year of inclusion by use of incidence density sampling. The outcomes were hospital admission for or outpatient diagnosis of heart valve disease, and death as competing risk. Incidence rates, cumulative incidence curves, and adjusted cox-proportional hazard models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors were used to assess outcomes in bromocriptine users versus controls.

RESULTS

A total of 3035 female bromocriptine users and 15,175 matched controls were included. Median age at inclusion was 32 years (Q1-Q3, 28-37 years). Both bromocriptine users and controls had few comorbidities and low use of concomitant pharmacotherapy. Within 10 years of follow-up, 11 patients (0.34%, 95% CI 0.13-0.55%) and 44 controls (0.29%, 95% CI 0.20-0.37) met the primary endpoint of heart valve disease, p = 0.63. The adjusted cox regression analysis yielded a hazard ratio of 0.96 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55-1.69, p = 0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment initiation with ergot-derived dopamine agonist bromocriptine in younger women with few comorbidities, was associated with a low absolute long-term risk of heart valve disease, not significantly different from the risk in age and sex matched population controls. Thus, indicating a low clinical yield of pre-treatment echocardiographic screening in this patient population in accordance with current guidelines.

Diabetes and prediabetes in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction

Aim

There is an association between heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and insulin resistance, but less is known about the diabetic continuum, and in particular about pre‐diabetes, in HFpEF. We examined characteristics and outcomes of participants with diabetes or pre‐diabetes in PARAGON‐HF.

Methods and results

Patients aged ≥50 years with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥45%, structural heart disease and elevated N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) were eligible. Patients were classified according to glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c): (i) normal HbA1c, <6.0%; (ii) pre‐diabetes, 6.0%–6.4%; (iii) diabetes, ≥6.5% or history of diabetes. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular (CV) death and total heart failure hospitalizations (HFH). Of 4796 patients, 50% had diabetes and 18% had pre‐diabetes. Compared to patients with normal HbA1c, patients with pre‐diabetes and diabetes more often were obese, had a history of myocardial infarction and had lower Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores, while patients with diabetes had more clinical evidence of congestion, but similar NT‐proBNP concentrations. The risks of the primary composite outcome (rate ratio [RR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35–1.88), total HFH (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.39–2.02) and CV death (hazard ratio [HR] 1.35, 95% CI 1.07–1.71) were higher among patients with diabetes, compared to those with normal HbA1c. Patients with pre‐diabetes had a higher risk (which was intermediate between that of patients with diabetes and those with normal HbA1c) of the primary outcome (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.00–1.60) and HFH (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.03–1.77), but not of CV death (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.75–1.40). Patients with diabetes treated with insulin had worse outcomes than those not, and those with ‘lean diabetes’ had similar mortality rates to those with a higher body mass index, but lower rates of HFH.

Conclusion

Pre‐diabetes is common in patients with HFpEF and is associated with worse clinical status and greater risk of HFH. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01920711.

Long-term Risk of Heart Failure and Other Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: a Nationwide Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the long-term rates of heart failure and other adverse cardiovascular outcomes in a nationwide cohort of patients diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) compared with the background population.

METHODS

Using Danish nationwide registries, patients with first-time diagnosed GPA were identified and matched 1:4 by age, sex, and comorbidities with subjects from background population. Outcomes were compared using Cox regression. Due to violation of the proportional hazard assumption, landmark analyses for the first year and from one year were performed.

RESULTS

Of the 1,923 patients with GPA, 1,781 patients (median age 59 years, 47.9% men) were matched with 7,124 subjects from the background population. The median follow-up was 6.4 years. The absolute 10-year risk of HF was 6.8% (95%CI, 5.5-8.2%) for GPA patients and 5.9% (5.3-6.6%) for the background population. During the first year after diagnosis, GPA was associated with a significantly higher rate of HF (HR 3.60 [95%CI, 2.28-5.67]) and other adverse outcomes, including atrial fibrillation/flutter (HR 6.50 [4.43-9.55]) and ischemic stroke (HR 3.24 [1.92-5.48]), compared with the background population. After the first year, GPA was not associated with higher rates of HF or other cardiovascular outcomes than the background population, except atrial fibrillation/flutter (HR 1.38 [1.12-1.70]).

CONCLUSION

During the first year after diagnosis, the rates of HF and other cardiovascular outcomes were higher in patients with GPA compared with the background population. However, after the first year, the rates of HF and other cardiovascular outcomes, except atrial fibrillation/flutter, were similar to those in the background population.

Long-Term Mortality Associated With Use of Carvedilol Versus Metoprolol in Heart Failure Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study

Background

Carvedilol may have favorable glycemic properties compared with metoprolol, but it is unknown if carvedilol has mortality benefit over metoprolol in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods and Results

Using Danish nationwide databases between 2010 and 2018, we followed patients with new‐onset HFrEF treated with either carvedilol or metoprolol for all‐cause mortality until the end of 2018. Follow‐up started 120 days after initial HFrEF diagnosis to allow initiation of guideline‐directed medical therapy. There were 39 260 patients on carvedilol or metoprolol at baseline (mean age 70.8 years, 35% women), of which 9355 (24%) had T2D. Carvedilol was used in 2989 (32%) patients with T2D and 10 411 (35%) of patients without T2D. Users of carvedilol had a lower prevalence of atrial fibrillation (20% versus 35%), but other characteristics appeared well‐balanced between the groups. Totally 11 306 (29%) were deceased by the end of follow‐up. We observed no mortality differences between carvedilol and metoprolol, multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.97 (0.90–1.05) in patients with T2D versus 1.00 (0.95–1.05) for those without T2D, P for difference =0.99. Rates of new‐onset T2D were lower in users of carvedilol versus metoprolol; age, sex, and calendar year adjusted HR 0.83 (0.75–0.91), P<0.0001.

Conclusions

In a contemporary clinical cohort of HFrEF patients with and without T2D, carvedilol was not associated with a reduction in long‐term mortality compared with metoprolol. However, carvedilol was associated with lowered risk of new‐onset T2D supporting the assertion that carvedilol has a more favorable metabolic profile than metoprolol.

The association of prior carpal tunnel syndrome surgery with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and long-term mortality after aortic valve replacement

AIMS

Patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis have a 6-16% prevalence of occult cardiac amyloidosis. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is common in cardiac amyloidosis, but whether prior CTS surgery has a prognostic impact in patients undergoing AVR is unknown. This study examined the association between prior CTS surgery and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients treated with AVR.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using Danish nationwide registries, we retrospectively identified patients undergoing first-time AVR from 2005 to 2018, examining the association between previous CTS and adverse cardiovascular outcomes the following 5 years after the AVR procedure. Cumulative incidence functions and adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess differences. Among 19,211 patients undergoing AVR, 2.5% (n = 472) had prior CTS surgery. Patients in the CTS-cohort were significantly older (median age 75.7 [IQR 68.1-82.3] vs 73.7 [IQR 66.0-79.6]), more often female and had more comorbidities. Prior CTS surgery was not associated with differences in hospitalization for heart failure (11.2% [95% CI 8.3-14.7] vs 9.4% [95% CI 9.0-9.9]), atrial fibrillation (11.1% [95% CI 8.2-14.5] vs 11.2% [95% CI 10.8-11.7]) or pacemaker implantation (6.2% [95% CI 4.0-9.0] vs 5.1% [95% CI 4.8-5.5]). The 5-year mortality (32.8% [27.6-38.0] vs 25.2% [24.5-25.9]) was higher in the CTS-cohort. CTS was significantly associated with increased 5-year mortality (HR 1.27 [1.05-1.53]) in crude models, however, after multivariable adjustment prior CTS surgery was not associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Previous CTS surgery was not associated with increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes after AVR.

Dapagliflozin in HFrEF Patients Treated With Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists: An Analysis of DAPA-HF

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in patients taking or not taking an mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) at baseline in the DAPA-HF (Dapagliflozin And Prevention of Adverse outcomes in Heart Failure) trial.

BACKGROUND

MRAs and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors each have diuretic activity, lower blood pressure, and reduce glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Therefore, it is important to investigate the safety, as well as efficacy, of their combination.

METHODS

A total of 4,744 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were randomized to placebo or dapagliflozin 10 mg daily. The efficacy of dapagliflozin on the primary composite outcome (cardiovascular death or episode of worsening heart failure) and its components was examined according to MRA use, as were predefined safety outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 3,370 patients (71%) were treated with an MRA and they were younger (65 vs. 69 years of age), less often from North America (9% vs. 26%), had worse New York Heart Association functional class (35% vs. 25% in class III/IV), lower left ventricular ejection fraction (30.7% vs. 31.9%) and systolic blood pressure (120.3 vs. 125.5 mm Hg), but higher estimated GFR (67.1 vs. 62.6 ml/min/1.73 m²), than patients not taking an MRA. The benefit of dapagliflozin compared with placebo was similar in patients taking or not taking an MRA: hazard ratio: 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63 to 0.87) versus 0.74 (95% CI: 0.57 to 0.95), respectively, for the primary endpoint (p value for interaction = 0.97); similar findings were observed for secondary endpoints. In both MRA subgroups, safety outcomes were similar in patients randomized to dapagliflozin or placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Dapagliflozin was similarly efficacious and safe in patients with HFrEF taking or not taking an MRA, supporting the use of both drugs together. (Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on the Incidence of Worsening Heart Failure or Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure [DAPA-HF]; NCT03036124).

The DANish randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial in patients with chronic HEART failure (DANHEART): A 2 × 2 factorial trial of hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate in patients with chronic heart failure (H-HeFT) and metformin in patients with chronic heart failure and diabetes or prediabetes (Met-HeFT)

OBJECTIVES

The DANHEART trial is a multicenter, randomized (1:1), parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in chronic heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This investigator driven study will include 1500 HFrEF patients and test in a 2 × 2 factorial design: 1) if hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate reduces the incidence of death and hospitalization with worsening heart failure vs. placebo (H-HeFT) and 2) if metformin reduces the incidence of death, worsening heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke vs. placebo in patients with diabetes or prediabetes (Met-HeFT).

METHODS

Symptomatic, optimally treated HFrEF patients with LVEF ≤40% are randomized to active vs. placebo treatment. Patients can be randomized in either both H-HeFT and Met-HeFT or to only one of these study arms. In this event-driven study, it is anticipated that 1300 patients should be included in H-HeFT and 1100 in Met-HeFT and followed for an average of 4 years.

RESULTS

As of May 2020, 296 patients have been randomized at 20 centers in Denmark.

CONCLUSION

The H-HeFT and Met-HeFT studies will yield new knowledge about the potential benefit and safety of 2 commonly prescribed drugs with limited randomized data in patients with HFrEF.

Catheter ablation and mortality, stroke and heart failure readmission with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Recent randomised clinical trials have suggested prognostic benefits of catheter ablation in highly selected patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF).

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to identify the treatment effect associated with catheter ablation in a broad population of patients with AF and HF.

METHODS

Through nationwide administrative registers in Denmark, we estimated the 2-year average treatment effect (ATE) of catheter ablation for AF on a composite endpoint of HF readmission, stroke and all-cause mortality at 1-year and 5-year landmark analyses. The primary cohort was patients with AF before HF, and the second cohort of patients with HF before AF.

RESULTS

A total of 13 756 patients were included with 9904 patients in the primary cohort, and 3852 in the secondary. An ATE (95% CI) reduction of the composite endpoint of 7.0% (4.5% to 9.5%) was observed in the primary cohort and 11.8% (6.0% to 17.6%) in the secondary in the 1-year landmark analysis with a reduction in all-cause mortality of 5.8% (3.7%-7.8%) and 6.3% (0.9%-11.7%), respectively. At the 5-year landmark, catheter ablation was associated with reductions in the composite endpoint and all-cause mortality in the primary (4.7% (2.3% to 7.2%), and 3.6% (1.0% to 6.3%), respectively), but not in the secondary cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Ablation was associated with decreased risk of HF readmission, stroke and all-cause mortality in patients with AF and HF. The effect is most substantial in patients with AF before HF and with catheter ablation after 1 year from the diagnosis of both conditions.

Prevalence and incidence of intra-ventricular conduction delays and outcomes in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction: insights from PARADIGM-HF and ATMOSPHERE

AIMS

The importance of intra-ventricular conduction delay (IVCD), the incidence of new IVCD and its relationship to outcomes in heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are not well studied. We addressed these questions in the PARADIGM-HF and ATMOSPHERE trials.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The risk of the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization and all-cause mortality were estimated by use of Cox regression according to baseline QRS duration and morphology in 11 861 patients without an intracardiac device. At baseline, 1789 (15.1%) patients had left bundle branch block (LBBB), 524 (4.4%) right bundle branch block (RBBB), 454 (3.8%) non-specific IVCD, 2588 (21.8%) 'mildly abnormal' QRS (110-129 ms) and 6506 (54.9%) QRS <110 ms. During a median follow-up of 2.5 years, the risk of the primary composite endpoint was higher among those with a wide QRS, irrespective of morphology: hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) LBBB 1.36 (1.23-1.50), RBBB 1.54 (1.31-1.79), non-specific IVCD 1.65 (1.40-1.94) and QRS 110-129 ms 1.35 (1.23-1.47), compared with QRS duration <110 ms. A total of 1234 (15.6%) patients developed new-onset QRS widening ≥130 ms (6.1 per 100 patient-years). Incident LBBB occurred in 495 (6.3%) patients (2.4 per 100 patient-years) and was associated with a higher risk of the primary composite outcome [hazard ratio 1.42 (1.12-1.82)].

CONCLUSION

In patients with HFrEF, a wide QRS was associated with worse clinical outcomes irrespective of morphology. The annual incidence of new-onset LBBB was around 2.5%, and associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes, highlighting the importance of repeat electrocardiogram review.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT0083658 (ATMOSPHERE) and NCT01035255 (PARADIGM-HF).

One-Year Mortality After Intensification of Outpatient Diuretic Therapy

Background

Mortality is increased following a hospitalization for decompensated heart failure (HF), during which diuretics are usually intensified. It is unclear how risk is affected after outpatient intensification of diuretic therapy for HF.

Methods and Results

From nationwide administrative registers, we identified all Danish patients who were diagnosed with HF from 2001 to 2016 and received angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker and β blocker within 120 days. Subsequent follow‐up tracked progressive events of diuretic intensification and HF hospitalization. Intensification events were defined as new addition or doubling of loop diuretic or addition of thiazide to loop diuretic. These events were included in multivariable Cox regression models, calculating 1‐year mortality hazard after each year since inclusion. Patients with an intensification event or hospitalization were risk set matched to 2 nonworsened HF controls and absolute 1‐year mortality risks were calculated using Kaplan‐Meier estimates. We included 74 990 patients, their median age was 71 years, and 36% were women. Intensification events were associated with significantly increased mortality at all times during follow‐up. One‐year mortality was 18.0% after an intensification event, 22.6% after HF hospitalization, and 10.4% for matched controls with neither. In a multivariable Cox model adjusted for age, sex, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus, the hazard ratio for 1‐year death after an intensification event was 1.75 (95% CI, 1.66–1.85), and it was 2.28 (95% CI, 2.16–2.41) after HF hospitalization.

Conclusions

In a nationwide cohort of patients with HF, outpatient intensification events were associated with almost 2‐fold risk of mortality during the next year. Although HF hospitalization was associated with a higher risk, the need to intensify diuretics in the outpatient setting is a signal to review and intensify efforts to improve HF outcomes.

Add-on therapy in metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes at moderate cardiovascular risk: a nationwide study

BACKGROUND

In randomised clinical trials, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors reduced cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) at high cardiovascular risk, as compared to standard care. However, data comparing these agents in patients with T2D who are at moderate risk is sparse.

METHODS

From Danish national registries, we included patients with T2D previously on metformin monotherapy, who started an additional glucose-lowering agent [GLP-1 RA, SGLT-2 inhibitor, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, sulfonylurea (SU), or insulin] in the period 2010-2016. Patients with a history of cardiovascular events [heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke] were excluded. Patients were followed for up to 2 years. Cause-specific adjusted Cox regression models were used to compare the risk of hospitalisation for HF, a composite endpoint of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (MI, stroke or cardiovascular death), and all-cause mortality for each add-on therapy. Patients who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors were used as reference.

RESULTS

The study included 46,986 T2D patients with a median age of 61 years and of which 59% were male. The median duration of metformin monotherapy prior to study inclusion was 5.3 years. Add-on therapy was distributed as follows: 13,148 (28%) GLP-1 RAs, 2343 (5%) SGLT-2 inhibitors, 15,426 (33%) DPP-4 inhibitors, 8917 (19%) SUs, and 7152 (15%) insulin. During follow-up, 623 (1.3%, range 0.8-2.1%) patients were hospitalised for HF-hazard ratios (HR) were 1.11 (95% CI 0.89-1.39) for GLP-1 RA, 0.84 (0.52-1.36) for SGLT-2 inhibitors, 0.98 (0.77-1.26) for SU and 1.54 (1.25-1.91) for insulin. The composite MACE endpoint occurred in 1196 (2.5%, range 1.5-3.6%) patients, yielding HRs of 0.82 (0.69-0.97) for GLP-1 RAs, 0.79 (0.56-1.12) for SGLT-2 inhibitors, 1.22 (1.03-1.49) for SU and 1.23 (1.07-1.47) for insulin. 1865 (3.9%, range 1.9-9.0%) died from any cause during follow-up. HRs for all-cause mortality were 0.91 (0.78-1.05) for GLP-1 RAs, 0.79 (0.58-1.07) for SGLT-2 inhibitors, 1.13 (0.99-1.31) for SU and 2.33 (2.08-2.61) for insulin.

CONCLUSION

In a nationwide cohort of metformin-treated T2D patients and no history of cardiovascular events, the addition of either GLP-1 RA or SGLT-2 inhibitor to metformin treatment was associated with a similar risk of hospitalisation for HF and death, and a lower risk of MACE for GLP-1 RA when compared with add-on DPP-4 inhibitors. By contrast, initiation of treatment with SU and insulin were associated with a higher risk of MACE. Additionally, insulin was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and hospitalisation for HF.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Impact of Heart Failure on Prognosis Compared to Other Cardiovascular Diseases: A Nationwide Study

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) has received growing attention. We examined the effect of HF development on prognosis compared with other cardiovascular or renal diagnoses in patients with T2D.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients with new T2D diagnosis patients were identified between 1998 and 2015 through Danish nationwide registers. At yearly landmark timepoints after T2D diagnosis, we estimated the 5-year risks of death, 5-year risk ratios, and decrease in lifespan within 5 years associated with the development of HF, ischemic heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and chronic kidney disease. A total of 153 403 patients with newly diagnosed T2D were followed for a median of 9.7 years (interquartile range, 5.8-13.9) during which 48 087 patients died. The 5-year risk ratio of death associated with HF development 5 years after T2D diagnosis was 3 times higher (CI, 2.9-3.1) than patients free of diagnoses (CI, 2.9-3.1). Five-year risk ratios were lower for ischemic heart disease (1.3 [1.3-1.4]), stroke (2.2 [2.1-2.2]), chronic kidney disease (1.7 [1.7-1.8]), and peripheral artery disease (2.3 [2.3-2.4]). The corresponding decrease in lifespan within 5 years when compared with patients free of diagnoses (in months) was HF 11.7 (11.6-11.8), ischemic heart disease 1.6 (1.5-1.7), stroke 6.4 (6.3-6.5), chronic kidney disease 4.4 (4.3-4.6), and peripheral artery disease 6.9 (6.8-7.0). HF in combination with any other diagnosis imposed the greatest risk of death and decrease in life span compared with other combinations. Supplemental analysis led to similar results when stratified according to age, sex, and comorbidity status, and inclusion period.

CONCLUSIONS

HF development, at any year since T2D diagnosis, was associated with the highest 5-year absolute and relative risk of death, and decrease in lifespan within 5 years, when compared with development of other cardiovascular or renal diagnoses.

Identification of Patients with New-Onset Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction in Danish Administrative Registers

Background

In Danish administrative registers, ejection fraction (EF) is not recorded, which is a considerable limitation for correct subclassification of patients with heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that a diagnosis of HF combined with the recorded prescription of both renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors and beta- blockers (RASi+BB) within 120 days could identify patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (EF ≤40%) (HFrEF).

Methods

On two sites, we identified all patients with a first-time registration of HF as primary hospital discharge diagnosis (ICD-10: I50) between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2018 in inpatient or outpatient settings. Patients were included if they survived the initial 120 days after discharge. Reviewing patient records, we identified patients with HFrEF, based on EF ≤ 40% and reported HF symptoms. We registered the use of RASi+BB at 120 days and calculated sensitivity, specificity and predictive values.

Results

A total of 704 consecutive patients with a primary diagnosis of HF were included, of whom 541 (77%) fulfilled the HFrEF criteria. Patients with HFrEF confirmed from patient records were younger (median age 73 compared to 79 years) and less frequently women (31% compared to 56%) compared to non-HFrEF patients. At baseline, 24 (4%) of HFrEF patients were treated with RASi+BB compared to 22 (14%) of non-HFrEF patients. At 120 days, 460 (85%) of HFrEF patients received RASi+BB as compared to 25 (15%) of non-HFrEF patients. This resulted in a positive predictive value of 95%, sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 85%.

Conclusion

In Denmark, the ICD-10 HF diagnosis combined with recorded RASi+BB treatment by 120 days after discharge has high positive predictive value and can accurately be used to identify patients with HFrEF.

Comparison of BNP and NT-proBNP in Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction

Background:

Both BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) and NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide) are widely used to aid diagnosis, assess the effect of therapy, and predict outcomes in heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. However, little is known about how these 2 peptides compare in heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, especially with contemporary assays. Both peptides were measured at screening in the PARADIGM-HF trial (Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ACEI to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure).

Methods:

Eligibility criteria in PARADIGM-HF included New York Heart Association functional class II to IV, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%, and elevated natriuretic peptides: BNP ≥150 pg/mL or NT-proBNP ≥600 pg/mL (for patients with HF hospitalization within 12 months, BNP ≥100 pg/mL or NT-proBNP ≥400 pg/mL). BNP and NT-proBNP were measured simultaneously at screening and only patients who fulfilled entry criteria for both natriuretic peptides were included in the present analysis. The BNP/NT-proBNP criteria were not different for patients in atrial fibrillation. Estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 was a key exclusion criterion.

Results:

The median baseline concentration of NT-proBNP was 2067 (Q1, Q3: 1217–4003) and BNP 318 (Q1, Q3: 207–559), and the ratio, calculated from the raw data, was ≈6.25:1. This ratio varied considerably according to rhythm (atrial fibrillation 8.03:1; no atrial fibrillation 5.75:1) and with age, renal function, and body mass index but not with left ventricular ejection fraction. Each peptide was similarly predictive of death (all-cause, cardiovascular, sudden and pump failure) and heart failure hospitalization, for example, cardiovascular death: BNP hazard ratio, 1.41 (95% CI, 1.33–1.49) per 1 SD increase, P <0.0001; NT-proBNP, 1.45 (1.36–1.54); P <0.0001.

Conclusions:

The ratio of NT-proBNP to BNP in heart failure and reduced ejection fraction appears to be greater than generally appreciated, differs between patients with and without atrial fibrillation, and increases substantially with increasing age and decreasing renal function. These findings are important for comparison of natriuretic peptide concentrations in heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

P765One-year mortality risk after intensification of outpatient diuretics

Background

Mortality is increased following a hospitalization for heart failure (HF). It is not clear whether outpatient intensification of diuretic confers the same increased risk in the general population with heart failure

Purpose

This study sought to assess 1-year mortality risk after worsening HF, defined either as hospitalization due to HF or as intensified diuretic therapy in an outpatient setting, in a complete nationwide cohort of patients with HF on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/ angiotensin receptor blocker and beta blockers.

Methods

From nationwide administrative registers, we identified all patients in Denmark diagnosed with HF in 2001–2016 and prescribed angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/ angiotensin receptor blocker and beta blocker within 120 days. During follow-up we defined worsening HF by the following events: Inpatient worsening (HF readmission) and outpatient worsening (intensified diuretic therapy, defined as the first event of new addition or doubled dosage of loop diuretic therapy or new onset addition of thiazide to loop diuretic therapy). Patients with a worsening event were risk set matched to two HF controls each at time of the event – based on age, sex and calendar year. One-year mortality risk was estimated with Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox regression models.

Results

We included 74,990 patients, median age 71 years (interquartile range: 62–79), 36% women. During five years of follow up, 8,727 patients had an inpatient worsening event, and 12,290 had an outpatient worsening event as first event. Absolute risk of 1-year mortality was 22.6% (95%-confidence interval (95%-CI): 21.7%-23.5%) after inpatient worsening, 18.0% (95%-CI: 17.3%-18.7%) after outpatient worsening compared to 9.8% (95%-CI: 9.5%-10.1%) for the matched controls. In a multivariable Cox model adjusted ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes, the hazard ratio for mortality among patients experiencing inpatient worsening was 2.46 (95%-CI: 2.33–2.60) and for outpatient worsening was 1.87 (95%-CI: 1.77–1.97), compared with the matched HF controls as reference (figure 1). Among patients who had an outpatient worsening as first event, 1,245 (10.1%) had a subsequent HF readmission within one year.

Conclusion

In a nationwide cohort of patients with HF, outpatient worsening defined by a diuretic intensification was associated with almost 2-fold risk of mortality during the next year. Although HF hospitalization is associated with a higher risk, the need to intensify diuretics in the outpatient setting is a signal to review and intensify efforts to improve HF outcomes.

Acknowledgement/Funding

The Danish Heart Foundation, (grant number 17-R116-A7610-22048)

P2756Risk of stroke subsequent to infective endocarditis: a nationwide study

Background

Patients with infective endocarditis (IE) are at high risk of cerebral embolization, however little is known about the risk of stroke subsequent to IE in patients with stroke during IE admission.

Purpose

To investigate the risk of stroke after discharge of IE in patients with stroke during IE admission compared with patients without stroke during IE admission.

Methods

Using Danish nationwide registries we identified non-surgically treated patients with IE discharged alive, in the period 1996–2016. The study population was grouped in 1) patients with stroke during IE admission and 2) patients without stroke during IE admission. Crude cumulative risk of stoke were calculated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator accounting for death as a competing risk. Multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to compare the associated risk of stroke between groups. We identified differentials in the associated risk of stroke during follow-up between groups (p=0.006 for interaction with time), and follow-up was split into 0–1 year and 1–5 years time periods.

Results

We identified 4,284 patients with IE, 239 patients (5.6%) with stroke during IE admission (median age: 71.9 years, 58.2% males), and 4,045 patients (94.4%) without stroke during IE admission (median age 69.7 years, 64.8% males). The crude cumulative risk of stroke within 1 year of follow-up is shown in Figure Panel A, and with 1 to 5 years of follow-up in Figure Panel B. In multivariable adjusted analyses, the associated risk of stroke was higher in patients with stroke during IE admission within a follow-up period of 1 year, HR 3.21 (95% CI: 1.66–6.20) compared with patients without stroke during IE admission. From 1 to 5 years of follow-up, we identified no difference in the associated risk of stroke between groups, HR 0.91 (95% CI: 0.33–2.50).

Cumulative incidence of stroke

Conclusion

Non-surgically treated patients with IE who had a stroke during IE admission were at significantly higher associated risk of subsequent stroke – although not significant beyond 1 year after discharge from IE. These findings underline the need for identification of causes and mechanisms of recurrent strokes after IE to develop preventive means.

P2630Incidence and prognostic impact of new-onset left bundle branch block in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

Background

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves survival in patients with heart failure, reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and left bundle branch block (LBBB). However, little is known about the incidence of LBBB in HFrEF and the risk factors for developing this. We addressed these questions in the PARADIGM-HF and ATMOSPHERE trials.

Methods

We identified 7703 patients with a non-paced rhythm on their baseline ECG, a QRS<130 ms, and at least one follow-up ECG (done at annual visits and end of study). Patients were stratified by baseline QRS duration (≤100 ms - reference; 101–115 ms and 116–129 ms) and followed until development of QRS duration ≥130 ms with a LBBB configuration or latest available ECG. The crude LBBB incidence rate per 100 person-years (py) was identified in the three QRS duration subgroups. Additionally, we examined risk of the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization, and all-cause mortality, in patients with incident LBBB vs. no incident LBBB.

Results

Overall, 313 of 7703 patients (4%) developed LBBB during a mean follow-up of 2.7 years, yielding an incidence rate of 1.5 per 100 py. The rate ranged from 0.9 in those with QRS ≤100 ms to 4.0 per 100 py in patients with QRS 116–129 ms. Other predictors of incident LBBB included male sex, age, lower LVEF, HF duration and absence of AF. The risk of the primary composite endpoint was higher among those who developed incident LBBB vs no incident LBBB; event rates 13.5 vs 10.0 per 100 py, yielding an adjusted HR of 1.43 (1.05–1.96). For all-cause mortality the corresponding rates were 12.6 vs 7.3 per 100 py; HR 1.55 (1.16–2.07) (Table 1).

Table 1. Risk of outcomes according to incident LBBB during follow-up No. events Crude rate per 100py Adjusted* HR (95% CI) HF hospitalization or CV death   No incident LBBB 2145 10.0 (9.6–10.4) 1.00 (ref.)   Incident LBBB 43 13.5 (10.0–18.2) 1.43 (1.05–1.96) All-cause mortality   No incident LBBB 1662 7.3 (6.9–7.6) 1.00 (ref.)   Incident LBBB 48 12.6 (9.5–16.7) 1.55 (1.16–2.07)

Conclusion

Among patients with HFrEF, the annual incidence of new-onset LBBB (and a potential indication for CRT), was around 1.5%, ranging from 1% in those with QRS duration below 100 ms to 4% in those with QRS 116–129 ms. Incident LBBB was associated with a much higher risk of adverse outcomes, highlighting the importance of repeat ECG monitoring in patients with HFrEF.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Novartis

P4668Risk of valvular heart disease in bromocriptine-treated women with hyperprolactinaemic disorders

Background

Systematic echocardiographic screening is currently recommended for patients with hyperprolactinemic disorders treated with dopamine agonists, due to a perceived risk of cardiac valve regurgitation as observed in patients with Parkinson's disease. The dopamine agonist bromocriptine is used frequently in hyperprolactinemia patients, but its relation to cardiac valve disease remain uncertain.

Purpose

To determine the incidence of valvular heart disease in bromocriptine-treated women with hyperprolactinaemic disorders compared with matched controls from background population.

Methods

In nationwide Danish registries, we identified patients with hyperprolactinaemic disorders treated with bromocriptine between 1995–2017. Patients were matched 1:5 with population controls based on age and sex using incidence density sampling. We estimated the risk of valvular heart disease defined as admission and/or outpatient clinic visits. Incidence rates, cumulative incidence curve and adjusted cox-proportional hazard models were used to assess outcomes.

Results

A total of 23883 female bromocriptine users and 119415 controls were included. Median age was 29.9 years (Q1-Q3 26.4–33.8). Both groups had few comorbidities, 218 (0.9%) patients and 787 (0.7%) controls with hypertension, 160 (0.7%) patients and 629 (0.5%) controls with diabetes, 408 (1.7%) patients and 1305 (1.1%) controls were beta-blocker users. During a mean follow-up of 19 years 106 (0.44%) patients and 416 (0.35%) controls were diagnosed with valvular heart disease. Incidence rates were 0.254 per 1000 patient years (PY) in bromocriptine users (95% CI 0.21–0.31) and 0.198 per 1000 PY in the control cohort (95% CI 0.18–0.22). Overall, the cumulative incidence of valvular heart disease was 0.6% (95% CI 0.48–0.73) among patients and 0.5% (95% CI 0.4–0.51) among controls; P=0.03 (figure 1a). In adjusted analysis bromocriptine users still had a significant higher risk of valvular heart disease (hazard ratio=1.32, 95% CI 1.06–1.64, P=0.01).

Incidence of valvular heart disease

Conclusion

The use of bromocriptine in younger and otherwise healthy women with hyperprolactinaemic disorders, were associated with a low absolute risk of cardiac valve disease. Still risk was approximately 30% higher compared with age- and sex matched controls. Our study suggests a low clinical yield of echocardiographic screening in this patient population.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Internal grant, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet

5036Increased 1-year mortality among patients discharged following hospitalization for pericarditis - a nationwide cohort study

Background

Pericarditis accounts for 5% of all chest pain referrals to the emergency department and is generally considered a benign condition. However, recent studies suggested that pericarditis can be an early predictor of malignant disease, but data on mortality and other morbidity after incident pericarditis is lacking.

Purpose

To assess mortality risk and hospitalization patterns in patients with incident pericarditis.

Methods

In nationwide Danish registries we identified patients discharged from hospital with a first-time diagnosis of pericarditis from 1996 to 2016. Patients with prior myocarditis, heart failure, myocardial infarction and recent thoracic surgery were excluded.

The patients were risk set matched with 8 controls each from the general population on sex and year of birth. We assessed 1-year mortality risk using Kaplan Meier and logistic regression adjusted for baseline comorbidities; cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, cardiac dysrhythmias, ischaemic heart disease and malignancy. We identified subsequent hospital admissions due to new onset cardiovascular-, respiratory- or malignant disease. Differences in frequencies between the pericarditis group and controls were calculated with Chi squared test.

Results

We identified 8,077 patients with pericarditis, median age 45 years (IQR: 32–59) and 75.6% were men. The absolute 1-year mortality was 2.9% in patients with pericarditis compared to 0.8% in the control group (p<0.001) (Figure 1).

The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1-year mortality was 2.79 (95%-CI: 2.14–3.65, p<0.001). Within the first year after incident pericarditis, hospital admission due to recurrent pericarditis was observed in 10.6% of the patients. Further, we observed significantly higher frequencies of other hospital admissions compared to the matched controls; cardiovascular disease: 4.6% vs, 1.2%, p>0.001, respiratory disease: 3.4% vs. 0.7%, p>0.001) and malignant disease: 1.4% vs. 0.5%, p>0.001).

Figure 1

Conclusion

In a nationwide cohort of patients discharged from hospital with incident pericarditis, we observed more than a triple 1-year mortality compared to age- and sex matched controls. Further, we observed a higher frequency of both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular hospital admissions, highlighting the need for more focus on underlying morbidity in patients presenting with pericarditis.

P1652Limited correlation of calculated plasma volume status with invasive right heart pressures in patients with heart failure

Background

Estimated plasma volume (ePV) can be calculated from haematocrit and body weight, and has been shown to correlate with PV measured using 125Iodine labelled human serum albumin. Comparing a patient's ePV to ideal PV (iPV), an estimate of a patient's relative congestion, called PV status (PVS), is possible. Higher PVS is associated with increased mortality in patients with heart failure (HF), and has been proposed as a simple, cheap, and non-invasive way of assessing congestion.

Purpose

Whether PVS is associated with invasively measured markers of congestion is unknown. We calculated PVS in patients with HF who had right heart catheterisation (RHC), and assessed any correlation between PVS and invasive measures of congestion.

Methods

We calculated PVS in consecutive patients who had RHC performed as part of transplant assessment. iPV was calculated as: iPV = c × weight (kg) where c=39 in males and c=40 in females. ePV was calculated using subjects' haematocrit and weight as follows: ePV = (1 − haematocrit) × [a + (b × weight in kg)], where haematocrit is a fraction, a=1530 in males and a=864 in females, and b=41 in males and b=47.9 in females. PVS was calculated as: PVS = PVS = (ePV − iPV) /iPV × 100%. Correlation between PVS and invasive wedge pressure, mean right atrial (RA) pressure, and NTproBNP were made using Pearson correlation.

Results

PV indices and RHC data were available for 61 patients, 43 (71%) were male. Median age was 55 [IQR 48, 58] years. 20 (33%), 24 (39%), and 15 (25%) were NYHA association class II, III, and IV respectively. The median NTproBNP was 1390 [IQR 512, 3612] pg/ml and median ejection fraction was 29 [IQR 20, 35] %. The median PVS was −5.9% (IQR −12.5, −1.6]. Median wedge and mean-RA pressures were 14 [7, 21] and 4 [1, 8] mmHg, respectively. Correlation between mean RA pressure and PVS is shown in the figure. There was no correlation between PVS and mean RA pressure (r=0.12, p=0.34) or wedge pressure (r=0.01, p=0.92). There was a weak correlation between NTproBNP and PVS (r=0.31, p=0.01)

Correlation mean RA pressure and PVS

Conclusion

PVS did not correlate with the invasive measures of congestion, mean RA and wedge pressure, but was weakly correlated with NTproBNP. Although there were limited number of patients in this study, we question the conclusion that PVS is a marker of congestion, and whether it can be used clinically for this purpose.

Insulin treatment and clinical outcomes in patients with diabetes and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Aims

Insulin causes sodium retention and hypoglycaemia and its use is associated with worse outcomes in heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. We have investigated whether this is also the case in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods and results

We examined the association between diabetes/diabetes treatments and the risk of the primary composite of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization, as well as other outcomes in adjusted analyses in CHARM‐Preserved (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 45%), I‐Preserve and TOPCAT (Americas) pooled. Of 8466 patients, 2653 (31%) had diabetes, including 979 (37%) receiving insulin. Patients receiving insulin were younger, had a higher body mass index, prevalence of ischaemic aetiology, N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide and use of diuretics, worse New York Heart Association class and signs and symptoms, and worse quality of life and renal function, compared to patients with diabetes not on insulin. Among the 1398 patients with echocardiographic data, insulin use was associated with higher left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure and more diastolic dysfunction than in other participants. The primary outcome occurred at a rate of 6.3 per 100 patient‐years in patients without diabetes, and 10.2 and 17.1 per 100 patient‐years in diabetes patients without and with insulin use, respectively [fully adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) insulin‐treated diabetes vs. other diabetes: 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–1.63, P < 0.001]. The adjusted HR is 1.67 (95% CI 1.20–2.32, p = 0.002) for sudden death (insulin‐treated diabetes vs. other diabetes).

Conclusions

Insulin use is associated with poor outcomes in HFpEF. Although we cannot conclude a causal association, the safety of insulin and alternative glucose‐lowering treatments in HF needs to be evaluated in clinical trials.

Heart failure and the prognostic impact and incidence of new-onset of diabetes mellitus: a nationwide cohort study

Background

Prevalent diabetes at the time of heart failure (HF) diagnosis is associated with a higher risk of death, but the incidence and prognostic importance of new-onset diabetes in patients with established HF remains unknown.

Methods

Patients with a first hospitalization for HF in the period 2003–2014 were included and stratified according to history of diabetes. Annual incidence rates of new-onset diabetes were calculated and time-dependent multivariable Cox regression models were used to compare the risk of death in patients with prevalent and new-onset diabetes with patients without diabetes as reference. The model was adjusted for age, sex, duration of HF, educational level and comorbidity. Covariates were continuously updated throughout follow-up.

Results

A total of 104,522 HF patients were included in the study, of which 21,216 (19%) patients had diabetes at baseline, and 8164 (10%) developed new-onset diabetes during a mean follow-up of 3.9 years. Patients with new-onset diabetes and prevalent diabetes were slightly younger than patients without diabetes (70 vs. 74 and 77, respectively), more likely to be men (62% vs. 60% and 54%), and had more comorbidities expect for ischemic heart disease, hypertension and chronic kidney disease which were more prevalent among patients with prevalent diabetes. Incidence rates of new-onset diabetes increased from around 2 per 100 person-years in the first years following HF hospitalization up to 3 per 100 person-years after 5 years of follow-up. A total of 61,424 (59%) patients died during the study period with event rates per 100 person-years of 21.5 for new-onset diabetes, 17.9 for prevalent diabetes and 13.9 for patients without diabetes. Compared to patients without diabetes, new-onset diabetes was associated with a higher risk of death (adjusted HR 1.47; 95% CI 1.42–1.52) and prevalent diabetes was associated with an intermediate risk (HR 1.19; 95% CI, 1.16–1.21).

Conclusion

Following the first HF hospitalization, the incidence of new-onset diabetes was around 2% per year, rising to 3% after 5 years of follow-up. New-onset diabetes was associated with an increased risk of death, compared to HF patients with prevalent diabetes (intermediate risk) and HF patients without diabetes.

Risk of stroke subsequent to infective endocarditis: A nationwide study

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to investigate the associated risk of stroke after discharge of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with stroke during IE admission compared with patients without stroke during IE admission.

METHODS

Using Danish nationwide registries, we identified nonsurgically treated patients with IE discharged alive in the period from 1996 to 2016. The study population was grouped into (1) patients with stroke during IE admission and (2) patients without stroke during IE admission. Multivariable adjusted Cox proportional-hazard analysis was used to compare the associated risk of stroke between groups.

RESULTS

We identified 4,284 patients with IE, of whom 239 (5.6%) had a stroke during IE admission. We identified differentials in the associated risk of stroke during follow-up between groups (P = .006 for interaction with time). The associated risk of stroke was higher in patients with stroke during IE admission with a 1-year follow-up, HR = 3.21 (95% CI 1.66-6.20), compared with patients without stroke during IE admission. From 1 to 5 years of follow-up, we identified no difference in the associated risk of stroke between groups, HR = 0.91 (95% CI 0.33-2.50).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with nonsurgically treated IE with a stroke during IE admission were at significant higher associated risk of subsequent stroke within the first year of follow-up as compared with patients without a stroke during IE admission. This risk difference was not evident beyond 1 year of discharge. These findings underline the need for identification of causes and mechanisms of recurrent strokes after IE to develop preventive means.