Familial clustering of unexplained heart failure - A Danish nationwide cohort study

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under acronym ESCAPE-NET, registered under grant agreement No 733381, and the European Union’s COST programme under acronym PARQ, registered under grant agreement No CA19137.

Background

Although family history of heart failure (HF) is associated with increased risk of HF, the extent to which a family history contributes to the risk of HF needs further investigation.

Purpose

To determine whether a family history of unexplained HF in first-degree relatives (children or sibling) increases the rate of unexplained HF.

Methods

Using Danish nationwide registry data (1978-2017), we identified patients (probands) diagnosed with first unexplained HF (HF without any known comorbidities) in Denmark, and their first-degree relatives. All first-degree relatives were followed from the HF date of the proband and until an event of unexplained HF, exclusion diagnosis, death, emigration, or study end, whichever occurred first. Using the general population as a reference, we calculated adjusted standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of unexplained HF in the three groups of relatives using Poisson regression models.

Results

We identified 57,845 first-degree relatives to individuals previously diagnosed with unexplained HF. Having a family history was associated with a significantly increased unexplained HF rate of 2.08 (95% CI 1.82-2.38) (Figure 1). The estimate was higher among siblings (SIR 4.82 [95% CI 3.17-7.32]). Noteworthy, the rate of HF increased for all first-degree relatives when the proband was diagnosed with HF in a young age (≤50 years, SIR of 3.60 [95% CI 2.37-5.47]) and having >1 proband (SIR of 2.73 [95% CI 1.14-6.56]). The highest estimate of HF was observed if the proband was ≤40 years at diagnosis (6.12 [95% CI 3.39-11.05]) (Figure 2).

Conclusion

A family history of unexplained HF was associated with a two-fold increased rate of unexplained HF among first-degree relatives. If the proband age was ≤40 years, the risk was six-folded. These findings suggest that screening families of unexplained HF with onset below 50 years is indicated.

Risk of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the effect of orthopaedic implants on the risk: a nationwide observational cohort study

OBJECTIVE

It remains disputed how much the risk of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the extent to which orthopaedic implants explain the risk. We assessed SAB incidence rates (IRs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs), comparing RA patients with a general population cohort (GPC) and individuals with versus without orthopaedic implants.

METHOD

Danish residents aged ≥ 18 years without prior RA or SAB (=GPC) were followed up for RA and microbiologically verified SAB events (1996-2017). IRRs were calculated by age- and sex-stratified Poisson regression adjusted for age, comorbidities, calendar year, and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

The GPC comprised 5 398 690 individuals. We identified 33 567 incident RA patients (=RA cohort) (median follow-up 7.3 years, IQR 3.6-12.3). We observed 25 023 SAB events (n = 224 in the RA cohort). IRs per 100 000 person-years were 81.0 (RA cohort) and 29.9 (GPC). IRs increased with age. Adjusted IRRs in 18-59-year-old RA patients were 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.8-3.7) for women and 1.8 (1.1-3.1) for men, compared with same sex and age group GPC. IRRs declined with age. Compared with the GPC without implants, IRRs for RA patients with implants ranged from 1.9 (1.3-2.8) (women ≥ 70 years) to 5.3 (2.2-12.8) (18-59-year-old men).

CONCLUSION

In this nationwide registry-based cohort study RA was a risk factor for SAB, and orthopaedic implants further increased the risk. Clinicians should be aware of potential SAB in patients with RA and orthopaedic implants.

Independent risk factors of mortality in streptococcal infective endocarditis

Background

Streptococcal bloodstream infection (BSI) is a common cause of infective endocarditis (IE), yet prognostic factors for mortality are poorly investigated.

Purpose

To investigate risk factors associated with in-hospital and one-year mortality in streptococcal IE.

Methods

All patients with a streptococcal BSI, from 2008 to 2017, were included in a regional population-based setup. Based on microbiological identification of phylogenetic relationship, streptococcal species were classified into eight main subgroups: Anginosus, Bovis, Mitis, Mutans, Salivarius, Pyogenic, nutritionally variant streptococci, and S. pneumoniae. Data were crosslinked with nationwide registries for identification of demographics, concomitant hospitalization with IE, medical history, seasonal variation, and socioeconomic status. Patients were followed up until death or a maximum of 365 days after admittance, whichever came first. Using a multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazard analysis, independent risk factors associated with in-hospital and one-year mortality were identified.

Results

Among 6,224 patients with a streptococcal BSI, 435 (7.0%) patients with streptococcal IE (mean age 69.0 (SD 14.8), 66% men) were included. The in-hospital mortality in IE patients was 11% (n=48), while the one-year mortality was 23% (n=100). Patients infected with species from the Bovis group had the lowest crude one-year mortality (13%), while patients infected with the Salivarius group had the highest crude mortality (36%). The proportion of deaths among women with IE were significantly higher than among men, both in-hospital (15% versus 9%, p=0.04) and after one year (29% versus 20%, p=0.02). Further, patients dying within one year had a significantly higher prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) (p=0.02), congestive heart failure (CHF) (p<0.0001), cerebral vascular disease (CVD) (p=0.004), cancer (p=0.04), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (p=0.01), and renal disease (p=0.01) than survivors. In the adjusted analysis, age (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.03, p=0.036) and renal disease (HR 2.46, p=0.045) were associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Furthermore, three independent significant factors associated with one-year mortality were identified; CHF (HR 2.18 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30–3.63]), cancer (HR 1.95 [95% CI 1.01–3.77]), and age (HR 1.03 [95% CI 1.01–1.05]) (Figure 1). However, patients infected with species from the Bovis group, had significantly lower risk of death at one-year (HR 0.30 [95% CI 0.10–0.89]) (Figure 1).

Conclusion

Having a renal disease at the time of IE diagnosis was associated with a higher in-hospital mortality in patients with streptococcal infective endocarditis. Further, congestive heart failure and cancer were associated with a higher one-year mortality, while the Bovis group was associated with a lower one-year mortality.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): Zealand University Hospital Roskilde and Helsefonden (20-B-0340) Figure 1. Adjusted risk of one-year mortality

P2754Streptococcal infective endocarditis: distribution of species and their prognosis

Background

Infective endocarditis (IE) is frequently caused by streptococcal species. However, there is limited knowledge about the relationship between different streptococcal species and IE, and their associated outcomes.

Purpose

To examine the prevalence of streptococci at species level in IE, and to relate these different species to outcomes.

Methods

From 2002–2012 we prospectively collected consecutive patients with IE admitted to two tertiary heart centres covering a catchment area of 2.4 million people. The registry comprises 915 IE patients, 366 (40%) with streptococcal IE. Based on phylogenetic relationship, streptococcal species were classified into seven main groups: Mitis, Bovis, Mutans, Anginosus, Salivarius, Pyogenic and Nutritionally Variant Streptococcus (NVS). Classification at species level was not possible in 51 patients, who were excluded. Complications and prognosis of streptococcal IE were compared between the subgroups, and at species level.

Results

We included 315 patients with streptococcal IE. Mean age was 63 (IQR 52–76) years, and most were men (67%). A total of 115 patients (37%) had a previous heart valve disease, 58 (18%) had a prosthetic valve, 22 (7%) had previously had IE and 29 (9%) had a cardiac electronic device. With 148 episodes (47%) the Mitis group was the most common cause of IE. Other frequent groups were the Pyogenic group and the Bovis group, accounting for 66 (21%) and 51 (16%) of the cases, respectively. Surgery was carried out in 55% (n=173) of all cases. Patients infected with S. pneumoniae or S. agalactiae had a significantly higher rate of surgery, 72.2% (n=13) and 71.9% (n=23) respectively, whereas the Bovis group had a significantly lower rate, 35.5% (n=18) (p=0.048). The aortic valve was infected in 137 patients (43.5%), mitral valve in 105 patients (33.3%) and both valves were infected in 53 patients (16.8%). Twenty patients (6.3%) had right-sided IE, including pacemaker lead IE. There was no significant difference between the species subgroups regarding type of infected valve. Embolization and osteitis were observed in 76 (24.1%) and 30 (9.5%) patients, respectively. There was no significant difference between the species groups, as was the case with mortality: 23 patients (7.3%) died in-hospital and the one-year mortality was 16% (n=50).

Distribution of streptococcal IE

Conclusion

Species of the Mitis group were the most frequent Streptococci causing IE. Patients infected with S. pneumonia or S. agalactiae had significantly higher rate of surgery, and patients infected with S. bovis group had lower rate of surgery. There was no significant difference in rate of complications such as abscesses, embolization, osteitis or mortality between the streptococcal species.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Supported by grants from Herlev-Gentofte University Hospital Research Foundation