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Background: Timor‐Leste is one of the poorest countries in the world. The East Timor Hearts Fund is a charitable organisation involving Australian cardiologists providing outreach screening and access to cardiac interventions. Aims: To assess ten years of clinical volume, demographics and patient outcomes. Our intention was to identify existing limitations to facilitate planning for further capacity building over the next decade. Methods: The East Timor Hearts Fund database was sectioned into 2‐year intervals (2009/2010, 2011/2012, 2013/2014, 2015/2016 and 2017/2018). Demographics and clinical outcomes of patients were compared, with subgroup analysis of adult (>18 years old), paediatric and interventional patients. Results: Over 10 years, 2050 patient encounters have occurred; 1119 (54.6%) encounters occurred in 2017/2018; 73.6% of patients were assessed in the capital Dili. Rheumatic and congenital cardiac diseases remain very common (39.1% of adult new patients and 74.2% of paediatric new patients), with 1.4% of new patients exhibiting both pathologies. The number of new patients with rheumatic or congenital heart disease tripled in 2017/2018 compared to 2009/2010 (99 vs 34 patients, P < 0.0001). Paediatric case volume increased over 10‐fold over 10 years (288 new patients in 2017/2018 vs 24 in 2009/2010, P < 0.0001), with corresponding increase in proportion of paediatric interventions (59.4% in 2017/2018 vs 25.0% in 2009/2010, P = 0.027). For patients undergoing intervention (n = 87), post‐procedural complications and mortality are extremely low (3.4% and 1.1%, respectively), with all eligible patients attending at least one post‐procedure appointment. Conclusion: Demand for cardiac services in Timor‐Leste is rising exponentially, with inequitable geographic coverage. Rheumatic and congenital cardiac diseases remain priorities for assessment, and paediatric case volume is increasing. Patients undergoing intervention experience good medical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organisation previously recommended routine screening in school-aged children in countries with a high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD); however, it is unclear if screening-detected (latent) valve disease will inevitably evolve to a pathological lesion. Understanding the natural history of latent RHD is essential prior to recommendation of screening in endemic areas. Studies documenting the progression of latent RHD have had contrasting conclusions about the pathogenicity of latent valvular lesions. This review provides estimates of rates of progression of latent RHD. Methods and findings: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, Global Index Medicus, Africa Wide, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Global Health Database for studies published before April 30, 2019. Study data were extracted from all studies which reported follow-up data on progression of latent valve lesions. Studies with control cohorts were used to calculate comparative prevalence ratios. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42019119427. We identified 12 studies reporting follow-up data on latent RHD for 950 people in 9 countries. The estimated pooled prevalence rate for progression per year of latent RHD was 5%/year (95% CI 2–8). Eight studies reported on the progression of borderline latent RHD with an estimated pooled prevalence of 2%/year (95% CI 0–4). Three studies included control groups. There was a significant increase in the risk of progression of valvular disease in the latent group compared with controls (RR = 3.57 (95%CI = 1.65–7.70, P = 0.001). The overall risk of bias was low. Given most studies included penicillin administration we were unable to document the natural history of latent RHD. Furthermore, we were unable to perform a sensitivity analysis to determine the effect of administering penicillin prophylaxis on progression of valve disease given prescription of penicillin was not standardised. Conclusion: Latent RHD has a slow rate of progression but it is significantly higher compared to controls, with definite latent RHD having a higher rate of progression compared with borderline latent disease. There are a massive number of individuals at risk for RHD in the developing world as well as logistical challenges of screening and delivering penicillin prophylaxis. The low rate of progression from untargeted screening may be an important consideration in resource-constrained environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to determine if traditional markers of disadvantage [female sex, low socio‐economic status (SES), and remoteness] are associated with lower prescription of evidence‐based therapy and higher mortality among patients with moderate–severe heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Methods and results: We recruited 452 consecutive class II–III heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients. Baseline clinical data were recorded prospectively. The primary outcome was the association of female sex on overall survival. Secondary outcomes included association between evidence‐based therapy delivery and sex and association of SES and remoteness on heart failure therapy and survival. The Australian Bureau of Statistics generated all indices. Median follow‐up was 37.9 months. One hundred and nine patients (24.3%) were women. There was no difference in overall survival based on sex (hazard ratio = 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 0.74–1.92, 0.48). There was no difference in prescription of beta‐blockers [χ2(1) = 0.91, 0.66], angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors [χ2(1) = 0.001, 0.97], nor aldosterone antagonists [χ2(1) = 2.71, 0.10]. There was no difference in rates of primary prevention implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator implantation in men compared with women [χ2(1) = 0.35, 0.56]. Neither higher SES nor inner city residence conferred an overall survival benefit. Conclusions: In this Australian cohort of heart failure patients, delivery of care and likelihood of death are comparable between the sexes, SES groups, and rural vs. city residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of empagliflozin on cardiac structure and function are not known. Aims: To examine the changes in cardiac structure and function following the addition of empagliflozin in patients with type 2 (T2D) diabetes using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Methods: Twenty patients attending a specialist diabetes service recommended for treatment with empagliflozin, and 8 control patients with T2D on stable glucose lowering therapy were recruited for cardiac imaging. Participants underwent CMR scans at baseline and 6 months. Inclusion criteria were established T2D, age < 75 years, estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥45 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results: 17 of 20 in the empagliflozin group, and all of 8 in the control group completed the study. Empagliflozin therapy was associated with reduction in left ventricular end diastolic volume 155 mL (137 mL, 174 mL) at baseline to 145 mL (125 mL, 165 mL) at 6 months, P < 0.01, compared with the control group 153 mL (128 mL, 179 mL) at baseline and 158 mL (128 mL, 190 mL), not significant. There were no differences in measures of left ventricular mass, ejection fraction, heart rate or markers of cardiac fibrosis at baseline and 6 months in either group. Conclusions: This is the first CMR study to examine the effects of empagliflozin on cardiac function and structure, showing evidence of reduced end diastolic volume. This is likely to reflect change in plasma volume, and may explain the reduced cardiovascular death and heart failure seen in the EMPA‐REG OUTCOME trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims In patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), the mortality benefit of a primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has been challenged. Left ventricular (LV) scar identified by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is associated with a high risk of malignant arrhythmia in NICM. We aimed to determine the impact of LV scar on the mortality benefit from a primary prevention ICD in NICM. Methods and results We recruited 452 consecutive heart failure patients [New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II/III] with NICM and LV ejection fraction ≤35% from a state-wide CMR service. All patients fulfilled European Society of Cardiology guidelines for primary prevention ICD implantation; however, the decision to implant was at the treating physician's discretion. Baseline clinical and CMR data were recorded prospectively and heart failure mortality risk (MAGGIC score) was calculated. The primary study outcome measurement was all-cause mortality based on presence or absence of ICD, stratified by LV scar. Median follow-up was 37.9 months and there was no difference in MAGGIC score between those who did and did not receive a primary prevention ICD (19.30 ± 5.46 vs. 18.90 ± 5.67, P  = 0.50). In patients without LV scar, ICD implantation was not associated with improved mortality [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53–2.78, P  = 0.64]. In patients with LV scar, ICD implantation was independently associated with reduced mortality (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26–0.77, P  = 0.003). Conclusions In patients with NICM, primary prevention ICD implantation is only associated with reduced mortality in patients with LV scar. This may enable more effective selection of NICM patients for ICD implantation compared with current guidelines. View large Download slide View large Download slide [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]