Pre-operative heart failure worsens outcome after aortic valve replacement irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction

Author(s):  
Maria Thilén ◽  
Stefan James ◽  
Elisabeth Ståhle ◽  
Lars Lindhagen ◽  
Christina Christersson

Abstract Aims Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) affects the outcome of aortic valve replacement (AVR) in aortic stenosis (AS). The study aim was to investigate the prognostic importance of concomitant cardiovascular disease in relation to pre-operative LVEF. Methods and results All adult patients undergoing AVR due to AS 2008–14 in a national register for heart diseases were included. All-cause mortality and hospitalization for heart failure during follow-up after AVR, stratified by preserved or reduced LVEF (≤50%), were derived from national patient registers and analysed by Cox regression. During the study period, 10 406 patients, median age 73 years, a median follow-up of 35 months were identified. Preserved LVEF was present in 7512 (72.2%). Among them, 647 (8.6%) had a history of heart failure (HF) and 1099 (14.6%) atrial fibrillation (AF) before the intervention. Pre-operative HF was associated with higher mortality irrespective of preserved or reduced LVEF: hazard ratio (HR) 1.64 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35–1.99] and 1.58 (95% CI 1.30–1.92). Prior AF was associated with a higher risk of mortality in patients with preserved but not in those with reduced LVEF: HR 1.62 (95% CI 1.36–1.92) and 1.05 (95% CI 0.86–1.28). Irrespective of LVEF, pre-operative HF and AF were associated with an increased risk of post-operative heart failure hospitalization. Conclusion In patients planned for AVR, a history of HF or AF, irrespective of LVEF, worsens the post-operative prognosis. Heart failure and AF can be seen as markers of myocardial fibrosis not necessarily discovered by LVEF and the merely use of it, besides symptoms, for the timing of AVR seems suboptimal.

Author(s):  
Parisa Gholami ◽  
Shoutzu Lin ◽  
Paul Heidenreich

Background: BNP testing is now common though it is not clear if the test results are used to improve patient care. A high BNP may be an indicator that the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is low (<40%) such that the patient will benefit from life-prolonging therapy. Objective: To determine how often clinicians obtained a measure of LVEF (echocardiography, nuclear) following a high BNP value when the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was not known to be low (<40%). Methods and Results: We reviewed the medical records of 296 consecutive patients (inpatient or outpatient) with a BNP values of at least 200 pg/ml at a single medical center (tertiary hospital with 8 community clinics). A prior diagnosis of heart failure was made in 65%, while 42% had diabetes, 79% had hypertension, 59% had ischemic heart disease and 31% had chronic lung disease. The mean age was 73 ± 12 years, 75% were white, 10% black, 15% other and the mean BNP was 810 ± 814 pg/ml. The LVEF was known to be < 40% in 84 patients (28%, mean BNP value of 1094 ± 969 pg/ml). Of the remaining 212 patients without a known low LVEF, 161 (76%) had a prior LVEF >=40% ( mean BNP value of 673 ± 635 pg/ml), and 51 (24%) had no prior LVEF documented (mean BNP 775 ± 926 pg/ml). Following the high BNP, a measure of LVEF was obtained (including outside studies documented by the primary care provider) within 6 months in only 53% (113 of 212) of those with an LVEF not known to be low. Of those with a follow-up echocardiogram, the LVEF was <40% in 18/113 (16%) and >=40% in 95/113 (84%). There was no significant difference in mean initial BNP values between those with a follow-up LVEF <40% (872 ± 940pg/ml), >=40% (704 ± 737 pg/ml), or not done (661 ± 649 pg/ml, p=0.5). Conclusions: Follow-up measures of LVEF did not occur in almost 50% of patients with a high BNP where the information may have led to institution of life-prolonging therapy. Of those that did have a follow-up study a new diagnosis of depressesd LVEF was noted in 16%. Screening of existing BNP and LVEF data and may be an efficient strategy to identify patients that may benefit from life-prolonging therapy for heart failure.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Kim ◽  
H L Kim ◽  
K T Park ◽  
W H Lim ◽  
J B Seo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Introduction Previous studies have focused on only 1 or 2 echocardiographic parameters as prognostic marker in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Purpose Various echocardiographic parameters in the same patient were systemically evaluated for their prognostic significance in AIS. Methods A total of 900 patients with AIS who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) (72.6 ± 12.0 years and 60% male) were retrospectively reviewed. Composite events including all-cause mortality, non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization were assessed during clinical follow-up. Results During a median follow-up of 3.3 years (interquartile range, 0.6-5.1 years), there were 151 (16.8%) composite events. Univariable analyses showed that low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (&lt; 60%), increased peak tricuspid regurgitation (TR) velocity (&gt; 2.8 m/s) and aortic valve (AV) sclerosis were associated with composite events (P &lt; 0.05 for each). In the multivariable analyses after controlling for potential confounders, LVEF &lt; 60% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-2.77; P = 0.001) and AV sclerosis (HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.10-2.21; P = 0.013) were independent prognostic factors associated with composite events. Multivariable analysis showed that HR for composite events gradually increased according to LVEF and AV sclerosis: HR was 2.8-fold higher in the highest-risk group than in the lowest group (P = 0.001). Conclusions In patients with AIS, LVEF &lt; 60% and the presence of AV sclerosis predicts the future vascular events. Patients with AIS exhibiting reduced LVEF and AV sclerosis may benefit from aggressive secondary prevention Abstract P1348 Figure. COX plot for composite event


Cardiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 145 (5) ◽  
pp. 275-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Díez-Villanueva ◽  
Lourdes Vicent ◽  
Francisco de la Cuerda ◽  
Alberto Esteban-Fernández ◽  
Manuel Gómez-Bueno ◽  
...  

Background: A significant number of heart failure (HF) patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) experience ventricular function recovery during follow-up. We studied the variables associated with LVEF recovery in patients treated with sacubitril/valsartan (SV) in clinical practice. Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective and multicenter registry including 249 HF outpatients with reduced LVEF who started SV between October 2016 and March 2017. The patients were classified into 2 groups according to LVEF at the end of follow-up (>35%: group R, or ≤35%: group NR). Results: After a mean follow-up of 7 ± 0.1 months, 62 patients (24.8%) had LVEF >35%. They were older (71.3 ± 10.8 vs. 67.5 ± 12.1 years, p = 0.025), and suffered more often from hypertension (83.9 vs. 73.8%, p = 0.096) and higher blood pressure before and after SV (both, p < 0.01). They took more often high doses of beta-blockers (30.6 vs. 27.8%, p = 0.002), with a smaller proportion undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (14.8 vs. 29.0%, p = 0.028) and fewer implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICD; 32.8 vs. 67.9%, p < 0.001), this being the only predictive variable of NR in the multivariate analysis (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.13–0.47, p < 0.0001). At the end of follow-up, the mean LVEF in group R was 41.9 ± 8.1% (vs. 26.3 ± 4.7% in group NR, p < 0.001), with an improvement compared with the initial LVEF of 14.6 ± 10.8% (vs. 0.8 ± 4.5% in group NR, p < 0.0001). Functional class improved in both groups, mainly in group R (p = 0.035), with fewer visits to the emergency department (11.5 vs. 21.6%, p = 0.07). Conclusions: In patients with LVEF ≤35% treated with SV, not carrying an ICD was independently associated with LVEF recovery, which was related to greater improvement in functional class.


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