A Quality Improvement Approach to Reduce 30-day Readmissions and Mortality in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

ObjectivesHeart failure [HF] hospital readmissions are a continued challenge in the care of HF patients, which contribute substantially to the high costs of the disease and high mortality rate in lower to middle income country. We implemented a quality improvement project to improve patient outcomes and resource utilization.MethodsThis study was a prospective cohort design with a historical comparison group. It was conducted to assess the difference in 30-day readmissions and mortality and to assess compliance rate with HF guideline between the historical pre-intervention audit 1 cohort and prospective post-intervention audit 2 cohorts. Audit 1 cohort were recruited from January to February 2019, whereas, audit 2 cohort which received the bundled intervention program were recruited from July to December 2019. Clinical outcomes were compared between cohorts using 30-day readmissions and mortality.ResultsA total of 50 and 164 patients were included in audit 1 and audit 2 cohort, respectively. Patients in the audit 2 cohort were younger [63.0 ± 14.5 in audit 1 vs 56.5 ± 12.7 in audit 2, p = 0.003] and majority were male [50.0% in audit 1 vs 72.0% in audit2, p = 0.004]. Thirty-day readmissions were significantly different [36.0% audit 1 vs. 22.0% audit 2, p = 0.045], but the mortality rates were similar [4.0%% audit 1 vs. 5.5% audit 2, p = 0.677] between two cohorts.ConclusionA significant decrease in 30-day readmissions was observed in the post-intervention audit 2 cohort in our setting. Further study in larger population and prolong study follow-up is warranted.     

All-Payer Analysis of Heart Failure Hospitalization 30-Day Readmission: Comorbidities Matter

Background

Thirty-day readmission following heart failure hospitalization impacts hospital performance measures and reimbursement. We investigated readmission characteristics and the magnitude of 30-day hospital readmissions after hospital discharge for heart failure using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases (SID).

Improvement in Health-related Quality of Life After Hospitalization Predicts Event-free Survival in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure

BackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a major clinical outcome for heart failure (HF) patients. We aimed to determine the frequency, durability, and prognostic significance of improved HRQOL after hospitalization for decompensated HF.Methods and ResultsWe analyzed HRQOL, measured serially using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), for 425 patients who survived to discharge in a multicenter randomized clinical trial of pulmonary artery catheter versus clinical assessment to guide therapy for patients with advanced HF. All patients enrolled had 1 or more prior HF hospitalizations or chronic high diuretic doses and 1 or more symptom and 1 sign of fluid overload at admission. Improvement, defined as a decrease of more than 5 points in MLHFQ total score, occurred in 68% of patients by 1 month and stabilized. The degree of 1-month improvement differed (P < .0001 group × time interaction) between 6-month survivors and non-survivors. In a Cox regression model, after adjustment for traditional risk factors for HF morbidity and mortality, improvement in HRQOL by 1 month compared to worsening at 1 month or no change predicted time to subsequent event-free survival (P = .013).ConclusionsIn patients hospitalized with severe HF decompensation, HRQOL is seriously impaired but improves substantially within 1 month for most patients and remains improved for 6 months. Patients for whom HRQOL does not improve by 1 month after hospital admission merit specific attention both to improve HRQOL and to address high risk for poor event-free survival.     

Capillaries as a Therapeutic Target for Heart Failure

Prognosis of heart failure remains poor, and it is urgent to find new therapies for this critical condition. Oxygen and metabolites are delivered through capillaries; therefore, they have critical roles in the maintenance of cardiac function. With aging or age-related disorders, capillary density is reduced in the heart, and the mechanisms involved in these processes were reported to suppress capillarization in this organ. Studies with rodents showed capillary rarefaction has causal roles for promoting pathologies in failing hearts. Drugs used as first-line therapies for heart failure were also shown to enhance the capillary network in the heart. Recently, the approach with senolysis is attracting enthusiasm in aging research. Genetic or pharmacological approaches concluded that the specific depletion of senescent cells, senolysis, led to reverse aging phenotype. Reagents mediating senolysis are described to be senolytics, and these compounds were shown to ameliorate cardiac dysfunction together with enhancement of capillarization in heart failure models. Studies indicate maintenance of the capillary network as critical for inhibition of pathologies in heart failure.     

护理干预对慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量的影响

目的探讨护理干预对慢性心力衰竭患者生活质量的影响。方法将我院收治的慢性心力衰竭患者60例随机分为观察组和对照组,各30例,对照组仅给予实施常规护理,观察组给予实施综合护理干预,对两组患者的生活质量进行评定。结果观察组患者的生活质与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论综合护理干预能有效改善患者的负性情绪和自理能力,提高患者的生活质量,值得推广。     

慢性心力衰竭基础与临床进展

本文在对当前心力衰竭病理生理学和流行病学认识基础之上,综述了慢性心力衰竭的基础研究和临床药物治疗进展。     

心力衰竭管理模式探讨

目的:评价不同管理模式对慢性收缩性心力衰竭(心衰)患者神经内分泌、心功能、心脏事件、生活质量和医疗费用的影响。方法:120例慢性心功能不全患者,在常规治疗心衰的前提下,随机分为心衰管理组和心衰非管理组各60例,治疗后两年其对神经内分泌、心功能、心脏事件、生活质量和医疗费用的影响。结果:心衰管理组治疗后心功能、生活质量、神经内分泌较心衰非管理组治疗后改善(P<0.05),心衰恶化再入院减少(P<0.05),心脏事件较心衰非管理组明显减少(P<0.05),年心衰治疗费用较后者减少(P<0.05),差异均有统计学意义。结论:通过心衰管理能改善心功能及生活质量,减少心衰医疗费用、心脏事件的发生。     

Observation of Patients Transitioned to an Oral Loop Diuretic Before Discharge and Risk of Readmission for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Background

Heart failure (HF) is associated with high 30-day readmission rates and places significant financial burden on the health care system. The aim of this study was to determine if the duration of observation on an oral loop diuretic before discharge is associated with a reduction in 30-day HF readmission in patients with acute decompensated HF (ADHF).

心力衰竭患儿心率变异与心功能关系的探讨（附30例报告）

对３０例心力衰竭（下称心衰）患儿和３０例健康儿童的心率变异（ＨＲＶ）进行了检测。结果显示：心衰患儿心率变异性小,体位变化对心率变异性影响小,心衰表现重者的ＨＲＶ小于心衰轻者,射血分数（ＥＦ）和ＨＲＶ系数呈直线正相关（Ｐ〈０．００１）,与高频成分呈直线正相关（Ｐ〈０．００１）,ＥＦ与低频成分呈直线正相关（Ｐ〈０．０１）,认为ＨＲＶ可反映心衰时自主神经功能情况,并与心功能密切相关。