Background:
The natural history of chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by initial cardiac insult and/or stressors over time that leaves affected individuals at high risk for progressive cardiac dysfunction and eventual development of the syndrome.
Methods:
Of a total of 624 subjects at high risk of developing CHF randomized into the NIL-CHF Study comparing a hybrid program of home and clinic-based follow-up (NIL-CHF group) to Standard Care, 454 (73%) underwent serial echocardiography at 1 month post index cardiac hospitalization and at 3 years. At both time points (nil signs/symptoms of CHF at baseline), these were blindly classified as follows: 1) no cardiac abnormality, 2) systolic dysfunction/HFrEF - LVEF ≤ 45% ), 3) diastolic dysfunction/HFpEF as defined by any moderate diastolic dysfunction (with pseudonormalization pattern) or E/E prime ratio ≥ 15, 4) combination of 2 & 3 and 5) other cardiac abnormality (including LVH). Pre-specified criteria were used to determine - i) no change, ii) improvement or iii) deterioration in cardiac function from baseline to 3 years.
Results:
Mean age was 66±11 years, 71% were male, 70% were hospitalized with an acute coronary syndrome and 62% and 26%, respectively, were being treated for hypertension and diabetes. At baseline 25.2% vs. 28.4% (p=ns), 15.1% vs. 9.1% (p<0.05), 35.1% vs. 32.4% (p=ns) and 34.3% vs. 39.6% had normal cardiac function, HFrEF, HFpEF (13% both HFrEF and HFpEF overall) and LVH (the predominant “other” cardiac abnormality), respectively. At 3 years the proportion of subjects with reversal of pre-existing HFrEF or HFpEF was lower in the NIL-CHF group (23% vs. 16%; p=0.063). Moreover, significantly more NIL-CHF subjects demonstrated any form of cardiac recovery/reversal on echocardiography (39% vs. 25%, p=0.011, 95% CI 1.35, 95% CI 1.04, 1.76). They also demonstrated significantly greater regression to normal LV structure (36% vs. 25%; p=0.047) among those with LVH at baseline.
Conclusions:
These pre-specified analyses (secondary endpoint) of the recently completed NIL-CHF Study suggests a cardio-protective effect conferred by a long-term, nurse-led, home and clinic-based intervention targeting hospitalized individuals at high risk for developing CHF.
The importance of NT proBNP in hypertensive patients management for preventing heart failure