Characteristics, outcomes, and predictors of 1-year mortality in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure.

AIMS: Acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with poor prognosis and requires recurrent hospitalizations. However, studies on AHF characteristics, treatment, and prognostic factors are few. Our aim was to investigate the characteristics, treatment, and 1-year prognosis of AHF and identify prognostic factors in different clinical groups. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a prospective multicentre study with 620 patients hospitalized due to AHF; mean age 75.1 (10.4) years, 50% male. Half of the patients had new-onset heart failure. Acute congestion (63.5%) and pulmonary oedema (26.3%) were the most common clinical presentations. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was reported in two-thirds of patients. Half of these had preserved systolic function (LVEF> or =45%). At discharge, 86% of patients had beta-blockers and 76% either ACE-inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers in use. The 12-month all-cause mortality was 27.4%. We identified several clinical and biochemical prognostic risk factors in univariate analysis. Independent predictors of 1-year mortality were older age, male gender, lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) on admission, C-reactive protein, and serum creatinine >120 micromol/L. CONCLUSION: We present the characteristics and prognosis of an unselected population of AHF patients. One-year mortality is high, and independent clinical risk factors include age, male gender, lower SBP on admission, C-reactive protein, and renal dysfunction.     

Acute heart failure: clinical presentation, one-year mortality and prognostic factors

AIMS: Acute heart failure (HF) is a common but ill-defined clinical entity. We describe patients hospitalised with acute HF in regard of clinical presentation, mortality, and risk factors for an unfavourable outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a prospective study including 312 consecutive patients from two European centers hospitalised with acute HF, defined as new onset or worsening of symptoms and signs of HF within 7 days. The mean age was 73 years and 56% were men. Twenty-eight percent had de-novo acute HF and 72% a decompensation of chronic HF. Coronary heart disease (CHD) was the most frequent underlying heart disease, elevated blood pressure >150 mmHg and acute ischemia being the most important triggers. Four percent of the patients had cardiogenic shock, 13% presented with pulmonary edema. LV-EF was <35%, 35-50% and >50% in 35%, 32% and 33% of the patients, respectively. ICU-treatment was necessary in 39% of the patients. Thirty-day mortality (11%) was increased in the presence of shock or elevated troponin T levels. Twelve-month all-cause mortality (29%) increased in the presence of shock, left ventricular dysfunction, renal insufficiency, CHD, and age. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study shows that despite modern treatment, morbidity and mortality of patients hospitalised with acute HF remain high.     

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 > 1.5 mg/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.     

Predicting mortality in patients with acute heart failure: Role of risk scores

Acute heart failure is a leading cause of hospitalization and death, and it is an increasing burden on health care systems. The correct risk stratification of patients could improve clinical outcome and resources allocation, avoiding the overtreatment of low-risk subjects or the early, inappropriate discharge of high-risk patients. Many clinical scores have been derived and validated for in-hospital and post-discharge survival; predictive models include demographic, clinical, hemodynamic and laboratory variables. Data sets are derived from public registries, clinical trials, and retrospective data. Most models show a good capacity to discriminate patients who reach major clinical end-points, with C-indices generally higher than 0.70, but their applicability in real-world populations has been seldom evaluated. No study has evaluated if the use of risk score-based stratification might improve patient outcome. Some variables (age, blood pressure, sodium concentration, renal function) recur in most scores and should always be considered when evaluating the risk of an individual patient hospitalized for acute heart failure. Future studies will evaluate the emerging role of plasma biomarkers.     

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of short-term mortality in Egyptian patients with acute heart failure

Objective

To identify the clinical and laboratory predictors of short-term mortality in patients with acute heart failure (AHF).

Association of serum uric acid change with mortality,renal function and diuretic dose administered in treatment of acute heart failure

Background and aims

Hyperuricemia is reportedly associated with poor outcome in acute heart failure (AHF). The association between changes in Uric acid (UA) levels with renal function change, diuretic doses, and mortality in patients with AHF were studied.

Physician specialty and mortality among elderly patients hospitalized with heart failure

BACKGROUND: Whether specialty care improves survival among patients with heart failure remains controversial. METHODS: We evaluated specialty care and outcomes in 25869 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with heart failure in the United States from 1998 through 1999. Patients were classified based on the specialty of their attending physician: cardiologist, internist, general physician, or family physician. The primary outcome of interest was all-cause mortality within 30 days of admission. RESULTS: Cardiologists were attending physicians for 26%, internists for 50%, and general and family physicians cared for the remainder. Mortality at 30 days was lowest for patients cared for by cardiologists (8.8%), higher for patients cared for by internists (10.0%, relative risk [RR] = 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97 to 1.19; P = 0.059) and general physicians (11.1%, RR = 1.26; 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.58; P = 0.086), and highest for patients cared for by family physicians (12.0%, RR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.49; P <0.001). Patients cared for by family physicians remained at higher 30-day mortality rates whether with (RR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.52) or without consultation with cardiologists (RR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.52). CONCLUSION: Hospitalized patients with heart failure had lower 30-day mortality when treated by cardiologists than when they were treated by other physicians. Although these differences were modest (RR = 1.07) for internists, they were substantial for general physicians (RR = 1.26) and family physicians (RR = 1.31); of note was that inpatient cardiology consultation did not appear to change this relation.     

急性冠状动脉综合征患者C-反应蛋白升高与远期死亡率和心力衰竭的相关性分析

目的评估C-反应蛋白(CRP)与急性冠状动脉综合征(ACS)患者远期预后的相关性。方法收集我院急诊ACS患者的资料并检测其CRP水平。入选患者随访3年,内容包括死亡,因急性心肌梗死(AMI)和充血性心力衰竭(CHF)而再次住院情况。结果共有446名患者入选,CRP升高的患者的死亡率和因CHF的再次住院率均高于CRP正常的患者(P<0.05)。校正心肌肌钙蛋白T(cTnT)水平后,急性期CRP>7.44 mg/L与发病后3年内的死亡率和因CHF再住院的风险增加仍显著相关。结论在胸痛早期就出现CRP升高的ACS患者的晚期死亡率和CHF风险增加。     

Short to long term mortality of patients hospitalised with heart failure in the Czech Republic--a report from the EuroHeart Failure Survey

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The European Society of Cardiology initiated the EuroHeart Failure Survey to obtain more data about the quality of care in patients hospitalised with suspected heart failure (HF). The Czech Republic was 1 of the 24 European Society countries included in the survey. The aim of this report is to extend the original follow-up period of 12 weeks out to 4 years to assess mortality. METHODS: All admitted patients were screened according to the EuroHeart Survey Protocol, over a 6-week period in six hospitals in Pilsen, Prague and Brno in the year 2000. Annual mortality and cause of death were obtained from the Prague Institute for Health Statistical Information (UZIS Praha). RESULTS: A total of 2365 patients were screened and about 25% of all admitted patients fulfilled the criteria for HF. About 14% of patients died between admission and the 12-week follow-up, 36% of male and 42% of female patients died during the 4-year follow-up (2000-2003). Cardiovascular diseases were the main causes of death (92%). Deceased patients were significantly older, had lower haemoglobin and total plasma cholesterol level, and had renal insufficiency and higher levels of big endothelin and BNP than the survivors. Mortality risk was increased independently by positive history of previous myocardial infarction OR=2.39 (1.59-3.59), by age OR=1.03 (1.01-1.05) and by plasma creatinine level OR=1.04 (1.01-1.07). Treatment with diuretics and digoxin was associated with a higher risk of death; by contrast, a protective effect of beta-blockers and statins was found in these HF patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with HF were older and had a poor prognosis; approximately one third of the patients will die within 3 years.     

心力衰竭患者6 949例在院30 d病死率危险因素分析

目的:虽然心力衰竭（心衰）的治疗有了很大的进步，但心衰住院患者的在院病死率仍然很高。本项研究主要是调查影响心衰住院患者30 d在院病死率的独立危险因素。方法: 选择1993年1月1日～2007年12月31日15年间心衰住院患者6 949 (男4 344，女2 605)例，用Cox风险模型统计心衰住院患者在院病死率的独立危险因素。结果: 对心衰住院患者在院病死率有显著影响的因素是:老龄 ［HR 1.030，95%CI (1.021-1.039) P=0.000］；疾病包括冠心病、肺心病、心肌梗死、肺炎、脑血管病、消化道出血和肝硬化（P=0.000）,心肌病(P=0.006)、瓣膜性心脏病(P=0.025)、慢性阻塞型肺病(P=0.032)。Kaplan-Meier生成曲线显示共患疾病数目越多，死亡概率越大(HR 1.04, 95%CI 0.74-1.47 到HR 2.88， 95%CI 2.19-3.80,P<0.01)；本研究时段(1998-2002 vs. 1993-1997,HR 0.71 95%CI 0.55-0.93,P<0.05)；(2003-2007 vs. 1993-1997,HR 0.59 95%CI 0.46-0.76,P<0.01)。结论: 老龄、并发疾病、时段是影响心衰住院患者30 d在院病死率的独立危险因素。     

急性心力衰竭综合病因评分预计死亡率研究

目的 探讨急性心力衰竭病因评分在急性心力衰竭疾病中的应用价值.方法 采用APACHEⅡ评分、心力衰竭基础病因及诱因综合评分,在此评分基础上对42 例急性心力衰竭患者预计死亡率进行评估并建立预计死亡率模型,分层计算群体预计死亡率.结果 根据急性心力衰竭病因评分分值进行分组,随着分值逐渐升高,实际病死率和预计死亡率也逐渐升高,死亡组评分均值显著高于生存组(P＜0.05).结论 急性心力衰竭病因评分系统简易实用,可用于院前急救及急诊急性心力衰竭患者初步评估.