Sex-related differences in heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome that is generally defined as cardiac output not adequate to meet the circulatory demands of the body. HF is at the end of the continuum of cardiovascular disease and preceded by an initiating event such as myocardial infarction, untreated hypertension, idiopathic cause, congenital heart disease, or pulmonary hypertension. In recent years, research has revealed differences in various aspects of HF between men and women including risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and response to treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to review these sex-related differences between men and women who live with HF.     

急性心力衰竭患者远期死亡的预测因素分析

目的 探讨急性心力衰竭(AHF)患者远期死亡的预测因素。方法 连续入选南方医科大学顺德医院2012年6月—12月因AHF住院的患者512例,根据出院后1年内是否死亡分为存活组(n＝323)和死亡组(n＝189)。记录患者的基线资料。对出院患者进行中位随访时间20.2月的随访,记录全因死亡事件。使用Cox比例风险回归模型分析死亡的危险因素。结果 1年内全因死亡率为36.9%。单因素Cox比例风险回归模型分析提示,AHF病史(HR 1.41,95%CI 1.02～1.95,P＜0.05)、心率增快(HR 1.01,95%CI 1.00～1.02,P＜0.05)、脑钠肽升高(HR 1.78,95%CI 1.05～3.01,P＜0.05)、低白蛋白(HR 0.94,95%CI 0.92～0.97,P＜0.001)、低血钠(HR 0.97,95%CI 0.94～1.00,P＜0.05)是AHF患者远期死亡的独立预测因素。多因素Cox比例风险回归模型分析提示,AHF病史(HR 1.41,95%CI 1.06～1.88,P＝0.018)、心率增快(HR 1.01,95%CI 1.00～1.01,P＝0.024)、低白蛋白(HR 0.96,95%CI 0.94～0.99,P＝0.003)、低血钠(HR 0.97,95%CI 0.94～0.99,P＝0.010)是AHF患者远期死亡的危险因素。结论 AHF病史、心率增快、低白蛋白、低血钠是AHF患者远期死亡的预测因素。     

Ten-year survival of a cohort of 736 patients with a first myocardial infarction. Sex-related differences?]

The survival of a cohort of 736 patients (617 men and 119 women) with a first acute myocardial infarction is reported. All patients were admitted and diagnosed at a referral center of six areas of the province of Girona, Spain. The results of a follow-up period of 10 years are analyzed. The overall 10-year survival rate was 55% (57% in men and 43% in women). The survival curves for males and females were significantly different (p = 0.0001). In the acute phase of infarction, the mortality amongst women was higher than amongst men. Women suffered from myocardial infarction at an older age than men. When the study population was stratified by age groups, no statistically significant differences in the survival rates between men and women were observed. We conclude that age is the confounding variable that all other survival-related variables have to be adjusted for. Sex was not found to be a determinant factor for long-term survival after myocardial infarction. The worse hemodynamic condition amongst women prior to the infarction may account for the greater mortality in the acute phase observed in females.     

Impact of malnutrition on long-term mortality in hospitalized patients with heart failure

Introduction and objectives

The prevalence of malnutrition among patients with heart failure and the role it might play in prognosis is not currently known. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence and risk of malnutrition as well as its possible influence on long-term mortality in patients with heart failure.

Methods

A prospective analysis was conducted on 208 patients discharged consecutively from our centre between January 2007 and March 2008 after being hospitalised with heart failure. Before discharge, a complete nutritional assessment was performed and diagnosis of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition was done with the Mini Nutritional Assessment. Its possible independent association with mortality was assessed by a Cox multivariate analysis.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 73 ± 10 years, with 46% women; the most common aetiology of heart failure was ischaemia (41%). In addition, 13% were classified as malnourished, 59.5% at risk of malnutrition and 27.5% were well-nourished. At a median follow-up of 25 months, mortality in the three groups was 76%, 35.9% and 18.9%, respectively (log-rank, P < .001). In the Cox multivariate analysis, the malnutrition state was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio 3.75, 95% confidence interval, 1.75-8.02, P = .001).

Conclusions

Malnutrition and the risk of malnutrition are highly prevalent in patients hospitalised for heart failure. Furthermore, we found that the state of malnutrition as defined by the Mini Nutritional Assessment survey is an independent predictor of mortality in these patients.Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org     

ECG in patients with acute heart failure can predict in-hospital and long-term mortality

Initial risk stratification in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) is poorly validated. Previous studies tended to evaluate the prognostic significance of only one or two selected ECG parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of multiple ECG parameters on mortality in AHF. The Acute Heart Failure Database (AHEAD) registry collected data from 4,153 patients admitted for AHF to seven hospitals with Catheter Laboratory facilities. Clinical variables, heart rate, duration of QRS, QT and QTC intervals, type of rhythm and ST-T segment changes on admission were collected in a web-based database. 12.7 % patients died during hospitalisation, the remainder were discharged and followed for a median of 16.2 months. The most important parameters were a prolonged QRS and a junctional rhythm, which independently predict both in-hospital mortality [QRS > 100 ms, odds ratio (OR) 1.329, 95 % CI 1.052–1.680; junctional rhythm, OR 3.715, 95 % CI 1.748–7.896] and long-term mortality (QRS > 120 ms, OR 1.428, 95 % CI 1.160–1.757; junctional rhythm, OR 2.629, 95 % CI 1.538–4.496). Increased hospitalisation mortality is predicted by ST segment elevation (OR 1.771, 95 % CI 1.383–2.269) and prolonged QTC interval >475 ms (OR 1.483, 95 % CI 1.016–2.164). Presence of atrial fibrillation and bundle branch block is associated with increased unadjusted long-term mortality, but mostly reflects more advanced heart disease, and their predictive significance is attenuated in the multivariate analysis. ECG in patients admitted for acute heart failure carries significant short- and long-term prognostic information, and should be carefully evaluated.     

The effects of beta-blockers on morbidity and mortality in a population-based cohort of 11,942 elderly patients with heart failure

PURPOSE: Randomized trials have shown that beta-blockers prevent morbidity and mortality in heart failure. However, whether beta-blockers are effective in older patients or those with conditions that would have led to their exclusion from these trials remains unclear. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The associations between beta-blocker use and outcomes were examined in a population-based cohort of 11,942 older (age >/=65 years) patients with incident heart failure between 1994 and 1999. Cox proportional hazards models were used to adjust for propensity scores, age, sex, comorbid conditions, and other medications. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SD) age of the patients was 79 +/- 8 years, 5819 (49%) were men, and 2569 (22%) had Charlson comorbidity scores of at least 2. During follow-up (median, 21 months), 3539 patients were hospitalized for heart failure and 6757 died. Overall, 1162 patients received beta-blockers. After adjustment, beta-blocker use was associated with substantial reductions in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65 to 0.80), mortality due to heart failure (HR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.90), and hospitalizations for heart failure (HR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.74 to 0.92). These endpoints were less frequent in patients treated with beta-blockers than in untreated patients in all examined subgroups. All doses of beta-blockers were associated with benefit, but there was a trend towards greater benefit in patients prescribed higher doses. CONCLUSIONS: The benefits of beta-blockers seen in randomized trials extend to older patients and to those with conditions that would have led to their exclusion from the trials. There is a need for a randomized trial comparing different doses of beta-blockers in heart failure.     

Sex-related differences in mortality,acute kidney injury,and respiratory failure among critically ill patients with COVID-19

Although the number of deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is higher in men than women, prior studies have provided limited sex-stratified clinical data.We evaluated sex-related differences in clinical outcomes among critically ill adults with COVID-19.Multicenter cohort study of adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units at 67 U.S. hospitals from March 4 to May 9, 2020. Multilevel logistic regression was used to evaluate 28-day in-hospital mortality, severe acute kidney injury (AKI requiring kidney replacement therapy), and respiratory failure occurring within 14 days of intensive care unit admission.A total of 4407 patients were included (median age, 62 years; 2793 [63.4%] men; 1159 [26.3%] non-Hispanic White; 1220 [27.7%] non-Hispanic Black; 994 [22.6%] Hispanic). Compared with women, men were younger (median age, 61 vs 64 years, less likely to be non-Hispanic Black (684 [24.5%] vs 536 [33.2%]), and more likely to smoke (877 [31.4%] vs 422 [26.2%]). During median follow-up of 14 days, 1072 men (38.4%) and 553 women (34.3%) died. Severe AKI occurred in 590 men (21.8%), and 239 women (15.5%), while respiratory failure occurred in 2255 men (80.7%) and 1234 women (76.5%). After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity and clinical variables, compared with women, men had a higher risk of death (OR, 1.50, 95% CI, 1.26–1.77), severe AKI (OR, 1.92; 95% CI 1.57–2.36), and respiratory failure (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.11–1.80).In this multicenter cohort of critically ill adults with COVID-19, men were more likely to have adverse outcomes compared with women.     

Relation of blood urea nitrogen to long-term mortality in patients with heart failure

Patients with chronic kidney disease and heart failure (HF) have been shown to be at higher risk for major adverse cardiovascular events and death. Recent studies have demonstrated that blood urea nitrogen (BUN) might serve as a powerful predictor of mortality in acutely decompensated HF. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of BUN on long-term mortality in patients with stage B and C HF. Our retrospective analysis included patients undergoing percutaneous intervention with a calculated left ventricular ejection fraction < or =50%. Patients on dialysis or with technically inadequate left ventriculograms were excluded. Chart review was performed and mortality data were obtained. Our population included 444 patients with a mean ejection fraction of 38 +/- 10%, mean age of 59 +/- 11 years, median BUN of 14 mg/dl, and median glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 81 ml/min/1.73 m(2); 31% had stage C HF, and 33% died during follow-up. Patients with increased BUN (> or =17 mg/dl) and decreased GFR (< or =69 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) had significantly increased long-term mortality on Kaplan-Meier analysis (8-year mortalities of 57% and 55%, respectively). In patients with stage C HF, mortalities at 8 years were 69% and 73% with abnormal BUN and GFR, respectively. Proportional hazard regression analysis demonstrated that BUN and stage C HF were independently associated with increased mortality, whereas GFR was not. In conclusion, we demonstrated that BUN is strongly associated with mortality in patients with stage B and C HF and may serve as a better biomarker than GFR for prognostication.     

Right bundle branch block and long-term mortality in patients with acute congestive heart failure

OBJECTIVES: Risk stratification in acute congestive heart failure (ACHF) is poorly defined. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of right bundle brunch block (RBBB) on long-term mortality in patients presenting with ACHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The initial 12-lead electrocardiogram was analysed for RBBB in 192 consecutive patients presenting with ACHF to the emergency department. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality during 720-day follow-up. This study included an elderly cohort (mean age 74 years) of ACHF patients. RBBB was present in 27 patients (14%). Age, sex, B-type natriuretic peptide levels and initial management were similar in patients with RBBB when compared with patients without RBBB. However, patients with RBBB more often had pulmonary comorbidity. A total of 84 patients died during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that mortality at 720 days was significantly higher in patients with RBBB when compared with patients without RBBB (63% vs. 39%, P = 0.004). In Cox proportional hazard analysis, RBBB was associated with a two-fold increase in mortality (hazard ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.26-3.66; P = 0.003). This association persisted after adjustment for age and comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: RBBB is a powerful predictor of mortality in patients with ACHF. Early identification of this high-risk group may help to offer tailored treatment in order to improve outcome.     

beta-Blocker use in long-term dialysis patients: association with hospitalized heart failure and mortality

BACKGROUND: beta-Blockers have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of heart failure (HF) in the general population, but they have not been assessed for their association with nonfatal HF in a nationally representative population of long-term dialysis patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2550 patients enrolled in the US Renal Data System (USRDS) Wave 2 who were Medicare eligible at the start of the study. Analysis was stratified by the presence or absence of a known diagnosis of HF, and patients followed up until December 31, 2000. Cox regression analysis, including propensity scores, was used to model adjusted hazard ratios for beta-blocker use (assessed separately by cardioselective activity and lipid solubility) with time to the first Medicare institutional claim for HF, cardiovascular-related death, or death from any cause. RESULTS: In patients without a previous history of HF, beta-blocker use was significantly associated with a lower adjusted risk of HF (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.91; P=.008), with a similar reduction in risk of cardiac-related and all-cause death. beta-Blocker use had no statistically significant associations with outcomes in patients with previous HF. CONCLUSIONS: In dialysis patients without a previous documented history of HF, beta-blocker use was associated with a lower risk of new HF, cardiovascular death, and death from any cause. No such associations were seen for dialysis patients with a previous history of HF. These results are hypothesis generating only and should be confirmed in randomized trials.     

Comparable long-term mortality risk associated with individual sulfonylureas in diabetes patients with heart failure

Aims

The aim was to investigate the outcomes of individual sulfonylureas in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods

All patients hospitalized with HF for the first time in 1997-2006, alive 30 days after discharge, and who received anti-diabetic monotherapy with glimepiride (n = 1097), glibenclamide (glyburide) (n = 1031), glipizide (n = 557), gliclazide (n = 251), or tolbutamide (n = 541) were identified from nationwide registers. Risk of all-cause mortality was assessed by multivariable Cox regression models.

Results

Over the median observational time of 744 (Inter Quartile Range 268-1451) days, 2242 patients (64%) died. The analysis demonstrated similar hazard ratio (HR) for mortality for treatment with glimepiride (1.10 [95% confidence interval 0.92-1.33]), glibenclamide (1.12 [0.93-1.34]), glipizide (1.14 [0.93-1.38]), tolbutamide (1.04 [0.85-1.26]), and gliclazide (reference). Grouped according to pancreatic specificity, i.e., with tolbutamide, glipizide, and gliclazide as specific, and glibenclamide, and glimepiride as non-specific agents, no differential prognosis was found between the two groups (HR 1.04 [0.96-1.14], for non-specific, compared to pancreas specific agents). The prognosis was not dependent on prior acute myocardial infarction or ischemic heart disease (p for interactions >0.3).

Conclusions

In current clinical practice, it is unlikely that there are considerable differences in risk of mortality associated with individual sulfonylureas in patients with heart failure.     

Gender-related differences in patients with acute heart failure: Management and predictors of in-hospital mortality

Aim and methods

Gender-related differences in clinical phenotype, in-hospital management and prognosis of acute heart failure (AHF) patients have been previously reported in European and US registries. The ALARM-HF survey is the first to include a cohort of 4953 patients hospitalized for AHF in 666 hospitals in 6 European countries, Mexico and Australia.

Results

Women accounted for 37% of the study population, were older and had higher rates of de novo heart failure (45% vs 36%, p < 0.001) than men. An acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was the predominant precipitating factor in both genders, but to a lesser extent in females (30% vs 42%, p < 0.001). Between genders comparison showed higher incidence of atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, diabetes, obesity, anemia and depression in women (p < 0.05). Similarly, women had higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on admission (42 ± 15% vs 36 ± 13%, p < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (135 ± 40 mm Hg vs 131 ± 39 mm Hg, p = 0.001) than men. On the other hand, men had more often coronary artery disease, renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p < 0.05). Importantly, in-hospital mortality was similar in both genders (11.1% in females vs 10.5% in males, p = 0.475), and its common predictors were: systolic blood pressure at admission, creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL and diabetes. Furthermore, recent ACS, valvular heart disease and dementia contributed to prognosis in women, while LVEF, hypertension and anemia were independent predictors in men.

Conclusion

Among patients with AHF, there are significant differences in co-morbidities, precipitating factors and predictors of in-hospital mortality between genders. Nevertheless, in-hospital mortality remains similar between genders.