Pediatric acute heart failure caused by endocardial fibroelastosis mimicking dilated cardiomyopathy:A case report

BACKGROUND Endocardial fibroelastosis(EFE)is a diffuse endocardial collagen and elastin hyperplasia disease of unknown etiology,which may be accompanied by myocardial degenerative changes leading to acute or chronic heart failure.However,acute heart failure(AHF)without obvious associated triggers is rare.Prior to the report of endomyocardial biopsy,the diagnosis and treatment of EFE are highly susceptible to being confounded with other primary cardiomyopathies.Here,we report a case of pediatric AHF caused by EFE mimicking dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM),with the aim of providing a valuable reference for clinicians to early identify and diagnose EFE-induced AHF.CASE SUMMARY A 13-mo-old female child was admitted to hospital with retching.Chest X-ray demonstrated enhanced texture in both lungs and an enlarged heart shadow.Color doppler echocardiography showed an enlarged left heart with ventricular wall hypokinesis and decreased left heart function.Abdominal color ultrasonography revealed a markedly enlarged liver.Pending the result of the endomyocardial biopsy report,the child was treated with a variety of resuscitative measures including nasal cannula for oxygen,intramuscular sedation with chlorpromazine and promethazine,cedilanid for cardiac contractility enhancement,and diuretic treatment with furosemide.Subsequently,the child’s endomyocardial biopsy report result was confirmed as EFE.After the above early interventions,the child’s condition gradually stabilized and improved.One week later,the child was discharged.During a 9-mo follow-up period,the child took intermittent low-dose oral digoxin with no signs of recurrence or exacerbation of the heart failure.CONCLUSION Our report suggests that EFE-induced pediatric AHF may present in children over 1 year of age without any apparent precipitants,and that the associated clinical presentations are grossly similar to that of pediatric DCM.Nonetheless,it is still possible to be diagnosed effectively on the basis of the comprehensive analysis of auxiliary inspection findings before the result of the endomyocardial biopsy is reported.

Systematic review on the risk-benefit ratio of morphine for acute heart failure

Objective:To evaluate morphine's risk-benefit profile in the treatment of acute heart failure.Method:Different electronic databases,including PubMed,MEDLINE,Cochrane Library,and Google Scholar,as well as clinicaltrails.gov,were searched for articles published between 2012 and 2022.The risk of bias in the present study was evaluated by employing randomized controlled trials(RCTs)checklist that assesses the effectiveness of new interventions through random assignment of participants to different treatment groups.The two-part tool was used to address the five specific domains such as selection bias,performance bias,detection bias,attrition bias,and selective reporting bias.Evaluation of the quality of diagnostic accuracy studies was conducted using the RevMan software(version 5.4),a quality assessment tool.Results:A total of 13 studies were included in the present review,in which there were 5 retrospective studies,3 randomized-control studies,2 prospective studies,1 multicenter pharmacodynamics study,1 multicenter cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study,and 1 open-label,cross-over study.The mortality of acute heart failure patients treated with morphine was higher compared to those without morphine.Conclusions:Acute heart failure patients who do not receive morphine have a lower mortality rate compared to those who receive morphine.Considering the adverse effects,including mortality associated with morphine,there is a pressing need for further research to explore alternative and effective treatment options in acute heart failure.

Clinical Study of Intermittent Levosimendan in the Treatment of Acute Heart Failure

[Objectives] To investigate the clinical efficacy of intermittent levosimendan in the treatment of acute heart failure. [Methods] 100 patients diagnosed with acute heart failure and hospitalized in the internal medicine-cardiovascular department in The First People s Hospital of Yulin from January 2019 to February 2020 were randomly divided into two groups, 50 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with conventional anti-heart failure drugs. The control group was given levosimendan once, and the observation group was given levosimendan three times, with an interval of one month. The creatinine (Cr) level, serum NT proBNP, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) were observed at 48 h before and after treatment and one month and two months after treatment in both groups. [Results] Compared with before treatment, the levels of NT-proBNP decreased in the two groups at 48 h after treatment, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). The Cr level of the control group did not change significantly before and after treatment, and the Cr level of the observation group decreased at one and two months after treatment compared with before treatment, with statistically significant differences ( P <0.05). Compared with before treatment, NT-proBNP and LVEDD decreased and LVEF increased at one and two months after treatment, and the differences were statistically significant ( P <0.05). There were no obvious adverse reactions in the two groups of patients during the treatment. [Conclusions] Repetitive use of levosimendan in the treatment of acute heart failure could significantly improve the renal function, cardiac contractility and cardiac function of patients, and with the passage of time, the treatment effect was improved, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Prediction model of in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with acute heart failure based on retrospective study

Objectives The aim of this study was to develop a clinical risk model that is predictive of in-hospital mortality in elderly patients hos- pitalized with acute heart failure （AHF）. Methods 2486 patients who were 60 years and older from intensive care units of Cardiology De- partment in the hospital were analyzed. Independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality were obtained by binary logistic regression and then used to establish the risk prediction score system （RPSS）. The area under the curve （AUC） of receiver operator characteristic and C-statistic test were adopted to assess the performance of RPSS and to compare with previous get with the guidelines-heart failure （GWTG-HF）. Re- sults By binary logistic regression analysis, heart rate （OR： 1.043, 95% CI： 1.030-1.057, P 〈 0.001）, left ventricular ejection fraction （OR： 0.918, 95% CI： 0.833~）.966, P 〈 0.001）, pH value （OR： 0.001, 95% CI： 0.000-0.002, P 〈 0.001）, renal dysfunction （OR： 0.120, 95% CI： 0.066M）.220, P 〈 0.001） and NT-pro BNP （OR： 3.463, 95% CI： 1.870-6.413, P 〈 0.001） were independent risk factors of in-hospital mortal- ity for elderly AHF patients. Additionally, RPSS, which was composed of all the above-mentioned parameters, provided a better risk predic- tion than GWTG-THF （AUC： 0.873 vs. 0.818, P = 0.016）. Conclusions Our risk prediction model, RPSS, provided a good prediction for in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with A/IF.

Role of Ultrasound Lung Comets in the Diagnosis of Acute Heart Failure in Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective A new technique of transthoracic lung ultrasonography(TLS) has emerged and demonstrated promising results in acute heart failure diagnosis at an early stage. However, the diagnostic value of ultrasound lung comets(ULCs) for acute heart failure(AHF) performed in busy emergency department(ED) is uncertain. The present meta-analysis aimed to assess the diagnostic efficiency of ULCs in AHF. Methods We conducted a search on online journal databases to collect the data on TLS performed for diagnosing AHF published up to the end of July 2017. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio(PLR), negative likelihood ratio(NLR), and summary receiver operating characteristic(SROC) curve were calculated. The post-test probability of AHF was calculated by using Bayes analysis. Results We enrolled a total of 15 studies involving 3,309 patients. The value of sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, DOR, area under the SROC curve, and Q* index was 85%, 91%, 8.94, 0.14, 67.24, 0.9587, and 0.9026, respectively. We detected significant heterogeneity among included studies, and therefore, all these results were analyzed under the random-effect model. We also explored possible sources of heterogeneity among the studies by using meta-regression analysis. Results suggest that the time interval between patient’s admission to bedside TLS examination was closely related to TLS accuracy. Conclusion This meta-analysis demonstrated that detecting ULCs is a convenient bedside tool and has high accuracy for early AHF diagnosis in ED. TLS could be recommended to be applied for early diagnosis of AHF in ED.

Is oxygen therapy beneficial for normoxemic patients with acute heart failure?A propensity score matched study

Background:The clinical efficiency of routine oxygen therapy is uncertain in patients with acute heart failure(AHF)who do not have hypoxemia.The aim of this study was to investigate the association between oxygen therapy and clinical outcomes in normoxemic patients hospitalized with AHF using real-world data.Methods:Normoxemic patients diagnosed with AHF on intensive care unit(ICU)admission from the electronic ICU(eICU)Collaborative Research Database were included in the current study,in which the study population was divided into the oxygen therapy group and the ambient air group.Propensity score matching(PSM)was applied to create a balanced covariate distribution between patients receiving supplemental oxygen and those exposed to ambient air.Linear regression and logistic regression models were performed to assess the associations between oxygen therapy and length of stay(LOS),and all-cause in-hospital as well as ICU mortality rates,respectively.A series of sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to further validate the robustness of our findings.Results:A total of 2922 normoxemic patients with AHF were finally included in the analysis.Overall,42.1%(1230/2922)patients were exposed to oxygen therapy,and 57.9%(1692/2922)patients did not receive oxygen therapy(defined as the ambient air group).After PSM analysis,1122 pairs of patients were matched:each patient receiving oxygen therapy was matched with a patient without receiving supplemental oxygen.The multivariable logistic model showed that there was no significant interaction between the ambient air and oxygen therapy for all-cause in-hospital mortality[odds ratio(OR)=1.30;95%confidence interval(CI)0.92–1.82;P=0.138]or ICU mortality(OR=1.39;95%CI 0.83–2.32;P=0.206)in the post-PSM cohorts.In addition,linear regression analysis revealed that oxygen therapy was associated with prolonged ICU LOS(OR=1.11;95%CI 1.06–1.15;P<0.001)and hospital LOS(OR=1.06;95%CI 1.01–1.10;P=0.009)after PSM.Furthermore,the absence of an effect of supplemental oxygen on mortality was consistent in all subgroups.Conclusions:Routine use of supplemental oxygen in AHF patients without hypoxemia was not found to reduce all cause in-hospital mortality or ICU mortality.

FACE-HF: Focused Assessment by Chest Sonography and Echocardiography in Acute Heart Failure Patients

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) is a life-threatening condition that necessitates urgent evaluation and treatment with an urgent need for hospital admission. Among the available imaging modalities, echocardiography is the method of choice due to its feasibility and cost-effectiveness. Lung ultrasonography in emergency department, critical and cardiac care units is becoming popular. The present study aimed to assess the value of the focused echocardiography and lung ultrasound protocol for guiding treatment and its effect on the hospitalization period in AHF patients admitted to the CCU, 6 months re-hospitalization and mortality. Methods: This study included 40 consecutive patients admitted to the Cardiology and Angiology department after disposition from the emergency department at Alexandria main university hospital in Egypt with the diagnosis of (AHF). Patients were divided into 2 groups, 20 patients received the standard treatment while the other group received a modification of medication doses according to daily imaging changes. All patients were followed up for 6 months to assess the 6 months HF rehospitalization and death rates. Results: Group II patients had a significantly shorter duration of hospitalization;6.45 ± 2.01 days compared to 9.10 ± 3.82 days among group I patients (P = 0.02). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the 6 months rehospitalization and death rates. Conclusion: The focused echocardiography and lung ultrasound-guided therapy for AHF patients resulted in a shorter duration of hospitalization without increased adverse events.

Correlation analysis between lung ultrasound scores and pulmonary arterial systolic pressure in patients with acute heart failure admitted to the emergency intensive care unit

Background:No convenient,inexpensive,and non-invasive screening tools exist to identify pulmonary hypertension(PH)-left heart disease(LHD)patients during the early stages of the disease course.This study investigated whether different methods of lung ultrasound(LUS)could be used for the initial investigation of PH-LHD.Methods:This was a single-center prospective observational study which was performed in the Zigong Fourth People’s Hospital.We consecutively enrolled patients with heart failure(HF)admitted to the emergency intensive care unit from January 2018 to May 2020.Transthoracic echocardiography and LUS were performed within 24 h before discharge.We used the Spearman coefficient for correlation analysis between ultrasound scores and pulmonary arterial systolic pressure(PASP).Bland-Altman plots were generated to inspect possible bias,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were calculated to assess the relationship between ultrasound scores and an intermediate and high echocardiographic probability of PH-LHD.Results:Seventy-one patients were enrolled in this study,with an overall median age of 79(interquartile range:71.5–84.0)years.Among the 71 patients,36(50.7%)cases were male,and 26(36.6%)had an intermediate and high echocardiographic probability of PH.All four LUS scores in patients with an intermediate and high probability of PH were significantly higher than in patients with a low probability of PH(P<0.05).The correlation coefficient(r)between different LUS scoring methods and PASP was moderate for the 6-zone(r=0.455,P<0.001),8-zone(r=0.385,P=0.001),12-zone(r=0.587,P<0.001),and 28-zone(r=0.535,P<0.001)methods.In Bland-Altman plots,each of the four LUS scoring methods had a good agreement with PASP(P<0.001).The 8-zone and 12-zone methods showed moderately accurate discriminative values in differentiating patients with an intermediate and high echocardiographic probability of PH(P<0.05).

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Emergency Ventilator Treatment for Severe Acute Left Ventricular Heart Failure

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of emergency ventilator therapy in severe acute left heart failure.Methods:A total of 75 patients with severe acute left ventricular heart failure who were admitted to the hospital from July 2020 to July 2023 were randomly divided into two groups.Group A received additional emergency ventilator treatment,and group B received conventional treatment.The efficacy was compared.Results:The curative effect of patients with severe acute left heart failure in group A was higher than that in group B(P<0.05);all blood gas indicators in group A were better than those in group B(P<0.05);all vital signs indicators in group A were better than those in group B(P<0.05);group A was more satisfied with the treatment of severe acute left ventricular heart failure than group B(P<0.05).Conclusion:Patients with severe acute left heart failure who receive emergency ventilator treatment can stabilize vital signs,improve blood oxygen supply,and enhance curative effect.

Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Department： A Multicenter Registry Study with 1-year Follow-up in a Chinese Cohort in Beijing

Background： The emergency department （ED） has a pivotal influence on the management of acute heart failure （AHF）, but dataconcerning current ED management are scarce. This Beijing AHF Registry Study investigated the characteristics. ED management, and short- and long-term clinical outcomes of AHF. Methods： This prospective, multicenter, observational study consecutively enrolled 3335 AHF patients who visited 14 EDs in Beijing from January 1, 2011, to September 23, 2012. Baseline data on characteristics and management were collected in the EDs. Follow-up data on death and readmissions were collected until November 31, 2013, with a response rate of 92.80%. The data were reported as median （interquartile range） for the continuous variables, or as number （percentage） for the categorical variables. Results： The median age of the enrolled patients was 71 （58 79） years, and 46.84% wvere women. In patients with AHH coronary heart disease （43.27%） was the most common etiology, andmyocardium ischemia （30.22%） was the main precipitant. Most of the patients in the ED received intravenous treatments, including diuretics （79.28%） and vasodilators （74.90%）. Fewer patients in the ED received neurohormonal antagonists, and 25.94%, 31.12%, and 33.73% of patients received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and spironolactone, respectively. The proportions of patients who were admitted, discharged, left against medical advice, and died were 55.53%, 33.58%, 7.08%, and 3.81%, respectively. All-cause mortalities at 30 days and 1 year were 15.30% and 32.27%, respectively. Conclusions： Substantial details on characteristics and ED management of AHF were investigated. The clinical outcomes of AHF patients were dismal. Thus, further investigations of ED-based therapeutic approaches for AHF are needed.

Concentration of circulating microparticles:a new biomarker of acute heart failure after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

Acute heart failure(AHF)is a severe complication after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).Although some AHF biomarkers have been used in clinic,they have limitations when applied in the prediction and diagnosis of AHF after cardiac surgery with CPB,and there are still no effective and specific biomarkers.We and other researchers have shown that circulating microparticles(MPs)increased in a variety of cardiovascular diseases.However,whether the concentration of circulating MPs could be a new biomarker for AHF after cardiac surgery remains unknown.Here,90 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB and 45 healthy subjects were enrolled.Patients were assigned into AHF(n=14)or non-AHF(n=76)group according to the diagnosis criteria of AHF.The concentrations of circulating MPs were determined before,as well as 12 h and 3 days after operation with nanoparticle tracking analysis technique.MPs concentrations in patients before surgery were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects.Plasma levels of MPs were significantly elevated at 12 h after surgery in patients with AHF,but not in those without AHF,and the circulating MPs concentrations at 12 h after surgery were higher in AHF group compared with non-AHF group.Logistic regression analysis indicated that MPs concentration at postoperative 12 h was an independent risk factor for AHF.The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for MPs concentration at postoperative 12 h was 0.87 and the best cut-off value is 5.20×10~8 particles mL~(–1)with a sensitivity of 93%and a specificity of 70%.These data suggested that the concentration of circulating MPs might be a new biomarker for the occurrence of AHF after cardiac surgery with CPB.

The Lebanese Society of Cardiology Consensus Statement on the Use of Natriuretic Peptides for the Management of Heart Failure

Plasma concentration of Natriuretic Peptide (NP) is a valuable diagnostic tool for heart failure (HF). It can help rule out or confirm a diagnosis of HF based on symptoms, but its use is not clearly defined. NPs should be used in conjunction with physical examination and other diagnostic tests. However, it is important to note that several conditions besides the diagnosis of HF may cause NPs levels to be elevated. Additionally, there are situations when NP concentrations may be below diagnostic thresholds in [1]. This consensus statement aims to provide a straightforward diagnostic flowchart for clinicians in both the emergency department and outpatient settings to aid in diagnosing both acute and chronic HF. The diagnosis of acute HF can be ruled out with a BNP level of 100 pg/mL or NTproBNP level of 300 pg/mL, regardless of the patient’s age. To identify HF, a 3-level cut-off point based on the patient’s age is recommended. Chronic heart failure can be ruled out with a BNP level of 35 pg/mL or NTproBNP level of 125 pg/mL, regardless of thepatient’s age [1].

Infective bicuspid aortic valve endocarditis causing acute severe regurgitation and heart failure:A case report

BACKGROUND Infective endocarditis(IE)is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening infection,which occasionally develops into acute severe valve insufficiency leading to the onset of heart failure,and necessitates timely intervention.However,the variable and atypical clinical manifestations always make the early detection of IE difficult and challenging.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old female who was previously healthy presented with exertional shortness of breath and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.She also suffered from a significant decrease in exercise capacity,whereas her body temperature was normal.She had severe hypoxemia and hypotension along with a marked aortic valve murmur.Diffuse pulmonary edema and bilateral pleural effusion were observed on both chest X-ray and computed tomography scan.Transthoracic echocardiography was performed immediately and revealed severe regurgitation of the bicuspid aortic valve.Transesophageal echocardiography was further performed and vegetations were detected.In addition to adequate medical therapy and ventilation support,the patient underwent urgent and successful aortic valve replacement.Her symptoms were significantly relieved and the postoperative chest X-ray showed that pulmonary edema was significantly reduced.Histopathology of the resected valve and positive microorganism culture of the surgical specimen provided evidence of definite IE.CONCLUSION IE should be considered in critical patients with refractory heart failure caused by severe bicuspid aortic valve regurgitation.

Relationship between baseline monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and acute heart failure in postmenopausal women with acute coronary syndromes

Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio(MHR)becomes a novel cardiovascular prognostic predictor.The retrospective study was performed to investigate the relationship between MHR and acute heart failure(AHF)in postmenopausal women with acute coronary syndromes(ACS).Methods A cohort of 127 postmenopausal women diagnosed with ACS were enrolled.They underwent coronary angiography in Shantou Central Hospital(Shantou,China)from December 2014 and July 2016.The patients were assigned to two groups based on the admission MHR:low MHR group(MHR≤0.3677,n=51)and high MHR group(MHR>0.3677,n=76).The relationship between MHR and AHF was assessed by logistic regression analysis.Results Left ventricular ejection fraction of the low MHR group(64.2%±8.8%)was higher than that of the high MHR group(57.6%±12.9%)(P=0.002).Fractional shortening of the low MHR group(35.4%±6.4%)was higher than that of the high MHR group(30.6%±8.9%)(P=0.001).Hospitalization days of high MHR group(11.4±6.6 days)was longer than that of low MHR group(8.4±3.5 days)(P=0.006).Incidence of AHF(21%)in the high MHR group was higher than that in the low MHR group(4%)(P=0.008).MHR(OR:25.701,95%CI:3.099-213.143,P=0.003)could be an independent predictor for AHF in postmenopausal women with acute coronary syndromes.Conclusions The incidence of AHF in high baseline MHR group was higher than that in low baseline MHR group.This study demonstrated that high MHR level was a risk factor for AHF in postmenopausal women with ACS.

Clinical study of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicating congestive heart failure

Objectives To observe the efficacy and safety of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide(rh-BNP) on patients with acute myocardial infarction complicating congestive heart failure.Methods 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by congestive heart failure were randomly divided into control group and treatment group of 20 cases.The control group,15 cases of acute anterior myocardial infarction,5 cases of acute inferior wall myocardial infarction, 15 males and 5 females,aged 55-70 years,mean age 58±12 years;treated 16 cases of acute anterior myocardial infarction,4 cases of acute myocardial infarction,16 males and 4 females,aged 56-70 years,mean age 59±11 years;two groups of age,gender,severity of disease and vascular lesions no significant difference and comparable(P】0.05).Conventional group were given aspirin,clopidogrel, statins,Inotropic,diuretic and vasodilator therapy.In the con- ventional treatment group based on the use of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide(new bios,Tibet Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.Chengdu Nuodikang biopharmaceutical production, usage:1.5μg/Kg intravenous injection(impact), then 0.0075μg-0.01μg/(kg·min)infusion rate).Continuous medication 72 h.The clinical symptoms observed for 3 days in patients before treatment and after treatment,heart rate,blood pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α),brain natriuretic peptide(BNP) levels were measured.Results In control group,8 cases markedly effect,5 cases effect and 7 cases no effect,the total effective rate was 65%;In treatment group,13 cases markedly effect,6 cases effect and 1 cases no effect,the total effective rate was 95%,compared with two groups P New bios treatment group significantly increased cardiac index(CI) in patients with heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) than the control group(all P【0.05),further reduce the levels of tumor necrosis (TNF-α) and brain natriuretic peptide(BNP).Conclusions rh-BNP can improve symptoms and heart function,reduced plasma tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α) and BNP levels of acute myocardial infarction patients with congestive heart failure,the treatment safe and reliable.As small sample size observed,larger sample to be accumulated to further evaluate its efficacy and safety.

Correlation of Ceruloplasmin with Biomarkers of Cardiac Remodelling and Myofibrosis in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Referred to a Tertiary Nurse Lead Heart Failure Clinic

Background: Ceruloplasmin is an acute phase protein with plasma copper binding properties, and is a potent extracellular antioxidative enzyme. Inflammation and oxidative stress might explain the role of ceruloplasmin in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Study objective: The objective is to assess the correlation of ceruloplasmin levels with biomarkers of cardiac remodelling and myofibrosis in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. Patients and methods: Blood samples were taken and serum levels of soluble ST2, galectin-3, NT-proBNP and ceruloplasmin were analysed in 31 consecutive patients with systolic HF referred to tertiary care nurse lead heart failure clinic with acute decompensated CHF requiring i.v. diuretics. The mean patients’ age was 68 years, mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) was 29%, 66% patients had ischemic aetilogy of CHF and 33% had atrial fibrillation. Results: The mean ceruloplasmin level was 0.243 g/l, mean galectin-3 level was 1.26 ng/ml, mean sST2 level was 38.15 ng/ml, and mean NT-proBNP was 1927 pg/ml. The ceruloplasmin level correlated with NT-proBNP (r = 0.58, p < 0.05) and with sST2 (r = 0.77, p < 0.001), sST2 levels correlated significantly with NT-proBNP (r = 0.66, p < 0.01). The ceruloplasmin level did not correlate with galectin-3 concentration. Conclusion: The ceruloplasmin level correlates with the biomarkers of cardiac remodelling (NT-proBNP, sST2), but not with the biomarker of myofibrosis (galectin-3). This finding supports the hypothesis of inflammatory response in acute decompensated heart failure.

Effi cacy and Renal Tolerability of Ultrafi ltration in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review of 19 Randomized Controlled Trials

Background:Acute decompensated heart failure(ADHF)is a life-threatening and costly disease.Controversy re-mains regarding the effi cacy and renal tolerability of ultrafi ltration for treating ADHF.We therefore performed this meta-analysis to evaluate this clinical issue.Methods:A search of PubMed,EMBASE,and the Cochrane database of controlled trials was performed from in-ception to March 2021 for relevant randomized controlled trials.The quality of the included trials and outcomes was evaluated with the use of the risk of bias assessment tool and the Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Develop-ment and Evaluation(GRADE)approach,respectively.The risk ratio and the standardized mean difference(SMD)or weighted mean difference(WMD)were computed and pooled with fi xed-effects or random-effects models.Results:This meta-analysis included 19 studies involving 1281 patients.Ultrafi ltration was superior to the control treatments for weight loss(WMD 1.24 kg,95%confi dence interval[CI]0.38-2.09 kg,P=0.004)and fl uid removal(WMD 1.55 L,95%CI 0.51-2.59 l,P=0.003)and was associated with a signifi cant increase in serum creatinine level compared with the control treatments(SMD 0.15 mg/dL,95%CI 0.00-0.30 mg/dL,P=0.04).However,no signifi cant effects were found for serum N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level,length of hospital stay,all-cause mortality,or all-cause rehospitalization in the ultrafi ltration group.Conclusions:The use of ultrafi ltration in patients with ADHF is superior to the use of the control treatments for weight loss and fl uid removal,but has adverse renal effects and lacks signifi cant effects on long-term prognosis,in-dicating that this approach to decongestion in ADHF patients is effi cient for fl uid management but less safe renally.

Effect of Angiotensin Receptor-neprilysin Inhibitor on Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Objective:The risk of acute kidney injury(AKI)is high in patients with acute decompensated heart failure(ADHF).The aim of this study is to analyze the role of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(uNGAL)in diagnosing AKI in patients with ADHF and evaluate the therapeutic effect of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor(ARNI)on AKI.Method:Sixty patients with ADHF were enrolled at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to June 2021,and randomized into 2 groups(ARNI group:30 patients treated with tablets of sacubitril valsartan sodium;and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI)group:30 patients treated with benazepril).The uNGAL level was measured immediately after as well as 1,2,3,and 7 d after hospital admission.The serum creatinine(sCr)level and estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)were measured immediately as well as 2 and 7 d after hospital admission.The urine volume,dose of loop diuretics,and duration of hospital stay(DoHS)were recorded.Result:The most valuable diagnostic metric for AKI in patients with ADHF was the uNGAL level 1 d after hospital admission,which had a sensitivity of 0.94,specificity of 0.84,and optimal cutoff of 125.62μg/L.In the presence of AKI,during the first 2 d,patients in the ARNI-AKI and ACEI-AKI groups showed an increase in the sCr level and a reduction in the eGFR level,but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups(P>0.05).After 7 d of treatment,the sCr level decreased and the eGFR level increased in both groups,with a significantly greater changes being observed in the ARNI-AKI group than in the ACEI-AKI group(P<0.05,respectively).In the absence of AKI,the difference in the sCr level and eGFR between the 2 groups was not significant.The DoHS((11.25±2.38)d vs.(14.11±2.89)d),urinary microalbumin level((22.95±6.04)mg/L vs.(31.91±2.18)mg/L),and daily dose of loop diuretics((19.03±3.04)mg/d vs.(23.62±4.46)mg/d)were significantly lower in patients with AKI in the ARNI group than in the ACEI group(P<0.05,respectively).Conclusion:In patients with ADHF,uNGAL measurement enables the diagnosis of AKI earlier than that using the sCr level by 1 to 2 d.ARNI treatment reduced the sCr level,facilitated eGFR recovery,reduced the daily dose of loop diuretics,and decreased the DoHS compared with that in patients receive ACEI treatment.

Prognostic Factors in Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 1: Retrospective Observational and Analytical Study

Introduction: Type 1 cardiorenal syndrome (CRS 1) is characterized by acute impairment of cardiac function leading to acute renal dysfunction. CRS1 is present in 25% of patients admitted for heart failure. The objective of our study is to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic profile and the risk and prognostic factors of these patients. Materials and Methods: We identified 120 patients with cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) over a one-year period to determine the prevalence and risk factors for developing CRS 1. We analyzed the clinical, biological, and evolutionary profiles of patients with CRS 1 and determined the risk factors for the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) as well as the mortality factors in these patients. Résultats: The average age of our patients with CRS1 is 58 ± 9 years, with a sex ratio of 1.4. The average eGFR of our patients is 35 ± 6.5 ml/min/1.73m2. Diabetes was found in 17% of our patients and hypertension in 14%. The etiology of cardiac impairment is predominantly acute coronary syndrome (ACS), followed by rhythm disorders. Renally, all our patients have acute kidney injury (AKI), with 86% having functional acute renal failure and 14% having acute tubular necrosis. Therapeutically, 50% of our patients are on diuretics, 42% receive beta-blocker treatment, and RAAS blockers are used in 29% of cases. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) sessions were required in 13.8% of cases. In univariate analysis, male gender, tachyarrhythmia, and hypertension are associated with the early onset of acute kidney injury (AKI). The use of diuretics, anemia, and low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are linked to a higher risk of developing CRS 1 (p = 0.021, p = 0.037, p = 0.010 respectively). In multivariate analysis, advanced age is significantly associated with increased mortality risk in CRS 1 patients (p = 0.030), while beta-blocker use is considered a protective factor (p = 0.014). Conclusion: Our study identifies several key factors associated with outcomes in type 1 CRS. Male gender, tachyarrhythmia, and hypertension are linked to early-onset AKI. The use of diuretics and the presence of anemia increase the risk of developing CRS1. Advanced age is significantly associated with higher mortality rates. Conversely, the use of beta-blockers appears to be protective in this patient population. .

The Role of Bedside Troponin T Test for Identification of High Risk Patients With Acute Chest Pain

Objectives Evaluation of patients with acute chest pain when they admitted is time-consuming. We prospectively investigated the role of bedside troponin T test for predicting the risk of death and acute heart failure of patients with acute chest pain.Methods and Results 502 consecutive patients with chest pain for less than 24 hours were determined by troponin T test at bedside and quantitative troponin I test in lab. For bedside troponin T tests, there were 160 patients in positive and 323 in negative. During 30 days of followed-up. Myocardial infarction evolved in 139 patients among 160 patients in positive troponin T test, only 7 patients in negative one. Acute heart failure occurred in 51 patients among the positive group, but 37 occurred it at negative group. The odds ratio of acute heart failure of positive group vs. negative group was 3.6. Patients died 39 in positive group, 15 in negative group, the all-cause death odds ratio of positive group vs. negative group was 6.7; 31 patients died with cardiac event in positive group, 5 in negative group only. Conclusions Bedside Troponin T test is a powerful and independent predictor of death and acute heart failure for patients with acute chest pain.