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Purpose: This study investigated whether the oral vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist tolvaptan has beneficial effects on mortality in real-world congestive heart failure (CHF) patients with hypoperfusion (i.e. the wet–cold pattern), from the viewpoint of cardiorenal syndrome. Methods: Data on 5511 consecutive CHF patients were extracted from the Tokyo CCU Network data registry. Congestion and hypoperfusion were defined by Nohria–Stevenson clinical profiles at the time of hospitalization. Propensity scores for tolvaptan use were calculated for each patient and used to assemble two matched cohorts of patients receiving tolvaptan or not in the CHF with and without hypoperfusion groups. Results: Of the entire study cohort, 1073 patients (19%) had CHF with hypoperfusion (i.e. the wet–cold pattern). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher for CHF patients with than without hypoperfusion (log-rank, P < 0.001). The rate of tolvaptan use did not differ significantly between CHF patients with and without hypoperfusion (15% vs. 14%, respectively; P = 0.7848). In the propensity-matched CHF with hypoperfusion cohort, there was a significant association between the use of tolvaptan and a reduction in in-hospital mortality (log-rank, P = 0.0052). Conversely, in the matched CHF without hypoperfusion cohort, tolvaptan use was not associated with in-hospital mortality (log-rank, P = 0.4417). Conclusion: There was a significant association between the use of tolvaptan and a reduction in in-hospital mortality in CHF patients with, but not without, hypoperfusion. These findings hint at possible individualized therapies for patients with CHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify useful predictors of cardiac events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Among 4,031 patients identified from the Japanese Assessment of Cardiac Events and Survival Study (J-ACCESS) database with suspected or known ischaemic heart disease, we selected 820 with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. A total of 75 cardiac events developed among these 820 patients. The incidence of cardiac events was higher in the group with a lower eGFR. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that age, diabetes mellitus, end-systolic volume, summed stress score (SSS) and eGFR were predictors of cardiac events. Event rates of patients with SSS ≥ 9 were significantly higher in groups with lower eGFR values (< 40 and 40–49 ml/min). The SSS value (≥ 9) is a reliable predictor of cardiac events and myocardial single photon emission computed tomography has incremental value for predicting cardiac events and survival in CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical impact of changes of renal function (RF) in heart failure (HF) hospitalization is controversial. This study aimed to clarify whether clinical impact of changes of RF during HF hospitalization depends on the intrinsic RF. In 786 hospitalized HF patients, RF were classified into 3 grades based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) at discharge; ≥ 60 (n = 243), < 60 and ≥ 30 (n = 400), and < 30 (n = 143). Increase and decrease of serum creatinine over 0.3 mg/dL during HF hospitalization were defined as worsening renal function (WRF) and improved renal function (IRF), respectively, and remaining subjects were defined as stable RF. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and rehospitalization for HF. In all patients, WRF was not associated with clinical outcomes, although eGFR has a significant association with prognosis. Clinical outcomes did not differ between changes of RF patterns in both preserved and severely impaired RF groups. In contrast, IRF, not WRF, was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes in the moderately impaired RF group (HR 1.965, 95% CI 1.09-3.18, p = 0.01). Only in patients with moderately impaired RF, changes of RF were associated with clinical outcome, and IRF was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes.