scholarly journals Effect of a Hospital and Postdischarge Quality Improvement Intervention on Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Care for Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

JAMA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 326 (4) ◽  
pp. 314
Author(s):  
Adam D. DeVore ◽  
Bradi B. Granger ◽  
Gregg C. Fonarow ◽  
Hussein R. Al-Khalidi ◽  
Nancy M. Albert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Quality Improvement Intervention ◽  
Reduced Ejection Fraction ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Improvement Intervention

Association of Body Mass Index With Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction Treated With Sacubitril/Valsartan

2021 ◽  
pp. 107424842110244
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Kido ◽  
Christopher Bianco ◽  
Marco Caccamo ◽  
Wei Fang ◽  
George Sokos
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Reduced Ejection Fraction ◽  
Propensity Score Weighting ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure

Background: Only limited data are available that address the association between body mass index (BMI) and clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction who are receiving sacubitril/valsartan. Methods: We performed a retrospective multi-center cohort study in which we compared 3 body mass index groups (normal, overweight and obese groups) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction receiving sacubitril/valsartan. The follow-up period was at least 1 year. Propensity score weighting was performed. The primary outcomes were hospitalization for heart failure and all-cause mortality. Results: Of the 721 patients in the original cohort, propensity score weighting generated a cohort of 540 patients in 3 groups: normal weight (n = 78), overweight (n = 181), and obese (n = 281). All baseline characteristics were well-balanced between 3 groups after propensity score weighting. Among our results, we found no significant differences in hospitalization for heart failure (normal weight versus overweight: average hazard ratio [AHR] 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76-2.20, P = 0.35; normal weight versus obese: AHR 1.04, 95% CI = 0.63-1.70, P = 0.88; overweight versus obese groups: AHR 0.81, 95% CI = 0.54-1.20, P = 0.29) or all-cause mortality (normal weight versus overweight: AHR 0.99, 95% CI = 0.59-1.67, P = 0.97; normal weight versus obese: AHR 0.87, 95% CI = 0.53-1.42, P = 0.57; overweight versus obese: AHR 0.87, 95% CI = 0.58-1.32, P = 0.52). Conclusion: We identified no significant associations between BMI and clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction who were treated with sacubitril/valsartan. A large-scale study should be performed to verify these results.

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: Mechanisms and Treatment Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazunori Omote ◽  
Frederik H. Verbrugge ◽  
Barry A. Borlaug
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽  
Reduced Ejection Fraction ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

Approximately half of all patients with heart failure (HF) have a preserved ejection fraction, and the prevalence is growing rapidly given the aging population in many countries and the rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Functional capacity and quality of life are severely impaired in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and morbidity and mortality are high. In striking contrast to HF with reduced ejection fraction, there are few effective treatments currently identified for HFpEF, and these are limited to decongestion by diuretics, promotion of a healthy active lifestyle, and management of comorbidities. Improved phenotyping of subgroups within the overall HFpEF population might enhance individualization of treatment. This review focuses on the current understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying HFpEF and treatment strategies for this complex syndrome. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Medicine, Volume 73 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Anticancer therapy within the last 30 days of life: Results of an audit and re-audit cycle from a regional cancer center.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e18260-e18260
Author(s):  
Mike Nguyen ◽  
Alysson Wann ◽  
Babak Tamjid ◽  
Arvind Sahu ◽  
Javier Torres
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Retrospective Review ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Quality Improvement Intervention ◽  
Separate Analysis ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Audit Period ◽  
Improvement Intervention

e18260 Background: The therapeutic landscape in medical oncology continues to expand significantly. Newer therapies, especially immunotherapy, offer the hope of profound and durable responses with more tolerable side effect profiles. Integrating this information into the decision making process is challenging for patients and oncologists. Systemic anticancer treatment within the last thirty days of life is a key quality of care indicator and is one parameter used in the assessment of aggressiveness of care. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of all patients previously treated at Goulburn Valley Health oncology department who died between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2018 was conducted. Information collected related to patient demographics, diagnosis, treatment, and hospital care within the last 30 days of life. These results were presented to a hospital meeting and a quality improvement intervention program instituted. A second retrospective review of medical records of all patients who died between 1 July 2018 and 31 December 2018 was conducted in order to measure the effect of this intervention. Results: The initial audit period comprised 440 patients. 120 patients (27%) received treatment within the last 30 days of life. The re-audit period comprised 75 patients. 19 patients (25%) received treatment within the last 30 days of life. Treatment rates of chemotherapy reduced after the intervention in contrast to treatment rates of immunotherapy which increased. A separate analysis calculated the rate of mortality within 30 days of chemotherapy from the total number of patients who received chemotherapy was initially 8% and 2% in the re-audit period. Treatment within the last 30 days of life was associated with higher use of aggressive care such as emergency department presentation, hospitalisation, ICU admission and late hospice referral. Palliative care referral rates improved after the intervention. Conclusions: This audit demonstrated that a quality improvement intervention can impact quality of care indicators with reductions in the use of chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life. However, immunotherapy use increased which may be explained by increased access and perceived better tolerability.

scholarly journals Quality of life and disease experience in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Spain: a mixed-methods study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e053216
Author(s):  
Raül Rubio ◽  
Beatriz Palacios ◽  
Luis Varela ◽  
Raquel Fernández ◽  
Selene Camargo Correa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Heart Failure ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Kansas City ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire ◽  
Reduced Ejection Fraction ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Disease Experience

ObjectivesTo gather insights on the disease experience of patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and assess how patients’ experiences and narratives related to the disease complement data collected through standardised patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Also, to explore new ways of evaluating the burden experienced by patients and caregivers.DesignObservational, descriptive, multicentre, cross-sectional, mixed-methods study.SettingSecondary care, patient’s homes.ParticipantsTwenty patients with HFrEF (New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification I–III) aged 38–85 years.MeasuresPROMs EuroQoL 5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and patient interview and observation.ResultsA total of 20 patients with HFrEF participated in the study. The patients’ mean (SD) age was 72.5 (11.4) years, 65% were male and were classified inNYHA functional classes I (n=4), II (n=7) and III (n=9). The study showed a strong impact of HF in the patients’ quality of life (QoL) and disease experience, as revealed by the standardised PROMs (EQ-5D-5L global index=0.64 (0.36); Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire total symptom score=71.56 (20.55)) and the in-depth interviews. Patients and caregivers often disagreed describing and evaluating perceived QoL, as patients downplayed their limitations and caregivers overemphasised the poor QoL of the patients. Patients related current QoL to distant life experiences or to critical moments in their disease, such as hospitalisations. Anxiety over the disease progression is apparent in both patients and caregivers, suggesting that caregiver-specific tools should be developed.ConclusionsPROMs are an effective way of assessing symptoms over the most recent time period. However, especially in chronic diseases such as HFrEF, PROM scores could be complemented with additional tools to gain a better understanding of the patient’s status. New PROMs designed to evaluate and compare specific points in the life of the patient could be clinically more useful to assess changes in health status.

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