Myocardial regeneration therapy in heart failure: Current status and future therapeutic implications in clinical practice

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits the poorest prognosis of all solid tumors, with a 5-year survival of less than 10%. To improve the prognosis, it is necessary to advance in the development of tools that help us in the early diagnosis, treatment selection, disease monitoring, evaluation of the response and prognosis. Liquid biopsy (LB), in its different modalities, represents a particularly interesting tool for these purposes, since it is a minimally invasive and risk-free procedure that can detect both the presence of genetic material from the tumor and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood and therefore distantly reflect the global status of the disease. In this work we review the current status of the main LB modalities (ctDNA, exosomes, CTCs and cfRNAs) for detecting and monitoring PDAC.

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Adverse clinical outcomes associated with RAAS inhibitor discontinuation: analysis of over 400 000 patients from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD)

Clinical Kidney Journal ◽

10.1093/ckj/sfab029 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Toby J L Humphrey ◽

Glen James ◽

Eric T Wittbrodt ◽

Donna Zarzuela ◽

Thomas F Hiemstra

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Acute Kidney Injury ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

Practice Research ◽

Clinical Practice Research Datalink ◽

Ckd Stage ◽

First Occurrence ◽

Baseline Characteristics

Abstract Background Users of guideline-recommended renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors may experience disruptions to their treatment, e.g. due to hyperkalaemia, hypotension or acute kidney injury. The risks associated with treatment disruption have not been comprehensively assessed; therefore, we evaluated the risk of adverse clinical outcomes in RAAS inhibitor users experiencing treatment disruptions in a large population-wide database. Methods This exploratory, retrospective analysis utilized data from the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink, linked to Hospital Episodes Statistics and the Office for National Statistics databases. Adults (≥18 years) with first RAAS inhibitor use (defined as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers) between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2014 were eligible for inclusion. Time to the first occurrence of adverse clinical outcomes [all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalization, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure hospitalization, cardiac arrest, advancement in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage and acute kidney injury] was compared between RAAS inhibitor users with and without interruptions or cessations to treatment during follow-up. Associations between baseline characteristics and adverse clinical outcomes were also assessed. Results Among 434 027 RAAS inhibitor users, the risk of the first occurrence of all clinical outcomes, except advancement in CKD stage, was 8–75% lower in patients without interruptions or cessations versus patients with interruptions/cessations. Baseline characteristics independently associated with increased risk of clinical outcomes included increasing age, smoking, CKD, diabetes and heart failure. Conclusions These findings highlight the need for effective management of factors associated with RAAS inhibitor interruptions or cessations in patients for whom guideline-recommended RAAS inhibitor treatment is indicated.

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TO019PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY AND HEMOCONCENTRATION DURING ACUTE HEART FAILURE

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation ◽

10.1093/ndt/gfaa141.to019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (Supplement_3) ◽

Author(s):

Yannis Lombardi ◽

Franck Boccara ◽

Kadiatou Baldet ◽

Stéphane Ederhy ◽

Pascal Nhan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Acute Kidney Injury ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Prognostic Value ◽

Serum Proteins ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

Hospital Entry ◽

Furosemide Administration ◽

Transient Aki

Abstract Background and Aims Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurring after diuretic treatment initiation for acute heart failure (AHF) is a common phenomenon, with an incidence estimated between 20 and 50% of AHF hospitalizations. Previous studies found that persistent AKI is associated with poor prognosis. Treatment-induced hemoconcentration is associated with improved prognosis, but several definitions previously used are not suited for clinical practice. Transient AKI, with or without hemoconcentration, is of unsettled prognosis. We aim to determine the independent prognostic value of transient AKI, persistent AKI and hemoconcentration in the context of AHF hospitalization, using practical definitions. Method Data were obtained from the Greater Paris University Hospitals (GPUH) Clinical Data Warehouse. Patients hospitalized for AHF in various GPUH units were included. AHF hospitalization was defined as hospitalization with at least one AHF ICD-10 code and at least one recorded furosemide administration. Bumetanide is rarely used in GPUH hospitals hence it was not considered. AKI in a period of 14 days following first furosemide administration was defined based on KDIGO guidelines. Hemoconcentration was defined as an increase in serum proteins ≥ 5 g/l during the same period. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine which characteristics were predictive of AKI. Cox regression of 100 days all-cause mortality using multiple confounders was performed to determine the prognostic value of transient AKI (< 14 days), persistent AKI (≥ 14 days) and hemoconcentration. Patients with AKI upon hospital entry were excluded from regression analyses. AKI and hemoconcentration were treated as time-dependent covariates to adjust for immortality bias. Results Five hundred seventy nine patients were included. Among them, 529 had no AKI upon hospital entry and 513 had at least one recorded serum proteins and creatinine value following furosemide initiation. Median follow-up was 114 days. AKI in a period of 14 days following furosemide initiation occurred in 234 patients (40.4%). At baseline, patients in the AKI group more frequently suffered from chronic kidney disease or presented with clinical and echocardiographic signs of right heart failure. Independent predictors of AKI were arterial hypertension upon furosemide initiation (adjusted OR 1.86 [1.08 – 3.22]), elevated serum creatinine upon furosemide initiation (adjusted OR 1.07 [1.01 – 1.14] per 10 µmol/l increase) and initial intravenous administration of furosemide (adjusted OR 2.42 [1.39 – 4.29]). Death during follow-up occurred in 35% of patients in the AKI group compared to 21% in the non-AKI group (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, persistent AKI was independently associated with increased mortality in a period of 100 days following furosemide initiation (adjusted HR 2.31 [1.07 – 4.99]). Transient AKI was not significantly associated with mortality (adjusted HR 0.64 [0.34 – 1.19]). Hemoconcentration was independently associated with decreased mortality (adjusted HR 0.46 [0.27 – 0.79]). Conclusion After furosemide initiation during hospitalization for AHF, persistent AKI (≥ 14 days) was independently associated with increased 100 days mortality. Hemoconcentration, using a definition suited for clinical practice (≥ 5 g/l increase in serum proteins), was independently associated with decreased 100 days mortality. No significant association was found between mortality and transient AKI (< 14 days). Those findings show that laboratory tests at a limited cost – serum proteins and creatinine – are helpful to evaluate treatment response and mortality risk during AHF. Prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to establish diuretic strategies based on both AKI and hemoconcentration.

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