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Background Traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the general population are usually correlated to a better prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Most of the studies show that blood pressure variability (BPV) has noxious effect on general population but data are missing for patients with systolic HF. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of short-term blood pressure variability (BPV) in systolic HF. Methods and results We retrospectively studied 288 patients (60 ± 12 years-old; 79 % male) referred to our tertiary center of HF for the management of their systolic HF (left ventricular ejection fraction was 28 ± 9 %). All patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (systolic BP: 110 ± 15; diastolic BP: 68 ± 10 and pulse pressure: 42 ± 11 mmHg) and the prognostic impact of BPV was collected with a mean follow-up of 4.4 ± 3.1 years. Twenty-five (9 %) patients were missing for follow-up. Among the others patients, 70 (27 %) cardiovascular events (cardiac deaths: 24 %; heart transplantation: 2 %) were recorded. By multivariate analysis BPV daytime (OR = 0.963, p = 0.033) and severe NYHA class (OR = 5.2, p

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine (Hcy) can generate reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress enhances the progression of cardiovascular diseases and has long been implicated in chronic heart failure (CHF). This study was to evaluate the predictive value of plasma Hcy levels in CHF patients and to investigate the relationship with other markers.We investigated 134 adult CHF patients (males, 74%; mean age, 60.0 ± 14.8 years). Echocardiography, 6-min walk test, and determination of peak oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) were performed. Serum levels of Hcy and other markers were determined. Clinical follow-up was performed at five years.The mean Hcy level was markedly elevated in CHF patients (18.4 ± 7.83 μmol/L) vs. control subjects (12.8 ± 3.14 μmol/L; p0.01), whatever the etiology of heart failure (non-ischemic, n = 74, 17.6 ± 7.8 μmol/L; ischemic, n = 60, 19.3 ± 7.8 μmol/L). Hcy correlated negatively with VO(2max) and positively with BNP. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that CHF patients with HHcy15 μmol/L had a significantly lower survival rate (35% vs. 56%, log-rank p0.05) than those without HHcy. Cox regression revealed that HHcy and hs-CRP were the most powerful independent predictors of mortality in patients at 5 years.HHcy is common in CHF patients and is associated with an increased risk of death at 5 years. We suggest that Hcy can be used in clinical practice as an additional risk marker in CHF patients with various medications.

Background: Management of heart failure includes β-blockade (βB) therapy and cardiac rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to compare the exercise training response of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) receiving βB therapy with that of patients not receiving treatment. Methods and Results: Thirty-four consecutive patients with CHF were included in a 4-week training program at their ventilatory threshold (VT); 6 patients received βB treatment and 18 did not. The patients underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test before and after training. Oxygen uptake (VO 2 ) at peak exercise and at VT increased in both groups ( P ≤.0001) without any significant differences between the groups. The same results were found after adjustment to ejection fraction and VO 2 at the start of the training program. There was no difference in VT improvement, measured as a percentage of utilization of maximal oxygen uptake, between the groups. After training, heart rate and ventilation decreased ( P ≤.0001) at submaximal levels in both groups without significant differences between the groups. Conclusions: βB therapy does not impair functional improvement induced by a rehabilitation program in patients with CHF. βB therapy does not interfere with exercise training prescription if patient exercise evaluations are made at the time of therapeutic intake.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of stent placement with and without balloon predilatation on duration of the procedure, reduction of procedure-related costs, and clinical outcomes. Although preliminary trials of direct coronary stenting have demonstrated promising results, the lack of randomized studies with long-term follow-up has limited the critical evaluation of the role of direct stenting in the treatment of obstructive coronary artery disease. Between January and September 1999, 338 patients were randomly assigned to either direct stent implantation (DS+; 173 patients) or standard stent implantation with balloon predilatation (DS-; 165 patients). Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar in the 2 groups. Procedural success was achieved in 98.3% of patients assigned to DS+ and 97.5% of patients assigned to DS- (p = NS), with a crossover rate of 13.9%. Compared with DS-, DS+ conferred a dramatic reduction in procedure-related cost ($956.4 +/- $352.2 vs $1,164.6 +/- $383.9, p

Background: In congestive heart failure, despite activation of the sympathetic nervous system, heart rate variability parameters reflecting sympathetic modulation on sinus node are decreased. Our goal was to assess the role of beta-adrenergic sensitivity in the modulation of heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with valvular heart diseases. Methods and results: Ten patients with aortic stenosis, 10 patients with heart failure, and 12 controls were included. Baroreflex sensitivity was calculated by the sequency method. Noradrenaline plasma levels were assayed by HPLC. HRV was studied using 24-hour Holter monitoring. Cardiac beta-adrenergic receptivity was assessed by the chronotropic response to dobutamine. Right auricular samples were obtained for determination of beta-adrenergic receptor density by binding study with [125I]-iodocynaopindolol, and beta 1 and beta 2 densities, measured by competition between 125ICP binding by isoprenaline. In multivariate analysis, the dose of dobutamine that increases basal heart rate for 25 beats/min (ED25) is correlated with a parameter of global HRV: SDNN (r = 0.6, P < 0.001) and with indexes reflecting rather sympathetic modulation of HRV: SDANN (r = 0.62, P < 0.001) or SD (r = 0.47, P < 0.0001). All these relations were independent from mean NN, spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, and noradrenaline plasma levels. No significant correlation existed between dobutamine ED25 and HRV indexes reflecting parasympathic tone. No relationship existed between HRV and beta-adrenergic receptor-binding characteristics. Conclusion: Cardiac beta-adrenergic sensitivity explored by dobutamine ED25 is an important determinant of HRV independent from mean NN, spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, and noradrenaline plasma levels.

Aims Identification of patients with chronic heart failure at risk for sudden death remains difficult. We sought to assess the prognostic value for all-cause and sudden death of time and frequency domain measures of heart rate variability in chronic heart failure. Methods and Results We prospectively enrolled 190 patients with chronic heart failure in sinus rhythm, mean age 61±12 years, 109 (57·4%) in NYHA class II and 81 (42·6%) in classes III or IV, mean cardiothoracic ratio 57·6±6·4% and mean left ventricular ejection fraction 28·2±8·8%, 85 (45%) with ischaemic and 105 (55%) with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Time and frequency domain measures of heart rate variability were obtained from 24h Holter ECG recordings, spectral measures were averaged for calculation of daytime (1000h–1900h) and night-time (2300h–0600h) values. During follow-up (22±18 months), 55 patients died, 21 of them suddenly and two presented with a syncopal spontaneous sustained ventricular tachycardia. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors for all-cause mortality were: ischaemic heart disease, cardiothoracic ratio ≥60% and standard deviation of all normal RR intervals

Aims Identification of patients with congestive heart failure at risk of sudden death remains problematic and few data are available on the prognostic implications of QT dispersion. We sought to assess the predictive value of QT dispersion for arrhythmic events in heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy or ischaemic heart disease. Methods and Results Twelve-lead ECGs calculated for QT dispersion, 24h Holter ECGs and signal-averaged ECGs were prospectively recorded in 205 heart failure patients in sinus rhythm. The 86 patients with ischaemic heart disease and the 119 with dilated cardiomyopathy were not significantly different as regards NYHA grades (51 vs 49% in grades III–IV), cardiothoracic ratio (57±7 vs 57±6%) and ejection fraction (28±8 vs 29±9%). The mean QT dispersion (66±29 vs 65±27ms), the frequency of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (37 vs 38%) and ventricular late potentials (41 vs 40%) were not significantly different in patients with ischaemic or dilated cardiomyop-athy. QT dispersion was not significantly related to other arrhythmogenic markers. During follow-up (24±16 months), 66 patients died, 22 of them died suddenly and seven presented a spontaneous sustained ventricular tachycardia. In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, in multivariate analysis, only a QT dispersion >80ms was an independent predictor of sudden death (RR: 4·9, 95% CI 1·4–16·8, P

Background Interest in the role of patient education sessions for optimizing the management of heart failure (HF) is increasing. We determined whether improvements in young and elderly patients' knowledge of HF and self-care behavior could be analyzed by administering a knowledge test before and after an educational session. Methods Stable heart failure patients (n = 115) were enrolled in a prospective cohort study from our Heart Failure educational centre in a university hospital. Patient knowledge of six major HF-related topics was assessed via a questionnaire distributed once before an educational session and twice afterward. Each answer was assigned a numerical value and the final score for each topic could range from 0 to 20. Scores ≥ 15/20 were considered representative of a good level of knowledge. Results The level of knowledge was low (9.7/20) before the educational session but was significantly higher (16.3/20) during the 1st quarter after the session, and this benefit was maintained for up to 12 months (16.6/20). Knowledge levels increased in both younger and elderly patients, and the number of patients who had a good level of knowledge also increased after the educational session. Conclusion This study confirms that an HF knowledge test is feasible and that educational sessions improve the knowledge and self-management of both younger and elderly patients.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether impaired adaptation of the QT interval to changes in heart rate predicts sudden death in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: We prospectively included 175 CHF patients in sinus rhythm. QT dynamicity was evaluated by analyzing 24-h Holter recordings. The linear regression slope of QT interval measured to the apex and to the end of T wave plotted against RR intervals was calculated using a dedicated Holter algorithm. Results: Mean follow-up was 29.9±17.9 months. There were 48 deaths, of which 21 were sudden. The actuarial 3-year mortality rates were 38.4% for overall mortality and 14.1% for sudden death. Of all the parameters, an increased QTe/RR slope (>0.28) was the strongest independent predictor of sudden death (relative risk 3.47, 95% confidence interval 1.43−8.40, p=0.006). Conclusion: Increased 24-h QTe dynamicity is independently predictive of sudden death among patients with heart failure. This simple parameter may help to stratify risk and select patients who may benefit from antiarrhythmic prophylaxis.

BackgroundAmbulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), while used routinely in Hypertension, has rarely been applied in Chronic Heart Failure (CHF). This study was designed to assess prognostic value of ABPM data in our patients with CHF.Methods and ResultsIn this preliminary work, a retrospective analysis on 288 patients (227 men (79%), 61 women (21%)) who had received an ABPM in our Heart Failure unit between 1999 and 2006 was made. Our study population, with a mean age of 59.6 years consists of 45.2% ischemic cardiomyopathy, 42.6% idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, 9.3% hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 2.9% valvular cardiomyopathy. Almost all are symptomatic (NYHA I (8.3%) II (48.2%) III (37.8%) IV (5.5%)) and average ejection fraction (EF) is 28.2%. ABPM data and patient characteristics are studied in bivariate analysis: EF correlated positively with mean pulse pressure (PP) (daytime PP: r = 0.47, p0.05). Significative difference found for 24 h-PP (p

To investigate whether detection of ventricular late potentials could provide prognostic information in patients with congestive heart failure with or without bundle branch block, we prospectively obtained a signal-averaged ECG from 151 patients with congestive heart failure, using specific criteria in 57 patients with bundle branch block. Late potentials were detected in 49 patients (32.5%); their incidence was not significantly different in patients without (31%; 29 patients) or with bundle branch block (35%; 20 patients). Late potentials were present in 25 of 73 patients (34%) with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, in 20 of 57 patients (35%) with ischaemic cardiomyopathy and in four of 21 patients (19%) with hypertensive heart disease (ns). Age, NYHA class, ejection fraction and use of amiodarone were not statistically different among patients with or without late potentials. In contrast, patients with late potentials had more past episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia (8.2%; four patients) than those without late potentials (1.9%; two patients). Twenty four hour ambulatory ECGs were obtained in 135 patients (89%). Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia was not correlated with the presence of late potentials found in 45 of 88 patients (51%) without late potentials and in 29 of 47 patients (62%) with late potentials (ns). The mean follow-up was 27 +/- 12 months; 51 patients died, 31 from progressive congestive heart failure and 13 suddenly; seven prospectively had sustained ventricular tachycardia. The total mortality rate, the cardiac mortality rate and sudden death risk were not significantly related to the presence of late potentials; their incidence were respectively 35% (36 patients), 32% (33 patients) and 10% (10 patients) in patients without late potentials and 31% (15 patients), 23% (11 patients) and 6% (three patients) in those without late potentials. The incidence of sustained ventricular tachycardia during follow-up was 2% (two patients) in patients without late potentials and 10% (five patients) in those with late potentials. The incidence of sustained ventricular tachycardia experienced by the patients before the study or seen during follow-up was significantly increased in the presence of late potentials: 18% (nine patients) vs 2% (two patients) in the absence of late potentials (P0.001). Removal from the study of data from patients with bundle branch block, patients with severe congestive heart failure (NYHA 3 or 4) or patients taking amiodarone did not alter these results. Thus, signal-averaged ECG results only improved risk stratification for sustained ventricular tachycardia in patients with congestive heart failure and failed to identify patients at high risk for sudden death.