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International audience; Aims: The value of Forrester's perfusion/congestion profiles assessed by invasive catheter evaluation in non-inotrope advanced heart failure patients listed for heart transplant (HT) is unclear. We aimed to assess the value of haemodynamic evaluation according to Forrester's profiles to predict events on the HT waitlist.Methods and results: All non-inotrope patients (n = 837, 79% ambulatory at listing) registered on the French national HT waiting list between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2019 with right heart catheterization (RHC) were included. The primary outcome was a combined criteria of waitlist death, delisting for aggravation, urgent HT or left ventricular assist device implantation. Secondary outcome was waitlist death. The 'warm-dry', 'cold-dry', 'warm-wet', and 'cold-wet' profiles represented 27%, 18%, 27%, and 28% of patients, respectively. At 12 months, the respective rates of primary outcome were 15%, 17%, 25%, and 29% (P = 0.008). Taking the 'warm-dry' category as reference, a significant increase in the risk of primary outcome was observed only in the 'wet' categories, irrespectively of 'warm/cold' status: hazard ratios, 1.50; 1.06-2.13; P = 0.024 in 'warm-wet' and 1.77; 1. 25-2.49; P = 0.001 in 'cold-wet'.Conclusions: Haemodynamic assessment of advanced HF patients using perfusion/congestion profiles predicts the risk of the combine endpoint of waitlist death, delisting for aggravation, urgent heart transplantation, or left ventricular assist device implantation. 'Wet' patients had the worst prognosis, independently of perfusion status, thus placing special emphasis on the cardinal prominence of persistent congestion in advanced HF.

Heart failure (HF) registries include rich data on patient inclusion characteristics, but follow-up information is often incomplete. Medicoadministrative databases may provide less clinical information than registries, e.g. on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), but long-term data are exhaustive and reliable. The combination of the two types of database is therefore appealing, but the feasibility and accuracy of such linking are largely unexplored.To assess the feasibility and accuracy of linking an HF registry (FRESH; FREnch Survey on Heart Failure) with the French National Healthcare System database (SNDS).A probabilistic algorithm was developed to link and match patient data included in the FRESH HF registry with anonymized records from the SNDS, which include: hospitalizations and diagnostic codes; all care-related reimbursements by national health system; and deaths. Consistency was assessed between deaths recorded in the registry and in the SNDS. A comparison between the two databases was carried out on several identifiable clinical characteristics (history of HF hospitalization, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, chronic bronchopneumopathy, severe renal failure and stroke) and on events during 1-year follow-up after inclusion.Of 2719 patients included in the FRESH registry (1049 during decompensation; 1670 during outpatient follow-up), 1885 could be matched with a high accuracy of 94.3% for deaths. Mortality curves were superimposable, including curves according to type of HF and LVEF. The rates of missing data in the FRESH registry were 2.3-8.4% for clinical characteristics and 17.5% for hospitalizations during follow-up. The discrepancy rate for clinical characteristics was 3-13%. Hospitalization rates were significantly higher in the SNDS than in the registry cohort.The anonymous matching of an HF research cohort with a national health database is feasible, with a significant proportion of patients being accurately matched, and facilitates combination of clinical data and a reduced rate of losses to follow-up.

Objectives This study examined the effects of sacubitril/valsartan on N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and determined patient characteristics associated with favorable NT-proBNP reduction response. Background NT-proBNP levels reflect cardiac wall stress and predict event risk in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods Post-hoc analysis of the TRANSITION (Comparison of Pre- and Post-discharge Initiation of Sacubitril/Valsartan Therapy in HFrEF Patients After an Acute Decompensation Event) study, including stabilized ADHF patients with reduced ejection fraction, randomized to open-label sacubitril/valsartan initiation in-hospital (pre-discharge) versus post-discharge. NT-proBNP was measured at randomization (baseline), discharge, and 4 and 10 weeks post-randomization. A favorable NT-proBNP response was defined as reduction to ≤1,000 pg/ml or >30% from baseline. Results In patients receiving sacubitril/valsartan in-hospital, NT-proBNP was reduced by 28% at discharge, with 46% of patients obtaining favorable NT-proBNP reduction response compared with a 4% reduction and 18% favorable response rate in patients initiated post-discharge (p Conclusions In-hospital initiation of sacubitril/valsartan produced rapid reductions in NT-proBNP, statistically significant at discharge. A favorable NT-proBNP response over time was associated with a better prognosis and predicted by higher starting dose and predisposing clinical profile. (Comparison of Pre- and Post-discharge Initiation of LCZ696 Therapy in HFrEF Patients After an Acute Decompensation Event [TRANSITION]; NCT02661217)

Although coronary artery disease (CAD) and advanced liver fibrosis (AdLF) are commonly associated in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the prevalence of AdLF and the diagnostic performance of non-invasive fibrosis tests (NITs) in CAD patients remains unknown. We aimed to prospectively screen for AdLF in patients with documented CAD using NITs and Fibroscan. High and intermediate zones of NITs were combined to define AdLF. AdLF was suspected whenever APRI ≥ 0.5, Forns index ≥ 4.2, NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) ≥ -1.455/0.12 for age 2), AdLF ranged between 10% (APRI) to 84% (Forns). In this subgroup, the most efficient NITs to predict Fibroscan ≥ 8 kPa were eLIFT (Se 60%, Sp 70%) and NFS (Se 70%, Sp 60%). Finally, in CAD patients with risk factors for NAFLD, NFS or the more user-friendly eLIFT are the most attractive first-line biochemical NITs to discriminate good candidates for Fibroscan.

International audience; Aims Hospitalization for acute heart failure (HF) is followed by a vulnerable time with increased risk of readmission or death, thus requiring particular attention after discharge. In this study, we examined the impact of intensive, early follow-up among patients at high readmission risk at discharge after treatment for acute HF. Methods and results Hospitalized acute HF patients were included with at least one of the following: previous acute HF < 6 months, systolic blood pressure = 180 mu mol/L, or B-type natriuretic peptide >= 350 pg/mL or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide >= 2200 pg/mL. Patients were randomized to either optimized care and education with serial consultations with HF specialist and dietician during the first 2-3 weeks, or to standard post-discharge care according to guidelines. The primary endpoint was all-cause death or first unplanned hospitalization during 6-month follow-up. Among 482 randomized patients (median age 77 and median left ventricular ejection fraction 35%), 224 were hospitalized or died. In the intensive group, loop diuretics (46%), beta-blockers (49%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (39%) and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (47%) were titrated. No difference was observed between groups for the primary endpoint (hazard ratio 0.97; 95% confidence interval 0.74-1.26), nor for mortality at 6 or 12 months or unplanned HF rehospitalization. Additionally, no difference between groups according to age, previous HF and left ventricular ejection fraction was found. Conclusions In high-risk HF, intensive follow-up early post-discharge did not improve outcomes. This vulnerable post-discharge time requires further studies to clarify useful transitional care services.

BackgroundDiagnostic and patients’ management modifications induced by whole-body 18F-FDG-PET/CT had not been evaluated so far in prosthetic valve (PV) or native valve (NV) infective endocarditis (IE)-suspected patients.MethodsIn sum, 140 consecutive patients in 8 tertiary care hospitals underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT. ESC-2015-modified Duke criteria and patients’ management plan were established jointly by 2 experts before 18F-FDG-PET/CT. The same experts reestablished Duke classification and patients’ management plan immediately after qualitative interpretation of 18F-FDG-PET/CT. A 6-month final Duke classification was established.ResultsAmong the 70 PV and 70 NV patients, 34 and 46 were classified as definite IE before 18F-FDG-PET/CT. Abnormal perivalvular 18F-FDG uptake was recorded in 67.2% PV and 24.3% NV patients respectively (P < .001) and extracardiac uptake in 44.3% PV and 51.4% NV patients. IE classification was modified in 24.3% and 5.7% patients (P = .005) (net reclassification index 20% and 4.3%). Patients’ managements were modified in 21.4% PV and 31.4% NV patients (P = .25). It was mainly due to perivalvular uptake in PV patients and to extra-cardiac uptake in NV patients and consisted in surgery plan modifications in 7 patients, antibiotic plan modifications in 22 patients and both in 5 patients. Altogether, 18F-FDG-PET/CT modified classification and/or care in 40% of the patients (95% confidence interval: 32–48), which was most likely to occur in those with a noncontributing echocardiography (P < .001) or IE classified as possible at baseline (P = .04), while there was no difference between NV and PV.ConclusionsSystematic 18F-FDG-PET/CT did significantly and appropriately impact diagnostic classification and/or IE management in PV and NV-IE suspected patients.Clinical Trials RegistrationNCT02287792.

Background We assessed the impact of preprocedural plasma levels of MRproANP (midregional N‐terminal pro–atrial natriuretic peptide) and sST2 (soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2) on recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) at 1 year after catheter ablation of AF. Methods and Results This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study including patients undergoing catheter ablation of AF. MRproANP and sST2 were measured in a peripheral venous blood preprocedure, and MRproANP was assessed in the right and left atrial blood during ablation. The primary end point was recurrent AF between 3 and 12 months postablation, defined as a documented (>30 seconds) episode of AF, flutter, or atrial tachycardia. We included 106 patients from December 2017 to March 2019; 105 had complete follow‐up, and the mean age was 63 years with 74.2% males. Overall, 34 patients (32.1%) had recurrent AF. In peripheral venous blood, MRproANP was significantly higher in patients with recurrent AF (median, 192.2; [quartile 1–quartile 3, 155.9–263.9] versus 97.1 [60.9–150.7] pmol/L; P P =0.0033). In the atria, MRproANP was significantly higher than in peripheral blood and was higher during AF than during sinus rhythm. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified a threshold of MRproANP>107.9 pmol/L to predict AF recurrence at 1 year and a threshold of >26.7 ng/mL for sST2. By multivariate analysis, MRproANP>107.9 pmol/L was the only independent predictor of recurrent AF (OR, 24.27; 95% CI, 4.23–139.18). MRproANP95%). Conclusions Elevated MRproANP level independently predicts recurrent AF, whereas sST2 levels do not appear to have any prognostic value in assessing the risk of recurrence of AF up to 1 year after catheter ablation. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT03351816.

Pulmonary venoocclusive disease (PVOD) is a rare form of pulmonary vascular disease with pulmonary hypertension characterized by preferential involvement of the pulmonary venous system. Hepatic venoocclusive disease (HVOD), also known as sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, is a condition that occurs in 13% to 15% of patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although hepatic and pulmonary venoocclusive diseases may share some pathologic features as well as some etiologies such as HSCT, these two disorders have never been described together in a single adult patient. We report the case of a patient who received HSCT and developed HVOD and PVOD within 9 months. Despite their differences, PVOD and HVOD share common risk factors and associated conditions, suggesting that in the context of HSCT, the two diseases share common pathophysiological mechanisms. Optimal treatment for HSCT-related PVOD remains to be determined.

© 2020 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes., Aims: Changes in echocardiographic parameters and biomarkers of cardiac and venous pressures or estimated plasma volume during hospitalization associated with decongestive treatments in acute heart failure (AHF) patients with either preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFPEF) or reduced LVEF (HFREF) are poorly assessed. Methods and results: From the metabolic road to diastolic heart failure: diastolic heart failure (MEDIA‐DHF) study, 111 patients were included in this substudy: 77 AHF (43 HFPEF and 34 HFREF) and 34 non‐cardiac dyspnea patients. Echocardiographic measurements and blood samples were obtained within 4 h of presentation at the emergency department and before hospital discharge. In AHF patients, echocardiographic indices of cardiac and venous pressures, including inferior vena cava diameter [from 22 (16–24) mm to 13 (11–18) mm, P = 0.009], its respiratory variability [from 32 (8–44) % to 43 (29–70) %, P = 0.04], medial E/e' [from 21.1 (15.8–29.6) to 16.6 (11.7–24.3), P = 0.004], and E wave deceleration time [from 129 (105–156) ms to 166 (128–203) ms, P = 0.003], improved during hospitalization, similarly in HFPEF and HFREF patients. By contrast, no changes were seen in non‐cardiac dyspnea patients. In AHF patients, all plasma biomarkers of cardiac and venous pressures, namely B‐type natriuretic peptide [from 935 (514–2037) pg/mL to 308 (183–609) pg/mL, P < 0.001], mid‐regional pro‐atrial natriuretic peptide [from 449 (274–653) pmol/L to 366 (242–549) pmol/L, P < 0.001], and soluble CD‐146 levels [from 528 (406–654) ng/mL to 450 (374–529) ng/mL, P = 0.003], significantly decreased during hospitalization, similarly in HFPEF and HFREF patients. Echocardiographic parameters of cardiac chamber dimensions [left ventricular end‐diastolic volume: from 120 (76–140) mL to 118 (95–176) mL, P = 0.23] and cardiac index [from 2.1 (1.6–2.6) mL/min/m2 to 1.9 (1.4–2.4) mL/min/m2, P = 0.55] were unchanged in AHF patients, except tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) that improved during hospitalization [from 16 (15–19) mm to 19 (17–21) mm, P = 0.04]. Estimated plasma volume increased in both AHF [from 4.8 (4.2–5.6) to 5.1 (4.4–5.8), P = 0.03] and non‐cardiac dyspnea patients (P = 0.01). Serum creatinine [from 1.18 (0.90–1.53) to 1.19 (0.86–1.70) mg/dL, P = 0.89] and creatinine‐based estimated glomerular filtration rate [from 59 (40–75) mL/min/1.73m2 to 56 (38–73) mL/min/1.73m2, P = 0.09] were similar, while plasma cystatin C [from 1.50 (1.20–2.27) mg/L to 1.78 (1.33–2.59) mg/L, P < 0.001] and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) [from 127 (95–260) ng/mL to 167 (104–263) ng/mL, P = 0.004] increased during hospitalization in AHF. Conclusions: Echocardiographic parameters and plasma biomarkers of cardiac and venous pressures improved during AHF hospitalization in both acute HFPEF and HFREF patients, while cardiac chamber dimensions, cardiac output, and estimated plasma volume showed minimal changes., This study was supported by a grant from the European Union funded by the Seventh Framework Programme for Health in 2010 (FP7-HEALTH-2010-MEDIA; Luxembourg) (F.Z., P.R., A. M) and research fellowship from Japan Heart Foundation (E. A.). P.R., N.G., T.C., and F.Z. are supported by a public grant overseen by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the second “Investissements d’Avenir” programmes Fighting Heart Failure (reference: ANR-15-RHU-0004), GEENAGE Impact Lorraine Université d’Excellence and by the Contrat de Plan Etat Lorraine IT2MP and FEDER Lorraine. LNLVA is supported by a training grant from the European Society of Cardiology (2015) and a travelling award from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (August 2015 and 2016). LNLVA gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Fund for Cardiac Surgery through the Jacqueline Bernheim prize 2015.

Background We studied the course of plasma concentrations of 4 cardiovascular biomarkers: natriuretic peptides (BNP, NT-proBNP; mid-regional (MR) pro-atrial NP); and soluble endothelial CD146 (sCD146), in patients with severe mitral valve stenosis undergoing percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) to identify potential markers of procedural success. Methods Biomarkers were tested in 40 patients the day before and the day after PMC. Success was defined as mitral valve area ≥ 1.5 cm2; or an increase of ≥0.5 cm2 in mitral valve area associated with echocardiographic mitral regurgitation Results Average age was 63.5 ± 12.7 years; 32(80%) were female. Before PMC, mean valve area was 1.1 ± 0.2 cm2, mean gradient 9.1 ± 3.5 mmHg. PMC was successful in 30 (75%) and unsuccessful in 10 (25%). PMC yielded a significant reduction in MR-proANP and sCD146, driven by a significant reduction in these biomarkers in patients with successful procedure, whereas no reduction was observed in patients with unsuccessful procedure. A significant correlation was found between changes in plasma sCD146 and the relative change in mitral valve area. Elevated pre-procedural sPAP correlated with high sCD146, and accordingly, a significant correlation between the decrease in sPAP and sCD146 after PMC was shown. Conclusions MR-proANP and plasma sCD146 decreased significantly immediately after successful PMC. They appear to be markers of immediate success of PMC and of the hemodynamic improvement achieved by this procedure in patients with MS. Trial registration This study is part of the cohorts registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on June 16, 2011 under the number NCT01374880.

Rationale: Oral treprostinil improves exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but the effect on clinical outcomes was unknown.\ud \ud Objectives: To evaluate the effect of oral treprostinil compared with placebo on time to first adjudicated clinical worsening event in participants with PAH who recently began approved oral monotherapy.\ud \ud Methods: In this event-driven, double-blind study, we randomly allocated 690 participants (1:1 ratio) with PAH to receive placebo or oral treprostinil extended-release tablets three times daily. Eligible participants were using approved oral monotherapy for over 30 days before randomization and had a 6-minute-walk distance 150 m or greater. The primary endpoint was the time to first adjudicated clinical worsening event: death; hospitalization due to worsening PAH; initiation of inhaled or parenteral prostacyclin therapy; disease progression; or unsatisfactory long-term clinical response.\ud \ud Measurements and Main Results: Clinical worsening occurred in 26% of the oral treprostinil group compared with 36% of placebo participants (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.56–0.97; P = 0.028). Key measures of disease status, including functional class, Borg dyspnea score, and N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide, all favored oral treprostinil treatment at Week 24 and beyond. A noninvasive risk stratification analysis demonstrated that oral treprostinil–assigned participants had a substantially higher mortality risk at baseline but achieved a lower risk profile from Study Weeks 12–60. The most common adverse events in the oral treprostinil group were headache, diarrhea, flushing, nausea, and vomiting.\ud \ud Conclusions: In participants with PAH, addition of oral treprostinil to approved oral monotherapy reduced the risk of clinical worsening.\ud \ud Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01560624).

AIMS: EMPEROR-Preserved is an ongoing trial evaluating the effect of empagliflozin in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This report describes the baseline characteristics of the EMPEROR-Preserved cohort and compares them with patients enrolled in prior HFpEF trials. METHODS AND RESULTS: EMPEROR-Preserved is a phase III randomized, international, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial in which 5988 symptomatic HFpEF patients [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%] with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been enrolled. Patients were required to have elevated N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations (i.e. >300 pg/mL in patients without and >900 pg/mL in patients with atrial fibrillation) along with evidence of structural changes in the heart or documented history of heart failure hospitalization. Among patients enrolled from various regions (45% Europe, 11% Asia, 25% Latin America, 12% North America), the mean age was 72 ± 9 years, 45% were women. Almost all patients had New York Heart Association class II or III symptoms (99.6%), and 23% had prior heart failure hospitalization within 12 months. Thirty-three percent of the patients had baseline LVEF of 41-50%. The mean LVEF (54 ± 9%) was slightly lower while the median NT-proBNP [974 (499-1731) pg/mL] was higher compared with previous HFpEF trials. Presence of comorbidities such as diabetes (49%) and chronic kidney disease (50%) were common. The majority of the patients were on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (80%) and beta-blockers (86%), and 37% of patients were on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. CONCLUSION: When compared with prior trials in HFpEF, the EMPEROR-Preserved cohort has a somewhat higher burden of comorbidities, lower LVEF, higher median NT-proBNP and greater use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists at baseline. Results of the EMPEROR-Preserved trial will be available in 2021. ispartof: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEART FAILURE vol:22 issue:12 pages:2383-2392 ispartof: location:England status: published

International audience; Congestion is one of the main predictors of poor patient outcome in patients with heart failure. However, congestion is difficult to assess, especially when symptoms are mild. Although numerous clinical scores, imaging tools, and biological tests are available to assist physicians in ascertaining and quantifying congestion, not all are appropriate for use in all stages of patient management. In recent years, multidisciplinary management in the community has become increasingly important to prevent heart failure hospitalizations. Electronic alert systems and communication platforms are emerging that could be used to facilitate patient home monitoring that identifies congestion from heart failure decompensation at an earlier stage. This paper describes the role of congestion detection methods at key stages of patient care: pre-admission, admission to the emergency department, in-hospital management, and lastly, discharge and continued monitoring in the community. The multidisciplinary working group, which consisted of cardiologists, emergency physicians, and a nephrologist with both clinical and research backgrounds, reviewed the current literature regarding the various scores, tools, and tests to detect and quantify congestion. This paper describes the role of each tool at key stages of patient care and discusses the advantages of telemedicine as a means of providing true integrated patient care. (c) 2018 Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

Aims Congestion is a central feature of acute heart failure (HF) and its assessment is important for clinical decisions (e.g. tailoring decongestive treatments). It remains uncertain whether patients with acute HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are comparably congested as in acute HF with reduced EF (HFrEF). This study assessed congestion, right ventricular (RV) and renal dysfunction in acute HFpEF, HFrEF and non-cardiac dyspnoea. Methods and results We compared echocardiographic and circulating biomarkers of congestion in 146 patients from the MEDIA-DHF study: 101 with acute HF (38 HFpEF, 41 HFrEF, 22 HF with mid-range ejection fraction) and 45 with non-cardiac dyspnoea. Compared with non-cardiac dyspnoea, patients with acute HF had larger left and right atria, higher E/e', pulmonary artery systolic pressure and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter at rest, and lower IVC variability (all P 0.05) compared with HFrEF. Conclusion In acute conditions, HFpEF and HFrEF presented in a comparable state of venous congestion, with similarly altered RV and kidney function, despite higher BNP in HFrEF.

Rehabilitation appears to be beneficial in PAH patients, but more research is needed before increasing the level of evidence for recommendations.http://bit.ly/33zutuZ

Acute heart failure (AHF) is frequently encountered in the emergency department (ED) or in the cardiac care unit (CCU)/ICU. Discrimination between cardiac and noncardiac cause of dyspnea by clinical means and standard testing is sometimes inadequate. The aim of our study was to assess AHF diagnosis agreement as determined by: (a) the attending physician, (b) the hospital discharge diagnosis, and (c) an adjudication committee.Between 2010 and 2011, consecutive patients arriving for dyspnea in our hospital were prospectively included. A convenience sample of patients was enrolled in this analysis. Patients were admitted through the ED (280 patients) or through CCU/ICU (112 patients) for undifferentiated dyspnea.Overall, few differences were observed between the initial diagnosis and the hospital discharge diagnosis or the adjudicated diagnosis. Among the 200 patients with an initial diagnosis of AHF, hospital discharge diagnosis confirmed AHF (alone or combined) in 191 (95.5%) patients and the adjudication committee confirmed AHF (alone or combined) in 196 (98%) patients.Our study showed considerable agreement between different AHF diagnostic standards. An initial AHF diagnosis on the basis of clinical signs and biological parameters utilizing B-type natriuretic peptide testing has high agreement and accuracy with the hospital discharge and adjudicated diagnosis of AHF. The present study also shows that the accuracy of the initial AHF diagnosis allows rapid inclusion in AHF trials. These results, if confirmed in a broader cohort of patients, suggest that the initial ED diagnosis is highly accurate and reliable to guide further inpatient management.

IF 2.335 (2-year Impact Factor); International audience; Background: rofessional societies call for integration of end-of-life discussions early in the trajectory of heart failure, yet it remains unclear where current practices stand in relation to these recommendations. We sought to describe the perceptions and attitudes of caregivers in cardiology regarding end-of-life situations.Methods: e performed a qualitative study using semi-directive interviews in the cardiology department of a university teaching hospital in France. Physicians, nurses and nurses’ aides working full-time in the department at the time of the study were eligible. Participants were asked to describe how they experienced end-of-life situations. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded using thematic analysis to identify major and secondary themes.Results: ll physicians (N = 16)(average age 43.5 ± 13 years), 16 nurses (average age 38.5 ± 7.6 years) and 5 nurses’ aides (average age 49 ± 7.8 years) participated. Interviews were held between 30 March and 17 July 2017. The main themes to emerge from the physicians’ discourse were the concept of cardiology being a very active discipline, and a very curative frame of mind was prevalent. Communication (with paramedical staff, patients and families) was deemed to be important. Advance directives were thought to be rare, and not especially useful. Nurses also reported communication as a major issue, but their form of communication is bounded by several factors (physicians’ prior discourse, legislation). They commonly engage in reconciling: between the approach (curative or palliative) and the reality of the treatment prescribed; performing curative interventions in patients they deem to be dying cases causes them distress. The emergency context prevents nurses from taking the time necessary to engage in end-of-life discussions. They engage in comfort-giving behaviors to maximize patient comfort.Conclusion: urrent perceptions and practices vis-à-vis end-of-life situations in our department are individual, heterogeneous and not yet aligned with recommendations of professional societies.

Pericarditis is the most commonly recognized cardiac complication in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, myocarditis with cardiac shock as the initial manifestation of SLE is uncommon. We describe a case of a 28-year-old man who presented cardiogenic shock revealing SLE. A 28-year-old man, white, with a history of smoking, presented to the emergency department in December 2016 with dyspnea. Blood pressure was 165/75 mm Hg, pulse rate 113 beats per minute, body temperature 36°C, and oxygen saturation 100%. Cardiovascular examination was remarkable for signs of congestion with edemas of lower limbs. Skin examination revealed livedo on both feet (Figure 1). Initial laboratory data on admission showed the following: Troponin I 0.053 μg/L (N

Introduction: With advances in medication and device therapy for heart failure pts, the number of end-of-life situations encountered in cardiology is rising. We aimed to understand perceptions and attitudes of medical and paramedical staff regarding end-of-life situations using a qualitative approach. Methods: Single-centre, qualitative study using semi-directive interviews with physicians, nurses and nurses’ aides in a university hospital cardiology unit. Participants were invited to describe experiences and feelings about end-of-life situations. Interviews were transcribed in full and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: 13 physicians, 16 nurses and 5 nurses’ aides were interviewed. The main themes that arose in the discourse were the frequency, the type of death (emergency vs chronic disease), the value of the pt’s life, the positive effect of communication, and the rarity of advance directives (AD). The majority felt that end-of-life situations are increasingly frequent, and their management has improved. Cardiology was felt to be a highly technical discipline where death is generally rapid; otherwise, for pts with end-stage heart failure, the course of disease allows time to anticipate end of life issues. Nurses tend to engage in a degree of “coaxing” to persuade physicians to move from a curative to a palliative frame of mind, particularly in the cardiac intensive care unit. The perceived value of the pt’s life plays a role in the level of therapeutic engagement, with younger patients receiving more intensive resuscitation manoeuvers, whereas oldest-old patients are more rapidly labelled as “end of life” cases. Communication was felt to be key to ensuring that pt, family and healthcare workers (HCW) are all in agreement regarding clinical status and likely outcome. Nurses in particular can suffer considerable distress when their opinions regarding the pt’s status or wishes are not taken into account by the physicians, or when they are asked to continue invasive therapies for a pt they consider to be at the end-of-life. Poor communication was felt to engender suffering both among HCW and families; and lack of time was cited as a frequent cause. AD were not unanimously considered useful; some felt that discussing end-of-life may be more harmful than helpful, and overall, AD remain infrequent in our unit. The pt’s wishes are taken into account if possible, but some believe the pt is not qualified to know what can be done, and in such cases, their wishes may be disregarded as inappropriate to the clinical situation. Conclusions: Most participants felt that management of end-of-life has greatly improved in terms of pain relief and communication. Poor communication remains prevalent and can be a source of suffering for patients, families and caregivers, especially nurses.

Background: After discharge, patients with Acute Heart Failure (AHF) have a high risk of early re-admission and death. Many patients are discharged early before treatment has been optimized. By using a multicenter cohort of AHF patients, we analyzed changes in evidence-based HF medication between admission, discharge and early follow-up as well as their links to mortality. Methods: Clinical data and medications were collected during hospitalization. Changes in medication during the 3 months following discharge as well as the rate of all-cause mortality at one year were analyzed. Results: Among survivors at 3 months, 275 patients with LVEF ≤ 40% were included (age 72 ± 14 y). Between admission and discharge, usage of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and beta blocker (BB) increased by 19 to 20% and MRA by 8%. At discharge, ACE-I or ARB were prescribed in 80% of cases with the mean dose reaching 36 ± 31% of target dose, BB in 70% with the mean dose of 27 ± 51% of the target dose, mineraloreceptor antagonists (MRA) were prescribed in 23% and diuretics in 88% cases. Three months after discharge, there were few changes in medications. Start in ACE-I or ARB, beta-blockers and MRA was performed in 3 to 7% while cessation was performed in 5 to 6% cases. Changes in doses were observed in about 25% cases. usage of BB and Ace ORARB >/ % of target dose at 3 months shows a tendency to deusage montality [ HR=5,2999;95%ic1,7369-16-1722; p=0,0635]. Conclusion: Our data points out inertia in optimization of evidence-based HF medications after discharge and focus on potential explanations of such inertia. Medical ineatia have a potential impaction on outcomein heart failure.

Background Epidemiologic data about cardiogenic shock (CS) are still poor and focused on ischemic CS, forgetting all part of the CS encountered in clinical practice. Methods FRENSHOCK registry (NCT02703038) was a large prospective multicenter registry of non-selected CS patients admitted in critical care units realized between April and October 2016 in France. Patients were included if they met the following three criteria: – low cardiac output defined by SBP – elevation of left and/or right heart pressures defined by clinic/radiology/biology/echocardiography/Swan-Ganz; – clinical and/or biological hypoperfusion. Results In total, 772 patients were included in 48 centers (male 72%, mean age of 66y). Comorbidities associated previous coronary revascularization 26%, peripheral arterial disease 15%, renal failure 21%, COPD 6%, diabetes 28%, tobacco 28%, dyslipidemia 35% and hypertension 47%. 56% were known for previous cardiomyopathy (30% ischemic, 10% idiopathic, 8% valvular). CS etiology often associated several triggers: ischemic was retained for 36% (type 1 infarction 17%). Non-ischemic trigger factors were predominant (64%): supra-ventricular (13%) and ventricular arrythmia (13%), infection (12%), iatrogenic (6%), conductive disorders (2%), non-observance (4%), and others (14%). At admission median SBP was 101.2 mmHg. Right heart failure signs were present in 49% and left signs in 72% (Killip IV 49%). Biological analysis found high lactate (3.0 mmol/L), renal (eGFR 49.6 ml/min) and hepatic alteration (ASAT 90.0 UI/ml; PT 57.1%). Median LVEF was 26.3% and TAPSE 13.4 mm. When realized (52%) coronarography was pathological in 81% (monotroncular 31%, bitroncular 35% and tritroncular 34%). A culprit lesion (79%) concern LVA 48%, RCA 23% and left main 15%. Conclusion CS presentation and etiology are heterogeneous with a predominance of non-ischemic CS in practice.

The present study involved both human cohorts and animal experiments to explore the performance of soluble CD146 (sCD146), a marker of endothelial function, as a diagnostic marker of acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF), to determine the influence of patients' characteristics on that performance and to explore the potential application of CD146 in the pathophysiology of ADHF.NT-proBNP and sCD146 were measured in three hundred ninety-one patients admitted to the emergency department for acute dyspnea. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that AUCs for ADHF diagnosis in dyspneic patients were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.82-0.90) for sCD146 and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86-0.92) for NT-proBNP. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that adding sCD146 to NT-proBNP improved the diagnostic performance for patients lying in the gray zone of NT-proBNP (p=0.02) and could be especially useful for ruling-out ADHF. An experimental model of ADHF in rats using thoracic aortic constriction suggests that CD146 is expressed in the intima of large arteries and associated with both left ventricular function and organ congestion.sCD146, a marker of endothelial function, seems to be as powerful as NT-proBNP is used to detect the cardiac origin of an acute dyspnea. The combination of sCD146 and NT-proBNP may have better performance than NT-proBNP used alone in particular for patients underlying in the "gray" zone and could therefore be an improved option for ruling-out ADHF. Both experimental and human data suggest that CD146 is related to systolic left ventricular function and to organ congestion.

This study sought to hypothesize that elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) could act as an endogenous neprilysin inhibitor.A hallmark of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the overproduction of natriuretic peptides (NPs) by stretched cardiomyocytes. Various strategies have been developed to potentiate the beneficial effect of the NPs, including the recent use of neprilysin angiotensin receptor inhibitors. Contrary to rodents, human BNP is poorly sensitive to neprilysin degradation while retaining affinity to neprilysin.We enrolled 638 patients presenting to the emergency department with acute dyspnea of which 468 had ADHF and 169 had dyspnea of noncardiac origin. We also included 46 patients with stable chronic heart failure (HF) and 10 age-matched healthy subjects. Plasma samples were collected within 4 h after emergency department admission. BNP, neprilysin concentration and activity, and the neprilysin substrate substance P concentration were measured.We found that when plasma BNP rose above 916 pg/ml, neprilysin activity was markedly reduced (p0.0001) and stratified 95% of the population into 2 groups: BNP916 pg/ml/neprilysin activity ≥ 0.21 nmol/ml/min and BNP ≥916 pg/ml/neprilysin activity0.21 nmol/ml/min with very different prognoses. In vitro, BNP was responsible for neprilysin inhibition. Neprilysin activity was inversely correlated with the concentration of substance P (ρ = -0.80; p0.0001).Besides being an effector of the cardiac response to cardiomyocyte stretching in ADHF, elevated plasma BNP is also an endogenous neprilysin inhibitor. A biologically relevant BNP threshold discriminates 2 populations of HF patients with different vasoactive peptide profiles and outcome. If confirmed, this may identify an important threshold for managing HF patients.

Background: Diagnostic biomarkers for heart failure (HF) such as the natriuretic peptides (NPs) are widely used but have limitations. Innovative biomarkers could provide improved diagnostic performance. Methods: We launched a prospective case-control proteomic study and investigated for polypeptides specific to HF through a capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) proteomic analysis. The putative biomarker was identified by Orbitrap liquid chromatography-MS, validated by western blot, then by ELISA using plasmas from multicentric international cohorts. A rat model of HF was tested for biomarker expression levels. Results: We identified insulin like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) as a new diagnostic biomarker for HF with a high sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.96; p

Rapidly assessing outcome in patients with acute decompensated heart failure is important but prognostic factors may differ from those used routinely for stable chronic heart failure. Multiple plasma biomarkers, besides the classic natriuretic peptides, have recently emerged as potential prognosticators. Furthermore, prognostic scores that combine clinical and biochemical data may also be useful. However, compared with the scores used in chronic heart failure, scores for acute decompensated heart failure have not been validated. This article reviews potential biomarkers, with a special focus on biochemical biomarkers, and possible prognostic scores that could be used by the clinician when assessing outcome in patients with acute heart failure.

Background: Concentrations of the anti-angiogenic factor soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) are altered in peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). In this study we investigated changes in the angiogenesis balance in PPCM. Methods and Results: Plasma concentrations of sFlt-1 and the pro-angiogenic placenta growth factor (PlGF) were determined in patients with PPCM during the post-partum phase (n=83), in healthy women at delivery (n=30), and in patients with acute heart failure (AHF; n=65). Women with cardiac failure prepartum or associated with any form of hypertension, including pre-eclampsia, were excluded. Compared with non-pregnant women, in women with AHF and PPCM, median PlGF concentrations were greater (19 [IQR 16–22] and 98 [IQR 78–126] ng/mL, respectively; P0.94. Median plasma concentrations of the anti-angiogenic factor relaxin-2 were lower in PPCM and AHF (0.3 [IQR 0.3–1.7] and 0.3 [IQR 0.3–1] ng/mL, respectively) compared with normal deliveries (1,807 [IQR 1,101–4,050] ng/mL; P

Background Increases in plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations in those with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) has been mainly attributed to an increase in NPPB gene transcription. Recently, proBNP glycosylation has emerged as a potential regulatory mechanism in the production of amino-terminal (NT)-proBNP and BNP. The aim of the present study was to investigate proBNP glycosylation, and corin and furin activities in ADHF patients. Methods and results Plasma levels of proBNP, NT-proBNP, BNP, as well as corin and furin concentration and activity were measured in a large cohort of 683 patients presenting with ADHF ( n = 468), non-cardiac dyspnoea (non-ADHF: n = 169) and 46 patients with stable chronic heart failure (CHF); the degree of plasma proBNP glycosylation was assessed in a subset of these patients (ADHF: n = 49, non-ADHF: n = 50, CHF: n = 46). Our results showed a decrease in proBNP glycosylation in ADHF patients that paralleled NT-proBNP overproduction ( ρ = −0.62, P 0.88), and negatively related to the degree of proBNP glycosylation (ρ = −0.62, P < 0.001). Conclusion These comprehensive results provide a paradigm for the post-translational modification of natriuretic peptides in ADHF: as proBNP glycosylation decreases, furin activity increases. This synergistically amplifies the processing of proBNP into BNP and NT-proBNP. Clinical Trial Registration . Identifier: [NCT01374880][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT01374880&atom=%2Fehj%2Fearly%2F2014%2F10%2F06%2Feurheartj.ehu314.atom

Background Outcome of acute heart failure (AHF) patients according to the final destination after emergency department (ED) has been poorly studied with contradictory results. Purpose To compare long-term outcomes after an episode of acute heart failure (AHF) in patients according to their destinations after ED. Methods OFICA (Observatoire Francais de l’Insuffisance Cardiaque Aigue) is a French snapshot registry of all patients with ongoing hospitalization for AHF in a nationwide and representative sample of 170 French hospitals. One thousand six hundreds and fifty-seven patients were included the 12th of March, 2009. Various data were collected including the final destination after ED and patients were followed-up for death as primary outcome. Hazard ratios were calculated for patients admitted in geriatric departments and other wards then compared with those hospitalized in cardiology. P Results Mean age was 76,0 ± 13,2 y with a sex-ratio close to 1. Overall, the small number of AHF patients referred from the ED to a cardiology ward was 19% with more frequently HF REF. Besides, AHF patients admitted in geriatric unit were older (p Conclusion While patients have similar 1-year outcomes irrespective of the destination after ED care for an AHF episode, those initially admitted in geriatrics present worse 5-year outcomes when managed by non-cardiology departments, despite adjustment for different clinical patient profiles. Reasons for this heterogeneous specialty-related performance should be investigated.

International audience; AIMS: To improve knowledge of epidemiological data, management, and clinical outcome of acute heart failure (AHF) in a real-life setting in France. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted an observational survey constituting a single-day snapshot of all unplanned hospitalizations because of AHF in 170 hospitals throughout France (the OFICA survey). A total of 1658 patients (median age 79 years, 55% male) were included. Family doctors were the first medical contact in 43% of cases, and patients were admitted through emergency departments in 64% of cases. Clinical scenarios were mainly acutely decompensated HF (48%) and acute pulmonary oedema (38%) with similar clinical and biological characteristics as well as outcome. Characteristics were different and severity higher in both shock and right HF. Infection and arrhythmia were the most frequent precipitating factors (27% and 24% of cases); diabetes and chronic pulmonary disease were the most frequent co-morbidities (31% and 21%). Over 80% of patients underwent both natriuretic peptide testing and echocardiography. LVEF was preserved (>50%) in 36% of patients and associated with specific characteristics and lower severity. Median hospital stay was 13 days; in-hospital mortality was 8.2%, and independent predictors were age, blood pressure, and creatinine. Treatment at discharge in patients with reduced LVEF included ACE inhibitors/ARBs, beta-blockers, and aldosterone inhibitors in 78, 67, and 27% cases. Non-surgical devices were reported in

Adjunctive thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention improves myocardial perfusion and survival; however, the effect of effective thrombus retrieval remains unclear. We evaluated whether macroscopic-positive TA in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction would reduce the infarct size (IS) and microvascular obstruction (MVO), as assessed by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 88 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were prospectively recruited and assigned to the TA-positive group (n = 38) or TA-negative group (n = 50) according to whether macroscopic aspirate thrombus was visible to the naked eye. The primary end points were the extent of early and late MVO as assessed by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging performed during in-hospital stay and IS evaluated in the acute phase and at 6 months of follow-up. The incidence of early and late MVO and IS in the acute phase was lower in the TA-positive group than in the TA-negative group (early MVO 3.8 ± 1.1% vs 7.6 ± 2.1%, respectively, p = 0.003; late MVO 2.1 ± 0.9% vs 5.4 ± 2.9%, p = 0.006; and IS 14.9 ± 8.7% vs 28.2 ± 15.8%, p = 0.004). At the 6-month contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging study, the final IS was significantly lower in the TA-positive group (12.0 ± 8.3% vs 22.3 ± 14.3%, respectively) than in the TA-negative group (p = 0.002). After multivariate adjustment, macroscopic-positive TA represented an independent predictor of final IS (odds ratio 0.34, 95% confidence interval 0.03 to 0.71, p = 0.01). In conclusion, effective macroscopic thrombus retrieval before stenting during percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is associated with an improvement in myocardial reperfusion, as documented by a clear reduction in the MVO extent and IS.

Background Mitral stenosis (MS) may cause progressive dyspnea on exertion, pulmonary hypertension (PH), atrial fibrillation and right ventricular (RV) failure. Patients with MS presenting with change in dyspnea severity often require a complete cardiologic assessment, but the use of biomarkers may be an alternative for the initial assessment of MS and its complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of several cardiovascular biomarkers for this purpose. Methods Clinically stable patients with moderate or severe MS were included in this prospective multicenter observational study. ECG, transthoracic echocardiography and biomarker measurement (BNP, MR-proANP and sCD146) were performed at inclusion. One cohort of patients with pre-capillary PH (PAH) was included for comparison of biomarker levels in different etiologies of PH. Results A total of 117 MS (70% severe, 30% moderate stenosis) were included. Plasma levels of all three biomarkers were higher in severe MS compared to moderate MS. PH was associated with higher levels of BNP and MR-proANP. The presence of atrial fibrillation increased plasma levels of BNP and sCD146, whereas MR-proANP was not affected by atrial fibrillation. PAH patients had higher levels of sCD146 compared to MS patients with PH. RV dysfunction was associated with higher levels of sCD146. Conclusion MS and its complications affect plasma levels of cardiovascular biomarkers. The use of MR-proANP may be helpful for the assessment of severe stenosis and the presence of PH in the early phase. sCD146 might help identifying patients with more advanced PH and RV-dysfunction.