Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure Syndromes: An Update

: Heart failure is one of the leading healthcare problems in the world. Clinical data lacks sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of heart failure. Laboratory biomarkers are a non-invasive method of assessing suspected decompensated heart failure. Biomarkers such as natriuretic peptides have shown promising results in the management of heart failure. The literature does not provide comprehensive guidance in the utilization of biomarkers in the setting of acute heart failure syndrome. Many conditions that manifest with similar pathophysiology as acute heart failure syndrome may demonstrate positive biomarkers. The following is a review of biomarkers in heart failure, enlightening their role in diagnosis, prognosis and management of heart failure.

Percutaneous (short-term) mechanical circulatory support

Coronary artery disease (CAD) has emerged as the dominant aetiologic factor in acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) and cardiogenic shock (CS). The invasive management of the complex cardiac patient with advanced (decompensated) heart failure, CS, and/or potential haemodynamic compromise during and/after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become the remit of specialty myocardial intervention centres. Such centres provide state-of the art facilities for PCI, including experienced senior operators and critical care physicians who are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with immediate access to cardiac surgery and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) systems.

Acute heart failure: early pharmacological therapy

Acute heart failure syndromes consist of a spectrum of clinical presentations due to impairment of some aspect of cardiac function. They represent a final common pathway for a vast array of pathologies, and may be either a de novo presentation or, more commonly, a decompensation of pre-existing chronic heart failure. Despite being one of the most common medical presentations, there are no definitively proven prognosis-modifying treatments. The mainstay of current therapy is oxygen and intra-venous diuretics. However, within this spectrum of presentations there is a crucial dichotomy which governs ultimate treatment approach, i.e. the presence, or absence, of cardiogenic shock. Patients without cardiogenic shock may receive vasodilators whilst shocked patients should be considered for treatment with inotropic therapy and/or mechanical circulatory support when appropriate and where available

Heterogeneous impact of body mass index on in-hospital mortality in acute heart failure syndromes: An analysis from the ATTEND Registry

Background:Although the obesity paradox may vary depending upon clinical background factors such as age, gender, aetiology of heart failure and comorbidities, the reasons underlying the heterogeneous impact of body mass index (BMI) on in-hospital cardiac mortality under various conditions in patients with acute heart failure syndromes (AHFSs) remain unclear.Methods:Among 4617 hospitalised patients with AHFSs enrolled in the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Syndromes (ATTEND) registry, the patient characteristics and in-hospital cardiac mortality rates in those with low BMI (BMI <25 kg/m2, n = 3263) were compared to those with high BMI (BMI ⩾25 kg/m2, n = 1354).Results:Compared to the high-BMI group, the low-BMI group was significantly older, less likely to be male and to have hypertensive or idiopathic dilated aetiologies and more likely to have valvular aetiologies and a history of prior hospitalisation for AHFS. The low-BMI group also had lower prevalence rates of diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and atrial fibrillation and higher prevalence rates of anaemia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, cardiac mortality was significantly higher in the low-BMI group than in the high-BMI group (5.5 vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that low BMI was a predictor of cardiac mortality (odds ratio: 3.89, 95% confidence interval: 2.44–6.21). In subgroup analyses, the impact of BMI on cardiac mortality differed depending on the presence of hypertensive aetiology, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hyponatremia (all p < 0.05), although there were no interactions between the impacts of BMI and age, gender, other aetiologies, prior hospitalisation, diabetes, anaemia, cardio-renal function and in-hospital management.Conclusion:It is necessary to appreciate the obesity paradox in AHFS patients, and a patient’s heterogeneous background should also be considered.

Plasma volume status predicts prognosis in patients with acute heart failure syndromes

Background: The intravascular compartment is known as the plasma volume, and the extravascular compartment represents fluid within the interstitial space. Plasma volume expansion is a major symptom of heart failure. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of plasma volume status on the prognosis of acute heart failure syndromes. Methods and results: We analyzed 1115 patients with acute heart failure syndromes who were admitted to our hospital. These patients were divided into three groups based on their plasma volume status at admission: first tertile (plasma volume status <41.9%, n = 371), second tertile (41.9%⩽ plasma volume status <49.0%, n = 372), and third tertile (49.0%⩽ plasma volume status, n = 372). Plasma volume status was defined as follows: actual plasma volume = (1 − hematocrit) × [ a + ( b × body weight)] ( a=1530 in males and a=864 in females, b=41.0 in males and b=47.9 in females); ideal plasma volume = c × body weight ( c=39 in males and c=40 in females); and plasma volume status = [(actual plasma volume − ideal plasma volume)/ideal plasma volume] × 100 (%). In the Kaplan–Meier analysis, all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality and cardiac events increased progressively from the first to third tertile ( p <0.001, respectively). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, after adjusting for potential confounding factors, plasma volume status was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.429, p < 0.001), cardiac mortality (hazard ratio 1.416, p = 0.001) and cardiac events (hazard ratio 1.207, p = 0.004). Conclusion: Increased congestion is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients. Plasma volume status, which represents intravascular compartment and congestion, can identify poor prognosis in patients with acute heart failure syndromes.