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Aims: The course of patients following admission for acute heart failure (AHF) is of major importance to patients and healthcare providers. We examined predictors and associations of length of stay (LOS), 30-day post-discharge readmission and 90-day post-discharge mortality in 1990 patients enrolled in the PROTECT study.Methods and Results: PROTECT was a randomized study that examined the effect of the adenosine blocker rolofylline in patients within 24 h of admission for AHF with mild to moderate renal impairment. Geographic-region-adjusted multivariable models showed that LOS was only partly explained by the severity of heart failure (HF), comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, renal impairment, ischaemic heart disease) and degree of metabolic dysfunction (cholesterol and albumin) at baseline (adjusted R(2) 0.27). Addition of in-hospital worsening heart failure (WHF) and changes in metabolic markers contributed significantly to prediction of LOS [R(2) difference 0.050, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.0282-0.072]. Thirty-day HF readmission was associated with more severe HF and previous HF admission but not with LOS (odds ratios 1.00, 95% CI 0.97-1.04). Death within 90 days after discharge was associated with older age, more severe HF, worse renal function, and lower sodium and bicarbonate at admission; LOS was a strong predictor of 90-day post-discharge mortality.Conclusions: In patients admitted for AHF, LOS is not well-predicted by traditional markers of disease severity, but strongly associated with the occurrence of in-hospital WHF. Longer LOS is a strong predictor of early mortality after discharge but not of readmission. These findings may help focus efforts to reduce LOS and post-discharge outcomes on patients' subgroups at increased risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims We studied the characteristics and clinical outcome related to diuretic response and the effects of serelaxin in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure ( AHF). Methods and results RELAX-AHF was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, enrolling 1161 patients admitted to hospital for AHF who were randomized to 48 h i.v infusions of placebo or serelaxin (30 µg/kg per day) within 16 h from presentation. Diuretic response was defined as Δ weight kg/[(total i.v. dose)/40 mg] + [(total oral dose)/80 mg)] furosemide (or equivalent loop diuretic dose) up to day 5. Median diuretic response was −0.42 (−1.00, −0.14) kg/40 mg. A poor diuretic response was independently associated with Western-like region (Western Europe, North America, Israel, and Poland), lower diastolic blood pressure, the absence of oedema, higher blood urea nitrogen, and lower levels of aspartate aminotransferase and potassium (all P < 0.01). Randomization to serelaxin was associated with lower doses of i.v. loop diuretics and slightly less weight loss, resulting in a neutral effect on diuretic response. Worse diuretic response was independently associated both with less relief of dyspnoea, measured with a visual analogue scale ( VAS) at day 5 (primary endpoint; P = 0.0002), and with a higher risk of cardiovascular death or rehospitalization for heart failure or renal failure through day 60 (secondary endpoint, P < 0.0001), but not with increased 180-day cardiovascular mortality ( P = 0.507). Conclusions In patients hospitalized for AHF, a poor diuretic response was associated with a poor in-hospital and early post-discharge clinical outcome. Serelaxin had a neutral effect on diuretic response. Trial registration: NCT00520806 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims We aimed to determine the relation between baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP), change in SBP, and worsening renal function (WRF) in acute heart failure (AHF) patients enrolled in the Pre-RELAX-AHF trial. Methods and results The Pre-RELAX-AHF study enrolled 234 patients within 16 h of admission (median 7 h) for AHF and randomized them to relaxin given intravenous (i.v.) for 48 h or placebo. Blood pressure was measured at baseline, at 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h and at 3, 4, and 5 days after enrolment. Worsening renal function was defined as a serum creatinine increase of ≥0.3 mg/dL by Day 5. Worsening renal function was found in 68 of the 225 evaluable patients (30%). Patients with WRF were older (73.5 ± 9.4 vs. 69.1 ± 10.6 years; P= 0.003), had a higher baseline SBP (147.3 ± 19.9 vs. 140.8 ± 16.7 mmHg; P= 0.01), and had a greater early drop in SBP (37.9 ± 16.0 vs. 31.4 ± 12.2 mmHg; P= 0.004). In a multivariable model, higher age, higher baseline creatinine, and a greater early drop in SBP, but not baseline SBP, remained independent predictors of WRF. Furthermore, WRF was associated with a higher Day 60 (P= 0.01), and Day 180 (P= 0.003) mortality. Conclusions Worsening renal function in hospitalized AHF patients is related to a poor clinical outcome and is predicted by a greater early drop in SBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of rapid up‐titration of guideline‐directed medical therapies (GDMT) in men and women hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF). Methods and results: In STRONG‐HF, AHF patients were randomized just prior to discharge to either usual care (UC) or a high‐intensity care (HIC) strategy of GDMT up‐titration. In these analyses, we compared the implementation, efficacy, and safety of the HIC strategy between men and women. In the randomized AHF population, 416/1078 (39%) were women. By day 90, a higher proportion of both sexes in the HIC group had been up‐titrated to full doses of GDMT compared to UC. Overall, there were no differences in the primary endpoint between the sexes. The primary endpoint, 180‐day heart failure readmission or death, occurred in 15.8% HIC women versus 23.5% women in the UC group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40–1.13) and in 14.9% HIC men versus 23.5% UC men (adjusted HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.38–0.88) (adjusted interaction p = 0.65). There was no significant treatment‐by‐sex interaction in quality‐of‐life improvement or in adverse events, including serious or fatal adverse events. Conclusion: The results of the current analyses suggest that a rapid up‐titration of GDMT immediately after an AHF hospitalization can and should be implemented similarly in men and women, as it results in reduction of 180‐day all‐cause death or heart failure readmission, quality‐of‐life improvement in both men and women with a similar safety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Worsening heart failure ( WHF) in the first 7 days after an admission for acute HF ( AHF) has been proposed as a therapeutic target in several recent AHF studies and was a co-primary endpoint of the VERITAS studies. Methods and results Patients were randomized within 24 h of admission for AHF. WHF was defined as worsening or persistent signs and symptoms of HF requiring additional intravenous or mechanical therapy for HF or death within 7 days of randomization. Multivariable models were developed to predict the time to WHF through day 7. Unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted associations of WHF with the length of stay ( LOS) of the index hospitalization, and 30- and 90-day outcomes were estimated. WHF occurred by day 7 in 27% of the 1347 patients enrolled. Age, co-morbidities, and markers of HF severity were moderately predictive of WHF; the C-index for a multivariable model for WHF was 0.66. After multivariable adjustment for baseline characteristics, WHF was associated with an increase in LOS of 4.33 days [95% confidence interval ( CI) 3.54-5.13 days], a hazard ratio ( HR) for 30-day HF readmission or death of 2.43 (95% CI 1.75-3.40), and a HR for 90-day mortality of 2.57 (95% CI 1.81-3.65), all with P < 0.0001.The associations of WHF with these outcomes remained largely unchanged after adjustment for both baseline characteristics and changes in markers of renal and hepatic dysfunction during the first day of admission. Conclusions In patients admitted for AHF, WHF is a significant clinical event that is associated with delays in discharge and higher rates for readmission and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background For patients with acute heart failure (AHF), substantial diuresis after administration of loop diuretics is generally associated with better clinical outcomes but may cause creatinine to rise, suggesting renal function decline. We investigated the interaction between diuretic response and worsening renal function (WRF) on clinical outcomes in patients with AHF. Methods and results In two AHF cohorts (PROTECT, n =1698 and RELAX-AHF-2, n =5586 in current analysis), the prognostic impact of WRF (creatinine =0.3 mg/dl increase baseline--day 4; sensitivity analyses incorporated baseline renal function) by diuretic response (kg weight loss/40 mg furosemide equivalent baseline--day 4) was investigated with regard to (cardiovascular) death or cardiovascular/renal hospitalization using subpopulation treatment effect pattern plots (STEPP) and survival analyses. WRF occurred in 286 (16.8%) and 1031 (18.5%) patients in PROTECT and RELAX-AHF-2, respectively. Patients with WRF had higher left ventricular ejection fraction and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate at baseline (p <0.05), and received higher doses of loop diuretics and had a worse diuretic response (p <0.001). In patients with a poor diuretic response (=0.35 kg weight loss/40 mg furosemide equivalent as identified by STEPP), WRF was associated with higher risk of (cardiovascular) death or cardiovascular/renal hospitalization (p <0.001 both cohorts), but this was not the case for patients with a good diuretic response (p =0.900 both cohorts). Conclusion In two large cohorts of patients with AHF, WRF in the first 4 days was not associated with worse outcomes when patients had a good diuretic response. The occurrence of WRF in patients with AHF should therefore be considered in the context of diuretic response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Although left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is routinely used to categorize patients with heart failure (HF), whether it predicts outcomes after hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF) is uncertain. Consequently, we assessed the relationship between LVEF and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in a large, well characterized cohort of patients hospitalized for AHF.Methods and Results: The 6128 patients from the RELAX-AHF-2 trial who had LVEF measured during AHF hospitalization were separated into LVEF quartiles and the relationship between LVEF and a composite of CV mortality and rehospitalization for HF or renal failure through 180 days was assessed. We found progressively lower risk for this composite outcome as LVEF increased (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.98 per 5% LVEF increase, P < 0.001) that was driven predominantly by decreased risk for rehospitalization. The smoothed spline curve depicting risk remained stable as LVEF decreased until reaching approximately 40%, at which point risk increased progressively with further reductions in LVEF. Significant differences between LVEF quartiles for post-discharge CV risk were seen in patients with an ischaemic aetiology or with a history of HF preceding index hospitalization, but were less robust in patients with non-ischaemic aetiology and absent in those with de novo HF.Conclusion: In patients hospitalized with AHF, CV events over 180 days were more frequent in patients with lower LVEF. This was due predominantly to a significant increase in risk for HF/renal failure rehospitalization but not in either CV or all-cause mortality. LVEF had greater prognostic value in patients with ischaemic aetiology or pre-existing HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Improved prediction of early post-discharge death or rehospitalization after admission for acute heart failure is a major unmet need. We evaluated the value of biomarkers to predict either low or high risk for early post-discharge events. Methods and results A total of 1653 patients enrolled in the PROTECT trial who were discharged alive and with available blood samples were included. Forty-seven biomarkers were serially evaluated in these patients. Measurement closest to discharge was used to evaluate the predictive value of biomarkers for low and high post-discharge risk. Patients were classified as 'low risk' if post-discharge 30-day risk of death or heart failure rehospitalization was <5% while risk >20% was used to define 'high risk'. Cut-off values that yielded a 95% negative predictive value and a 20% positive predictive value were identified for each biomarker. Partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( pAUC) in the high-sensitivity and high-specificity regions was calculated to compare low-risk and high-risk predictive values. Of patients analysed, 193 (11.7%) patients reached the 30-day death or heart failure rehospitalization outcome. We found marked differences between low-risk and high-risk predictors. Cardiac-specific troponin I was the strongest biomarker for low-risk prediction ( pAUC = 0.552, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.58) while endothelin-1 showed better performance for high-risk prediction ( pAUC = 0.560, 95% confidence interval 0.53-0.59). Several biomarkers (individually and in combination) provided added predictive value, on top of a clinical model, in both low-risk and high-risk regions. Conclusion Different biomarkers predicted low risk vs. high risk of early post-discharge death or heart failure readmission in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) emerge as potential heart failure biomarkers. We aimed to identify associations between acute heart failure (AHF)-specific circulating miRNAs and well-known heart failure biomarkers. Methods Associations between 16 biomarkers predictive for 180 day mortality and the levels of 12 AHF-specific miRNAs were determined in 100 hospitalized AHF patients, at baseline and 48 hours. Patients were divided in 4 pre-defined groups, based on clinical parameters during hospitalization. Correlation analyses between miRNAs and biomarkers were performed and complemented by miRNA target prediction and pathway analysis. Results No significant correlations were found at hospital admission. However, after 48 hours, 7 miRNAs were significantly negatively correlated to biomarkers indicative for a worse clinical outcome in the patient group with the most unfavorable in-hospital course (n = 21); miR-16-5p was correlated to C-reactive protein (R = − 0.66, p-value = 0.0027), miR-106a-5p to creatinine (R = − 0.68, p-value = 0.002), miR-223-3p to growth differentiation factor 15 (R = − 0.69, p-value = 0.0015), miR-652-3p to soluble ST-2 (R = − 0.77, p-value < 0.001), miR-199a-3p to procalcitonin (R = − 0.72, p-value < 0.001) and galectin-3 (R = − 0.73, p-value < 0.001) and miR-18a-5p to procalcitonin (R = − 0.68, p-value = 0.002). MiRNA target prediction and pathway analysis identified several pathways related to cardiac diseases, which could be linked to some of the miRNA-biomarker correlations. Conclusions The majority of correlations between circulating AHF-specific miRNAs were related to biomarkers predictive for a worse clinical outcome in a subgroup of worsening heart failure patients at 48 hours of hospitalization. The selective findings suggest a time-dependent effect of circulating miRNAs and highlight the susceptibility to individual patient characteristics influencing potential relations between miRNAs and biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) may be involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF) and renal disease. Our aim is to describe miRNA levels related to early worsening renal function in acute HF patients. Method and results We studied the association between 12 circulating miRNAs and Worsening Renal Function (WRF; defined as an increase in the serum creatinine level of 0.3 mg per deciliter or more from admission to day 3), absolute change in creatinine and Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) from admission to day 3 in 98 patients hospitalized for acute HF. At baseline, circulating levels of all miRNAs were lower in patients with WRF, with statistically significant decreased levels of miR-199a-3p, miR-423-3p, and miR-let-7i-5p ( p -value < 0.05). The increase in creatinine during the first 3 days of hospitalization was significantly associated with lower levels of miR-199a-3p, miR-27a-3p, miR-652-3p, miR-423-5p, and miR-let-7i-5p, while the increase in NGAL was significantly associated with lower levels of miR-18a-5p, miR-106a-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-199a-3p and miR-423-3p. MiR-199a-3p was the strongest predictor of WRF, with an Odds Ratio of 1.48 (1.061–2.065; p -value = 0.021) and a C-index of 0.701. Conclusions Our results show that the levels of circulating miRNAs at hospital admission for acute HF were consistently lower in patients who developed worsening of renal function. MiR-199a-3p was the best predictor of WRF in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Troponin elevation is common in acute heart failure (AHF) and may be useful for prognostication; however, available data are mixed and many previous studies used older, less sensitive assays. We examined the association between serial measurements of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and outcomes in RELAX-AHF.Methods and Results: Hs-cTnT was measured at baseline and days 2, 5, and 14. We assessed the relationship between baseline, peak and peak change hs-cTnT with dyspnoea relief by visual analogue scale, cardiovascular death, or HF/renal hospitalization to 60 days and cardiovascular mortality to 180 days. Models were adjusted for clinical variables and treatment assignment. Whether baseline troponin status affected the treatment effect of serelaxin was assessed using interactions terms. In 1074 patients, the median baseline troponin was 0.033 µg/L, and 90% of patients were above the 99th upper reference limit (URL). Patients with hs-cTnT >median were more likely to be men with ischaemic heart disease, worse renal function, and higher N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. Higher baseline or peak hs-cTnT and greater peak change were associated with worse outcomes independent of adjustment for covariates, but relationships were generally strongest for 180-day cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio per doubling of baseline hs-cTnT = 1.36, 95% confidence interval 1.15-1.60). Troponin was most strongly associated with death from heart failure or from other cardiovascular causes. The treatment effect of serelaxin did not differ by baseline troponin levels.Conclusion: Hs-cTnT was elevated above the 99% URL in the majority of AHF patients. Baseline, peak, and peak change hs-cTnT were associated with worse outcomes, with the strongest relationship with 180-day cardiovascular mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Worsening heart failure (WHF) symptoms despite initial therapy during admission for acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with worse outcomes. The association between the time of the WHF event and the intensity of WHF therapy with outcomes is unknown. Methods and results In the PROTECT trial of 2033 AHF patients, we investigated the association between time of occurrence of WHF and intensity of therapy, with subsequent outcomes. WHF was defined by standardized, physician-determined assessment. Early WHF was defined as occurring on days 2-3 and late on days 4-7. Low intensity included restarting/increasing diuretics or vasodilators and high intensity included initiation of inotropes, vasopressors, inodilators, or mechanical support. Outcomes were death or cardiovascular/renal hospitalization over 60 days and death over 180 days. Of the 1879 patients with complete follow-up after day 7, 12.7% (n=238) experienced WHF: 47.9% early and 52.1% late. Treatment intensity was low in 72.3% and high in 24.8% (2.9% missing). After adjusting for baseline predictors of outcome, WHF was associated with a trend toward increased 60-day death or cardiovascular/renal hospitalization [hazard ratio (HR) 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-1.60; P =0.063] and increased 180-day death (HR 1.77; 95% CI 1.33-2.34; P <0.001). There was no evidence of a differential association between the time of occurrence of WHF and outcomes. High-intensity therapy was not significantly associated with increased event rates (180-day mortality: HR 1.44; 95% CI 0.80-2.59 vs. low). Conclusions Inhospital WHF was associated with increased 180-day death. The time of occurrence and intensity of WHF therapy may provide less prognostic information than whether or not WHF occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Previous heart failure (HF) trials suggested that age influences patient characteristics and outcome; however, under-representation of elderly patients has limited characterization of this cohort. Whether standard prognostic variables have differential utility in various age groups is unclear.Methods and Results: The PROTECT trial investigated 2033 patients (median age 72 years) with acute HF randomized to rolofylline or placebo. Patients were divided into five groups based on the quintiles of age: ≤59, 60-68, 69-74, 75-79, and ≥80 years. Baseline characteristics, medications, and outcomes (30-day death or cardiovascular/renal hospitalization, and death at 30 and 180 days) were explored. The prognostic utility of baseline characteristics for outcomes was investigated in the different groups and in those aged <80 years vs. ≥80 years. With increasing age, patients were more likely to be women with hypertension, AF, and higher EF. Increased age was associated with increased risk of 30- and 180-day outcomes, which persisted after multivariable adjustment (hazard ratio for 180-day death = 1.17; 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.24 for each 5-year increase). The prognostic utility of baseline characteristics such as previous HF hospitalization and serum sodium, systolic blood pressure, and NYHA class was attenuated in the elderly for the endpoint of 180-day mortality. An increase in albumin was associated with a greater reduction in risk in patients aged ≥80 years vs. <80 years.Conclusions: In a large trial of acute HF, there were differences in baseline characteristics and outcomes amongst patients of different ages. Standard prognostic variables exhibit different utility in elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little is known about mode of death after acute heart failure (AHF) hospitalization. In the RELAX-AHF (Efficacy and Safety of Relaxin for the Treatment of Acute Heart Failure) study, serelaxin, the recombinant form of human relaxin-2, reduced post-discharge mortality at 180 days in selected patients with AHF. Objectives The goal of this study was to assess the effect of serelaxin on specific modes of death in patients with AHF. Methods The RELAX-AHF study randomized 1,161 patients with AHF to 48 h of therapy with intravenous serelaxin or placebo. Patients were followed for vital status through 180 days. A blinded clinical events committee reviewed all deaths and adjudicated a cause of death on the basis of pre-specified criteria. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the effect of serelaxin on each mode of death, on the basis of pre-specified groupings of mode of death. Results There were 107 deaths (9.3%): 37 (35%) due to HF, 25 (23%) due to sudden death, 15 (14%) due to other cardiovascular (CV) causes, 19 (18%) due to non-CV causes, and 11 (10%) classified as unknown. The treatment effect of serelaxin was most pronounced on other CV deaths (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.73; p = 0.005) and sudden death (HR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.07; p = 0.065). There was no apparent impact of serelaxin treatment on HF deaths or non-CV deaths. Conclusions In the RELAX-AHF study, the effects of serelaxin on mortality were primarily driven by reduction in mortality from other CV causes and sudden death, without apparent impact on HF deaths. (Efficacy and Safety of Relaxin for the Treatment of Acute Heart Failure [RELAX-AHF]; NCT00520806 ) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Differences in manifestation, treatment, and outcomes of acute heart failure between men and women have not been well studied. The objective of this analysis was to characterize differences in clinical presentation, and in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes between sexes in acute heart failure patients. Methods and results Clinical profiles, treatment characteristics, and outcomes were compared between sexes in 2033 patients hospitalized for acute heart failure and impaired renal function. Women comprised 33% of the study population and were older, had higher body mass index, LVEF, and systolic blood pressure, and a greater prevalence of diabetes. At baseline, women showed signs and symptoms of congestion comparable with men, but more often had rales, orthopnoea, and worse renal function. Women were less intensively diuresed, as indicated by lower oral and intravenous diuretic doses used, fewer dose increases, and less total weight loss during hospitalization. Furthermore, hospitalization was slightly but significantly prolonged in women (11.04 ± 7.8 vs. 10.65 ± 8.86 days; P = 0.024). Age-adjusted 180-day mortality was lower in women (15.8% vs. 18.5%, hazard ratio 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.59–0.93, P = 0.010), but multivariable risk-adjusted mortality was similar in both sexes, mainly attributable to lower blood urea nitrogen, higher LVEF, and higher systolic blood pressure in women compared with men. Conclusions Women with acute heart failure present with a clinical profile different from that of men, with more hypertension, diabetes, and depression, and a preserved LVEF. During hospitalization, they were less intensively diuresed. Nevertheless, risk-adjusted 180-day outcome was similar between sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims In patients with acute heart failure (AHF), early worsening heart failure (WHF) predicts a significant proportion of post-discharge readmissions and mortality. We aimed to identify the predictors of 7-day heart failure events or death in patients hospitalized with AHF. Methods and results A predictive model and risk score for the short-term primary composite endpoint of 7-day death, HF rehospitalization, or WHF was created using variables collected within 24 h of admission from patients with complete data (n = 2015) enrolled in the PROTECT trial of AHF patients. The 7-day composite was experienced by 294 patients (14.6%), with a mortality rate of 1.8% (n = 37), HF rehospitalization rate of 0.5% (n = 9), and WHF rate of 13.1% (n = 264). In multivariable analyses, the strongest predictor of short-term morbidity and mortality was higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration. Additional independent predictors of a worse outcome were lower serum albumin, cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure, as well as higher heart rate and respiratory rate. Model coefficients were converted to an additive risk score for predicting the 7-day composite endpoint with a total point range of 0–100. The risk score allowed discrimination of a wide spectrum of risk (4.8% risk with score ≤35, to 28.7% risk with score >55). Conclusions Using the PROTECT 7-day risk model and score, the main determinants of an adverse outcome for AHF patients included impaired metabolic status, neurohormonal activation, and reduced cardiac performance, gauged by BUN, serum albumin and cholesterol levels, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]