Chronic Heart Failure: Clinical Implications of Iron Homeostasis Disturbances Revisited

Iron deficiency is prevalent in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Nonetheless, the diagnosis is often overlooked and, often, the treatment is commenced just when overt anemia has ensued. Therefore, a better appreciation of this disease is needed, and all seasoned cardiologists should know how to approach CHF patients with iron deficiency correctly, as mandated by clinical practice guidelines. In this comprehensive review, we describe iron homeostasis, the pathophysiologic changes of iron homeostasis, and the clinical implications of iron deficiency on CHF patients. In addition, we delineate the evolution of clinical trials, ranging from the inception to the ongoing clinical trials of iron deficiency treatment in CHF patients. Iron deficiency contributes to the worse clinical outcome of the patients. Numerous studies have reported the clinical benefit of iron supplementation, particularly in intravenous preparation, in heart failure patients regarding symptoms, functional capacity, and quality of life (QoL) improvement. Therefore, the current guidelines recommend routine screening of iron status in all newly diagnosed heart failure patients. Eventually, intravenous iron replacement is recommended for symptomatic heart failure patients with iron deficiency, irrespective of anemia.

Tachycardia and Pre-existing Chronic Kidney Disease Are Predictors of the Worse Clinical Outcomes in Patients Recently Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure

Background: This study aimed to assess the factors contributing to the outcomes of recently hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods: A prospective data of 76 adults who were admitted due to acute HF between October 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020 at our center were analyzed. Endpoints included survival and rehospitalization within six months after discharge.

Results: The mean age was 64.9 ± 13.8 years, with a male preponderance (68.4%). Approximately 60.5% of patients had the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%, whereas 26.3% of patients had LVEF ≥50%. Coronary artery disease (75%), arterial hypertension (72.4%), chronic kidney disease (46.1%), and diabetes mellitus (46.1%) were the most frequent comorbidities. Poor compliance (40.8%) and non-cardiac infection (21.1%) were the common precipitating factors for hospitalization. The majority of subjects had severe symptoms, indicated by the frequent need of intensive care unit (43%), high N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide levels [NT-proBNP; median, 4765 (1539.7-11782.2) pg/mL], and presence of either atrial fibrillation, severe mitral regurgitation, or significant pulmonary hypertension in approximately one-third of cases. Even though in-hospital mortality was relatively low (2.6%), the all-cause mortality and rehospitalization rates in the next six months after discharge were still high, reaching 22.54% and 19.72%, respectively. Further survival analysis showed that tachycardia on admission and pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CKD) resulted in low six-month survival rates among these patients.

Conclusion: After hospital discharge, patients with HF were still exposed to higher risks of death and readmission albeit with the medication addressed. Tachycardia on admission and pre-existing CKD might predict worse outcomes.

BMI and atrial fibrillation recurrence post catheter ablation: A dose-response meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The evidence on the association between obesity and atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence was equivocal. We aimed to evaluate the dose-response relationship between body mass index (BMI) and AF recurrence and adverse events.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Europe PMC, EBSCO, ProQuest and Cochrane Library. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥28 kg/m² . The primary outcome was AF recurrence, and the secondary outcome was adverse events. Adverse events were defined as procedure-related complications and cardio-cerebrovascular events.

RESULTS

There were a total of 52,771 patients from 20 studies. Obesity was associated with higher AF recurrence (Odds ratio [OR] 1.30 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.47], P < .001; I² : 72.7%) and similar rate of adverse events (OR 1.21 [95% CI 0.87-1.67], P = .264; I² : 23.9%). Meta-regression showed that the association varies by age (coefficient: -0.03, P = .024). Meta-analysis of highest versus lowest BMI showed that the highest group had higher AF recurrence (OR 1.37 [95% CI 1.18-1.58], P < .001; I² : 64.9%) and adverse events (OR 2.02 [95% CI 1.08-3.76], P = .028; I² : 49.5%). The linear association analysis for AF recurrence was not significant (P = .544). The dose-response relationship for BMI and AF recurrence was nonlinear (p_nonlinearity  < 0.001), the curve became steeper at 30-35 kg/m² . For adverse events, an increase of 1% for every 1 kg/m² increase in BMI (OR 1.01 [95% CI 1.00-1.02], P = .001), the relationship was nonlinear (p_nonlinearity  = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Obesity was associated with higher AF recurrence in patients undergoing catheter ablation. High BMI might be associated with a higher risk for adverse events.

PROSPERO ID

CRD42020198787.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of venous thromboembolism in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Venous thromboembolism is prevalent in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Through systematic review and meta-analysis, we have investigated the differences in clinical characteristics and outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with (+) and without (-) venous thromboembolism (VTE). 45 studies with a total of 8859 patients were included in the qualitative synthesis. Subsequently, 38 studies with a total of 7847 patients, were quantitatively analyzed. There was no mortality difference between the VTE (-) and VTE (+) hospitalized COVID-19 patients (RR1.32 (0.97, 1.79); 0.07; I2 64%, p ​< ​0.001). Patients with VTE (+) were more likely to get admitted to the intensive care unit (RR1.77 (1.26, 2.50); p ​< ​0.001; I2 63%, p ​= ​0.03) and mechanically ventilated (RR 2.35 (1.22, 4.53); p ​= ​0.01; I2 88%, p ​< ​0.001). Moreover, male gender (RR 1.19 (1.14,1.24), p ​< ​0.001; I2 0%, p ​= ​0.68), increased the risk of VTE. Regarding patients lab values', VTE (+) was significantly associated with higher white blood cell, neutrophil count, D-Dimer, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C-reactive protein (CRP), along with prolonged prothrombin time. On the contrary, VTE (+) was associated with lower albumin and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). This findings provide the initial framework for risk stratification of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with VTE.