Social Vulnerability Indices as a Risk Factor for Heart Failure Readmissions

Elevated albuminuria, a marker of endothelial renal damage, is a risk factor for cardiovascular events in the general population and in patients with diabetes or hypertension. We report here on its association with mortality in a large population of patients with chronic HF. Albuminuria (albumin/creatinine concentration ratio in a morning spot sample, UACR) was determined in 2131 patients with chronic HF enrolled in 77 centers participating to the GISSI-HF trial. Patients were divided according to normal (UACR <30 mg/g) and abnormal urinary excretion of albumin (≥30 mg/g). Association between elevated albuminuria and all-cause mortality was tested by univariable and multivariable analyses. Elevated albuminuria was found in 25.3% of the population (age 67±11 y, 78.9% males, 30.1% NYHA class III-IV, 55.5% hypertension, 26.1% diabetes) and was more frequent in older patients, those with reduced renal function, diabetes or high CRP. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with elevated albuminuria (20.1% at 1000 days) compared to normals (9.0%, p<0.0001). Elevated albuminuria remained an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (HR [95%CI] 1.47 [1.18 –1.82]) in a Cox model adjusted for clinical risk factors such as age, gender, NYHA class, renal function, diabetes, BMI and blood pressure. About a quarter of the patients enrolled in the GISSI-HF trial had abnormal urinary albumin excretion, a marker for both renal and systemic vascular disease. We show for the first time in a large representative sample that elevated albuminuria is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with chronic HF.

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Abstract 1122‐000035: Is Age Critical in Determining Stroke Severity Within the Telestroke Network?

Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology ◽

10.1161/svin.01.suppl_1.000035 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (S1) ◽

Author(s):

Cassie A Simmons ◽

Nicolas Poupore ◽

Fernando Gonzalez ◽

Thomas I Nathaniel

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Heart Failure ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Baseline Risk ◽

Stroke Severity ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Stroke Risk Factor ◽

Patients Âgés ◽

Increased Risk

Introduction : Age is the single most important risk factor for stroke and an estimated 75% of all strokes occur in people >65 years of age. In addition, adults >75 years’ experience more hospitalization stays and higher mortality rates with an estimated 50% in the occurrence of all strokes. Several comorbidities have been linked to an increased risk and severity of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). How these factors differentially contribute to the severity of stroke in patients ages >65 and <75 as well as those ≥75 is not known. In this study, we aim to investigate how age, coupled with various clinical risk factors, affects AIS severity within these two age categories. Methods : This retrospective data analysis study was conducted using the data collected from the PRISMA Health Stroke Registry between 2010 and 2016. Baseline clinical and demographic data for patients ages >65 and <75 as well as those ≥75 was analyzed using univariate analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and multivariate regression models were used to examine the association of specific baseline risk factors or comorbidities associated with worsening or improving neurologic functions. The primary functions were risk factors associated with improving or worsening neurologic outcome in each age category. Results : Adjusted multivariate analysis showed that AIS population of patients >65 and <75 experiencing heart failure (OR = 4.398, 95% CI, 3.912 – 494.613, P = 0.002) and elevated HDL levels (OR = 1.066, 95% CI, 1.009 – 1.126, P = 0.024) trended towards worsening neurologic functions while patients experiencing obesity (OR = 0.177, 95% CI, 0.041 – 0.760, P = 0.020) exhibited improving neurologic functions. For the patients ≥75 years of age, direct admission (OR = 0.270, 95% CI, 0.085 – 0.856, P = 0.026) was associated with improvement of patients treated in the telestroke. Conclusions : Age is a strong risk factor for AIS, and aged stroke patients have higher morbidity and worsening functional recovery than younger patients. In this study, we observed differences in stroke risk factor profiles for >65 and <75 and ≥75 age categories. Heart failure and elevated HDL levels were significantly associated with worsening neurologic functions among AIS for patients aged >65 and <75. Obese patients and individuals ≥75 years who were directly admitted were most likely to exhibit improving neurologic functions. Most importantly, findings from this study reveal specific risk factors that can be managed to improve the care in older stroke patients treated in the telestroke network.

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