Cardiovascular Rehabilitation With a WCD-Data From the CR3 Study (Cardiac Rehab Retrospective Review)

PURPOSE

Patients at risk for sudden cardiac death may temporarily need a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD). Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has a class I recommendation in patients with cardiac disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of undergoing CR with a WCD.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients with a WCD who completed a CR in Austria (2010-2020).

RESULTS

Patients (n = 55, 60 ± 11 yr, 16% female) with a median baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 36 (30, 41)% at the start of CR showed a daily WCD wearing duration of 23.4 (22, 24) hr. There were 2848 (8 [1, 26]/patient) automatic alarms and 340 (3 [1, 7]/patient) manual alarms generated. No shocks were delivered by the WCD during the CR period. One patient had recurrent hemodynamically tolerated ventricular tachycardias that were controlled with antiarrhythmic drugs.No severe WCD-associated adverse events occurred during the CR stay of a median 28 (28, 28) d. The fabric garment and the device setting needed to be adjusted in two patients to diminish inappropriate automatic alarms. Left ventricular ejection fraction after CR increased significantly to 42 (30, 44)% ( P < .001). Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy was stopped due to LVEF restitution in 53% of patients. In 36% of patients an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted, 6% had LVEF improvement after coronary revascularization, one patient received a heart transplantation (2%), two patients discontinued WCD treatment at their own request (4%).

CONCLUSION

Completing CR is feasible and safe for WCD patients and may contribute positively to the restitution of cardiac function.

Repetitive levosimendan infusions for patients with advanced chronic heart failure in the vulnerable post-discharge period: The multinational randomized LeoDOR trial

AIM

The LeoDOR trial explored the efficacy and safety of intermittent levosimendan therapy in the vulnerable phase following a hospitalization for acute heart failure (HF).

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this prospective multicentre, double-blind, two-armed trial, patients with advanced HF were randomized 2:1 at the end of an index hospitalization for acute HF to intermittent levosimendan therapy or matching placebo for 12 weeks. All patients had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤30% during index hospitalization. Levosimendan was administered according to centre preference either as 6 h infusion at a rate of 0.2 μg/kg/min every 2 weeks, or as 24 h infusion at a rate of 0.1 μg/kg/min every 3 weeks. The primary efficacy assessment after 14 weeks was based on a global rank score consisting of three hierarchical groups. Secondary clinical endpoints included the composite risk of tiers 1 and 2 at 14 and 26 weeks, respectively. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the planned number of patients could not be recruited. The final modified intention-to-treat analysis included 145 patients (93 in the combined levosimendan arm, 52 in the placebo arm), which reduced the statistical power to detect a 20% risk reduction in the primary endpoint to 60%. Compared with placebo, intermittent levosimendan had no significant effect on the primary endpoint: the mean rank score was 72.55 for the levosimendan group versus 73.81 for the placebo group (p = 0.863). However, there was a signal towards a higher incidence of the individual clinical components of the primary endpoint in the levosimendan group versus the placebo group both after 14 weeks (hazard ratio [HR] 2.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-7.68; p = 0.021) and 26 weeks (HR 1.64, 95% CI 0.87-3.11; p = 0.122).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients recently hospitalized with HF and reduced LVEF, intermittent levosimendan therapy did not improve post-hospitalization clinical stability.

[S1 guidelines for the management of postviral conditions using the example of post-COVID-19]

These S1 guidelines are an updated and expanded version of the S1 guidelines on long COVID differential diagnostic and management strategies. They summarize the state of knowledge on postviral conditions like long/post COVID at the time of writing. Due to the dynamic nature of knowledge development, they are intended to be "living guidelines". The focus is on practical applicability at the level of primary care, which is understood to be the appropriate place for initial access and for primary care and treatment. The guidelines provide recommendations on the course of treatment, differential diagnostics of the most common symptoms that can result from infections like with SARS-CoV-2, treatment options, patient management and care, reintegration and rehabilitation. The guidelines have been developed through an interdisciplinary and interprofessional process and provide recommendations on interfaces and possibilities for collaboration.

[Guideline S1: Long COVID: Diagnostics and treatment strategies]

This guideline comprises the state of science at the time of the editorial deadline. In view of the high turnover of knowledge the guideline is designed as a living guideline. The main objective was to provide a tool for the use in primary care, being considered well suited as a first point of entry and for the provision of care. The guideline gives recommendations on the differential diagnosis of symptoms following SARS-CoV‑2 infection, on their therapeutic options, as well as for guidance and care of the patients concerned. It also offers advice concerning return to daily life and rehabilitation. Long COVID being a very variable condition, we chose an interdisciplinary approach.

HFA of the ESC position paper on the management of LVAD-supported patients for the non-LVAD specialist healthcare provider Part 3: at the hospital and discharge

The growing population of left ventricular assist device (LVAD)‐supported patients increases the probability of an LVAD‐ supported patient hospitalized in the internal or surgical wards with certain expected device related, and patient‐device interaction complication as well as with any other comorbidities requiring hospitalization. In this third part of the trilogy on the management of LVAD‐supported patients for the non‐LVAD specialist healthcare provider, definitions and structured approach to the hospitalized LVAD‐supported patient are presented including blood pressure assessment, medical therapy of the LVAD supported patient, and challenges related to anaesthesia and non‐cardiac surgical interventions. Finally, important aspects to consider when discharging an LVAD patient home and palliative and end‐of‐life approaches are described.

HFA of the ESC Position paper on the management of LVAD supported patients for the non LVAD specialist healthcare provider Part 1: Introduction and at the non-hospital settings in the community

The accepted use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) technology as a good alternative for the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure together with the improved survival of the LVAD‐supported patients on the device and the scarcity of donor hearts has significantly increased the population of LVAD‐supported patients. The expected and non‐expected device‐related and patient–device interaction complications impose a significant burden on the medical system exceeding the capacity of the LVAD implanting centres. The ageing of the LVAD‐supported patients, mainly those supported with the ‘destination therapy’ indication, increases the risk for those patients to experience comorbidities common in the older population. The probability of an LVAD‐supported patient presenting with medical emergency to a local emergency department, internal, or surgical ward of a non‐LVAD implanting centre is increasing. The purpose of this trilogy is to supply the immediate tools needed by the non‐LVAD specialized physician: ambulance clinicians, emergency ward physicians, general cardiologists, internists, anaesthesiologists, and surgeons, to comply with the medical needs of this fast‐growing population of LVAD‐supported patients. The different issues discussed will follow the patient's pathway from the ambulance to the emergency department and from the emergency department to the internal or surgical wards and eventually to the discharge home from the hospital back to the general practitioner. In this first part of the trilogy on the management of LVAD‐supported patients for the non‐LVAD specialist healthcare provider, after the introduction on the assist devices technology in general, definitions and structured approach to the assessment of the LVAD‐supported patient in the ambulance and emergency department is presented including cardiopulmonary resuscitation for LVAD‐supported patients.

Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology position paper on the management of left ventricular assist device-supported patients for the non-left ventricular assist device specialist healthcare provider: Part 2: at the emergency department

The improvement in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) technology and scarcity of donor hearts have increased dramatically the population of the LVAD‐supported patients and the probability of those patients to present to the emergency department with expected and non‐expected device‐related and patient–device interaction complications. The ageing of the LVAD‐supported patients, mainly those supported with the ‘destination therapy’ indication, increases the risk for those patients to suffer from other co‐morbidities common in the older population. In this second part of the trilogy on the management of LVAD‐supported patients for the non‐LVAD specialist healthcare provider, definitions and structured approach to the LVAD‐supported patient presenting to the emergency department with bleeding, neurological event, pump thrombosis, chest pain, syncope, and other events are presented. The very challenging issue of declaring death in an LVAD‐supported patient, as the circulation is artificially preserved by the device despite no other signs of life, is also discussed in detail.

Guidance on the management of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) supported patients for the non-LVAD specialist healthcare provider: executive summary

The accepted use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) technology as a good alternative for the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure together with the improved survival of patients on the device and the scarcity of donor hearts has significantly increased the population of LVAD supported patients. Device-related, and patient-device interaction complications impose a significant burden on the medical system exceeding the capacity of LVAD implanting centres. The probability of an LVAD supported patient presenting with medical emergency to a local ambulance team, emergency department medical team and internal or surgical wards in a non-LVAD implanting centre is increasing. The purpose of this paper is to supply the immediate tools needed by the non-LVAD specialized physician - ambulance clinicians, emergency ward physicians, general cardiologists, and internists - to comply with the medical needs of this fast-growing population of LVAD supported patients. The different issues discussed will follow the patient's pathway from the ambulance to the emergency department, and from the emergency department to the internal or surgical wards and eventually back to the general practitioner.

Cardiac Rehabilitation in German Speaking Countries of Europe-Evidence-Based Guidelines from Germany, Austria and Switzerland LLKardReha-DACH-Part 1

BACKGROUND

Although cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) is well accepted in general, CR-attendance and delivery still considerably vary between the European countries. Moreover, clinical and prognostic effects of CR are not well established for a variety of cardiovascular diseases.

METHODS

The guidelines address all aspects of CR including indications, contents and delivery. By processing the guidelines, every step was externally supervised and moderated by independent members of the "Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany" (AWMF). Four meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic effect of CR after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), after coronary bypass grafting (CABG), in patients with severe chronic systolic heart failure (HFrEF), and to define the effect of psychological interventions during CR. All other indications for CR-delivery were based on a predefined semi-structured literature search and recommendations were established by a formal consenting process including all medical societies involved in guideline generation.

RESULTS

Multidisciplinary CR is associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality in patients after ACS and after CABG, whereas HFrEF-patients (left ventricular ejection fraction <40%) especially benefit in terms of exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. Patients with other cardiovascular diseases also benefit from CR-participation, but the scientific evidence is less clear. There is increasing evidence that the beneficial effect of CR strongly depends on "treatment intensity" including medical supervision, treatment of cardiovascular risk factors, information and education, and a minimum of individually adapted exercise volume. Additional psychologic interventions should be performed on the basis of individual needs.

CONCLUSIONS

These guidelines reinforce the substantial benefit of CR in specific clinical indications, but also describe remaining deficits in CR-delivery in clinical practice as well as in CR-science with respect to methodology and presentation.

Recommendations on the utilization of telemedicine in cardiology

The enormous progress made in recent years in the field of information and communication technology and also in sensor and computer technology has affected numerous fields of medicine and is capable of inducing even radical changes in diagnostic and therapeutic processes. This is particularly true for cardiology, where, for example, telemetric monitoring of cardiac and circulatory functions has been in use for many years. Nevertheless, broad application of newer telemedical processes has not yet been achieved to the extent one would expect from the encouraging results of numerous clinical studies in this field and the state of the art of the underlying technology. In the present paper, the Working Group on Rhythmology of the Austrian Cardiological Society aims to provoke a critical discussion of the digital change in cardiology and to make recommendations for the implementation of those telemedical processes that have been shown to exert positive effects on a wide variety of medical and economic parameters. The greatest benefit of telecardiological applications is certainly to be found in the long-term care of patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases. Accordingly, follow-up care of patients with cardiological rhythm implants, management of chronic heart failure and secondary prevention following an acute cardiac event during rehabilitation are currently the most important fields of application. Telemedicine is intended to enable high-quality and cost-efficient care for an increasing number of patients, whose care poses one of the greatest challenges to our healthcare system. Not least of all, telemedicine should make a decisive contribution to improving the quality of life of this segment of the population by favorably influencing mortality, morbidity and hospitalization as well as the patient's contribution to treatment.

LVAD Pump Flow Does Not Adequately Increase With Exercise

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) restore cardiovascular circulatory demand at rest with a spontaneous increase in pump flow to exercise. The relevant contribution of cardiac output provided by the LVAD and ejected through the aortic valve for exercises of different intensities has been barely investigated in patients. The hypothesis of this study was that different responses in continuous recorded pump parameters occur for maximal and submaximal intensity exercises and that the pump flow change has an impact on the oxygen uptake at peak exercise (pVO₂ ). Cardiac and pump parameters such as LVAD flow rate (Q_LVAD ), heart rate (HR), and aortic valve (AV) opening were analyzed from continuously recorded LVAD data during physical exercises of maximal (bicycle ergometer test) and submaximal intensities (6-min walk test and regular trainings). During all exercise sessions, the LVAD speed was kept constant. Cardiac and pump parameter responses of 16 patients for maximal and submaximal intensity exercises were similar for Q_LVAD : +0.89 ± 0.52 versus +0.59 ± 0.38 L/min (P = 0.07) and different for HR: +20.4 ± 15.4 versus +7.7 ± 5.8 bpm (P < 0.0001) and AV-opening with 71% versus 23% of patients (P < 0.0001). Multi-regression analysis with pVO₂ (R²  = 0.77) showed relation to workload normalized by bodyweight (P = 0.0002), HR response (P = 0.001), AV-opening (P = 0.02), and age (P = 0.06) whereas the change in Q_LVAD was irrelevant. Constant speed LVADs provide inadequate support for maximum intensity exercises. AV-opening and improvements in HR show an important role for higher exercise capacities and reflect exercise intensities. Changes in pump flow do not impact pVO₂ and are independent of AV-opening and response in HR. An LVAD speed control may lead to adequate left ventricular support during strenuous physical activities.

Repetitive levosimendan infusions for patients with advanced chronic heart failure in the vulnerable post-discharge period

Hospitalization for acute heart failure (HF) is associated with a substantial morbidity burden and with associated healthcare costs and an increased mortality risk. However, few if any major medical innovations have been witnessed in this area in recent times. Levosimendan is a first‐in‐class calcium sensitizer and potassium channel opener indicated for the management of acute HF. Experience in several clinical studies has indicated that administration of intravenous levosimendan in intermittent cycles may reduce hospitalization and mortality rates in patients with advanced HF; however, none of those trials were designed or powered to give conclusive insights into that possibility. This paper describes the rationale and protocol of LeoDOR (levosimendan infusions for patients with advanced chronic heart failure), a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, international, multicentre trial that will explore the efficacy and safety of intermittent levosimendan therapy, in addition to optimized standard therapy, in patients following hospitalization for acute HF. Salient features of LeoDOR include the use of two treatment regimens, in order to evaluate the effects of different schedules and doses of levosimendan during a 12 week treatment phase, and the use of a global rank primary endpoint, in which all patients are ranked across three hierarchical groups ranging from time to death or urgent heart transplantation or implantation of a ventricular assist device to time to rehospitalization and, lastly, time‐averaged proportional change in N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide. Secondary endpoints include changes in HF symptoms and functional status at 14 weeks.

Repetitive use of levosimendan in advanced heart failure: need for stronger evidence in a field in dire need of a useful therapy

Patients in the latest stages of heart failure are severely compromised, with poor quality of life and frequent hospitalizations. Heart transplantation and left ventricular assist device implantation are viable options only for a minority, and intermittent or continuous infusions of positive inotropes may be needed as a bridge therapy or as a symptomatic approach. In these settings, levosimendan has potential advantages over conventional inotropes (catecholamines and phosphodiesterase inhibitors), such as sustained effects after initial infusion, synergy with beta-blockers, and no increase in oxygen consumption. Levosimendan has been suggested as a treatment that reduces re-hospitalization and improves quality of life. However, previous clinical studies of intermittent infusions of levosimendan were not powered to show statistical significance on key outcome parameters. A panel of 45 expert clinicians from 12 European countries met in Rome on November 24-25, 2016 to review the literature and envision an appropriately designed clinical trial addressing these needs. In the earlier FIGHT trial (daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction) a composite Global Rank Score was used as primary end-point where death, re-hospitalization, and change in N-terminal-prohormone-brain natriuretic peptide level were considered in a hierarchical order. In the present study, we tested the same end-point post hoc in the PERSIST and LEVOREP trials on oral and repeated i.v. levosimendan, respectively, and demonstrated superiority of levosimendan treatment vs placebo. The use of the same composite end-point in a properly powered study on repetitive levosimendan in advanced heart failure is strongly advocated.

Efficacy and safety of the pulsed infusions of levosimendan in outpatients with advanced heart failure (LevoRep) study: a multicentre randomized trial

AIMS

The aim of this study was to determine whether intermittent ambulatory treatment with levosimendan would improve functional capacity, quality of life, and event-free survival in patients with advanced heart failure.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, parallel-group trial of pulsed infusions of levosimendan in 120 outpatients with advanced heart failure (EF ≤35%, NYHA class III or IV). The study was conducted at 11 centres in Austria, Greece, and Germany. Levosimendan (0.2 µg/kg/min) or placebo was administered for 6 h at 2-week intervals over 6 weeks, in addition to standard care therapy. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a ≥20% improvement in the 6 min walk test and a ≥15% score increase on the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire at the end of the 24-week study period. Secondary outcomes included event-free survival after 24 weeks. Analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis. The primary endpoint was reached in 19% of patients receiving levosimendan and 15.8% of patients receiving placebo (odds ratio 1.25; 95% confidence interval 0.44-3.59; P = 0.810). Cardiac death (four vs. one), heart transplants (two vs. one), and acute heart failure (14 vs. nine) were more frequent with placebo as compared with levosimendan. The incidence of side effects was comparable between groups.

CONCLUSION

Intermittent ambulatory treatment with levosimendan in patients with advanced heart failure did not improve significantly functional capacity or quality of life as compared with placebo. An adequately powered, event-driven trial is warranted to enlarge on our findings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01065194.

Gender-related differences in patients with acute heart failure: management and predictors of in-hospital mortality

AIM AND METHODS

Gender-related differences in clinical phenotype, in-hospital management and prognosis of acute heart failure (AHF) patients have been previously reported in European and US registries. The ALARM-HF survey is the first to include a cohort of 4953 patients hospitalized for AHF in 666 hospitals in 6 European countries, Mexico and Australia.

RESULTS

Women accounted for 37% of the study population, were older and had higher rates of de novo heart failure (45% vs 36%, p<0.001) than men. An acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was the predominant precipitating factor in both genders, but to a lesser extent in females (30% vs 42%, p<0.001). Between genders comparison showed higher incidence of atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, diabetes, obesity, anemia and depression in women (p<0.05). Similarly, women had higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on admission (42 ± 15% vs 36 ± 13%, p<0.001) and systolic blood pressure (135 ± 40 mm Hg vs 131 ± 39 mm Hg, p=0.001) than men. On the other hand, men had more often coronary artery disease, renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p<0.05). Importantly, in-hospital mortality was similar in both genders (11.1% in females vs 10.5% in males, p=0.475), and its common predictors were: systolic blood pressure at admission, creatinine>1.5mg/dL and diabetes. Furthermore, recent ACS, valvular heart disease and dementia contributed to prognosis in women, while LVEF, hypertension and anemia were independent predictors in men.

CONCLUSION

Among patients with AHF, there are significant differences in co-morbidities, precipitating factors and predictors of in-hospital mortality between genders. Nevertheless, in-hospital mortality remains similar between genders.

Disappearance of left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction and sudden death in a patient with Turner mosaic syndrome

Left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction is associated with various neuromuscular and other rare genetic disorders. In a 53-year-old man with a Turner mosaic karyotype, regression of left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction was documented by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography after 7 years. During that time, coronary 3-vessel disease and severe left ventricular dys function developed, necessitating coronary bypass surgery. Postoperatively, left ventricular systolic function recovered to an ejection fraction of 40%. The patient died suddenly 6 months postoperatively. In conclusion, the disappearance of left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction was most likely due to scar formation.

Comparison between ATS/ERS age- and gender-adjusted criteria and GOLD criteria for the detection of irreversible airway obstruction in chronic heart failure

BACKGROUND

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria (FEV1/FVC <70%) are extensively used for diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease in heart failure (HF). The American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) recommends the use of age- and gender-specific lower limit of normal (LLN) for FEV1/FVC. We compared the impact of these definitions on apparent prevalence of airway obstruction in chronic HF.

METHODS

Standardized pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry was performed in HF patients. Airway obstruction was defined by ATS/ERS criteria as diagnostic standard. Additionally, airway obstruction was calculated using the GOLD criteria.

RESULTS

Of the 89 participants who fulfilled the ATS criteria for acceptability and reproducibility, 24.7% met ATS/ERS and 43.8% GOLD criteria for airway obstruction (Chi-square p = 0.007, McNemar <0.001). Sensitivity of GOLD criteria was 100%, specificity 74.6%, positive predictive value 56.4% and negative predictive value 100%. Among all individuals with an FEV1/FVC > LLN, 25.4% were falsely identified when using the GOLD criteria. A majority of false positives qualified for airway obstruction GOLD stage I (FEV1% ≥80%), which was significantly less often observed among true positives (76.5 vs. 31.8%; p < 0.001). Only 31.8% of patients with irreversible airway obstruction detected by the ATS/ERS criteria reported a history of COPD.

CONCLUSIONS

In all HF patients with persistent dyspnoea despite optimal HF treatment, spirometric testing should be performed. Application of the GOLD criteria leads to overdiagnosis of irreversible airway obstruction in patients with HF, which may result in inappropriate medical therapy and health-care decisions.

Clopidogrel pre-treatment is associated with reduced in-hospital mortality in primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

AIMS Pre-treatment with clopidogrel results in a reduction of ischaemic events in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes. Data on upstream clopidogrel in the setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate whether clopidogrel loading before arrival at the PCI centre may result in an improved outcome of primary PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS AND RESULTS In a multicentre registry of acute PCI, 5955 patients undergoing primary PCI in Austria between January 2005 and December 2009 were prospectively enrolled. The patients consisted of two groups, a clopidogrel pre-treatment group (n = 1635 patients) receiving clopidogrel before arrival at the PCI centre and a peri-interventional clopidogrel group (n = 4320 patients) receiving clopidogrel at a later stage. Multiple logistic regression analysis including major confounding factors stratified by the participating centres was applied to investigate the effect of pre-treatment with clopidogrel on the in-hospital mortality. Additionally, two subgroups, with or without the use of GP IIb/IIIa antagonist therapy in the catheterization laboratory, were analysed. On univariate analysis, clopidogrel pre-treatment was associated with a reduced in-hospital mortality (3.4 vs. 6.1%, P< 0.01) after primary PCI. On multivariate analysis, clopidogrel pre-treatment remained an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR) = 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-0.99; P =0.048], especially in patients receiving additional GP IIb/IIIa antagonist therapy in the catheterization laboratory (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.19-0.83; P =0.01). CONCLUSION Clopidogrel pre-treatment before arrival at the PCI centre is associated with reduced mortality in a real world setting of primary PCI. These results strongly support the recommendation of clopidogrel treatment 'as soon as possible' in patients with STEMI undergoing pimary PCI.

[Heart rate and functional impairment are predictors of outcome in heart failure patients in the real world. Data from the Austrian Heart Failure registry]

PURPOSE

Elevated heart rate (70 beats per minute-bpm or more) is a predictor of impaired prognosis in patients with ischemic heart failure. The Austrian Working Group on Heart Failure has established a registry in May 2006 for all patients referred to dedicated heart failure clinics with a planned follow-up after 12 ± 3 months. Here we report an analysis of the prognostic impact of elevated heart rate at referral in a well-defined cohort of heart failure patients.

METHODS

Between May 2006 and October 2009 1904 patients have been documented in the Austrian Heart Failure Registry. One thousand threehundred and sixty three patients (72%) had sinus rhythm at referral. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to compare overall and cardiovascular mortality between high (70 bpm or more) and low heart-rate groups. Patients who were lost-to-follow-up (n = 166) were censored at the time of last contact.

RESULTS

At baseline in 793 patients (58%) heart rate has been elevated (70 bpm or more) while in 562 patients it has been below 70 bpm, in 8 patients no baseline heart rate has been recorded. Groups were equally balanced regarding age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors with the exception of smokers (more active smokers in the high heart-rate group: 23 vs 14%; p = 0.001) and valvular cause of heart failure (more frequent in the high heart-rate group: 3% vs 1%; p = 0.012). Patients in the high heart-rate group had significantly higher median NT-pro-BNP (1470 pg/ml, IQR 499-4188 pg/ml) compared to patients in the low heart-rate group (784 pg/ml, IQR 314-2162 pg/ml; p < 0.001). NYHA functional classes III and IV have been more frequent in the high heart-rate group than in the low heart-rate group (32% and 22%, respectively; p < 0.001) while reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (39% or less) has been more frequent in the high heart-rate group than in the low heart-rate group (71% and 61%, respectively; p < 0.001). In the high heart-rate group treatment with beta-blockers has been less frequent than in the low heart rate group (76% and 86%, respectively; p < 0.01) while dosage of beta-blocker therapy has been comparable in both groups. Of the 75 patients who died within 3.5 years 38 deaths had a cardiovascular cause. Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that high NYHA functional class (III and IV) and elevated heart rate (70 bpm or more) were the best predictors of overall mortality while cardiovascular mortality could best be predicted by NYHA functional classes III and IV.

CONCLUSION

Higher NYHA-functional classes and elevated heart rate are predictors of adverse outcome in chronic heart failure patients.

Cardiac sarcoidosis mimicking arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

Isolated manifestation of sarcoidosis in the heart is very rare. The present work describes the case of a 41-year-old woman with ventricular tachycardia and severe symptoms of heart failure in June 2006. Clinical, MRI and echocardiographic findings revealed the diagnosis of an arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. Due to the severe progression of the disease, cardiac transplantation was performed in August 2007. Histopathological examination of the explanted heart, however, revealed numerous non-necrotising granulomas with giant cells, lymphocytic infiltration and interstitial fibrosis, finally confirming the diagnosis of a myocardial sarcoidosis.

High incidence of tachyarrhythmias detected by an implantable loop recorder in patients with unexplained syncope

BACKGROUND

Syncope is a complex clinical syndrome that may be challenging with respect to a definite diagnosis. The implantable loop recorder (ILR) is a useful tool to define but also to exclude an arrhythmic aetiology.

AIM

To investigate the causes of recurrent syncope or near-syncope with respect to underlying arrhythmias in non-selected consecutive patients monitored with an ILR.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted including 55 patients (34 men, 21 women; age 60+/-19 years) with unexplained syncope who received an ILR for prolonged monitoring at our institution between April 1998 and October 2006.

RESULTS

Forty (73%) patients had a recurrence of syncope or near-syncope. Structural heart disease was present in 18 (33%) patients, 4 of them having an ejection fraction <35%. An arrhythmia was detected as the cause of syncope in 25 (46%) patients. The ILR was successful in establishing a symptom-rhythm correlation in 63%. The mean follow-up period from implantation to occurrence of the detected arrhythmias was 9+/-8 months. Bradyarrhythmias were recorded in 12 (22%) patients, whereas tachyarrhythmias were found in 13 (24%) patients. Narrow QRS tachycardia was the underlying arrhythmia in 6 patients and wide QRS tachycardia in 7 patients. A pacemaker was implanted in all 12 patients with bradyarrhythmias. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy was indicated in 6 patients with adjunctive catheter ablation in 3 of them. Four patients presenting with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia were treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation.

CONCLUSION

The ILR helped efficaciously to determine the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment of recurrent syncope. A considerably high proportion of tachyarrhythmias was detected in this non-selected consecutive population. The majority of patients with tachyarrhythmic syncope required defibrillator implantation and/or radiofrequency ablation.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine enhances cardiovascular risk prediction in patients with chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether elevated asymmetrical dimethylorginine (ADMA) concentrations are associated with increased cardiovascular risk in chronic heart failure (HF) patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

253 patients with symptomatic chronic HF and impaired left ventricular function (median age 70 years, 202 males) were followed for a median of 14.2 months (interquartile range 6.8 to 21.2). ADMA and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were assessed by high performance liquid chromatography and by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Subjects with ADMA concentrations in the highest tertile had a significantly higher adjusted hazard ratio (HR; 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 3.97) for occurrence of an end point (cardiac decompensation, major adverse cardiovascular events or all-cause mortality) compared with patients in the lowest tertile (P=0.046) during the first 6 months of follow-up. NT-proBNP also identified subjects at risk before adjustment for confounders at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. HR for patients with ADMA and NT-proBNP in the highest tertile was significantly increased (3.68, CI 1.67 to 8.14; at 6 months follow-up) compared with patients without ADMA and NT-proBNP in the highest tertile (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated ADMA plasma concentrations are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcome in patients with chronic HF. Quantification of ADMA with NT-proBNP improves risk stratification in this cohort.