Background Increased red blood cell distribution width （RDW） is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure （HF）. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the predictive va...Background Increased red blood cell distribution width （RDW） is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure （HF）. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the predictive value of RDW in patients with HF due to different causes. Methods We retrospectively investigated 1,021 HF patients from October 2009 to December 2011 at Fuwai Hospital （Beijing, China）. HF in these patients was caused by three diseases; coronary heart disease （CHD）, dilated cardiomyopathy （DCM） and valvular heart disease （VHD）. Patients were followed-up for 21 ~ 9 months. Results The RDW, mortality and survival duration were significantly different among the three groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative survival decreased significantly with increased RDW in patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM, but not in those with HF patients caused by VHD. In a multivariable model, RDW was identified as an independent predictor for the mortality of HF patients with CHD （P 〈 0.001, HR 1.315, 95% CI 1.122-1.543）. The group with higher N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） and higher RDW than median had the lowest cumulative survival in patients with HF due to CHD, but not in patients with HF due to DCM. Conclusions RDW is a prognostic indicator for patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM; thus, RDW adds important information to NT-proBNP in CHD caused HF patients.展开更多
Background Heart failure （HF） is a physically and socially debilitating disease that carries the burden of hospital re-admission and mortality. As an aging society, Hong Kong urgently needs to find ways to reduce th...Background Heart failure （HF） is a physically and socially debilitating disease that carries the burden of hospital re-admission and mortality. As an aging society, Hong Kong urgently needs to find ways to reduce the hospital readmission of HF patients. This study evaluates the effects of a nurse-led HF clinic on the hospital readmission and mortality rates among older HF patients in Hong Kong. Methods This study is a retrospective data analysis that compares HF patient in a nurse-led HF clinic in Hong Kong compared with HF patients who did not attend the clinic. The nurses of this clinic provide education on lifestyle modification and symptom monitoring, as well as titrate the medications and measure biochemical markers by following established protocols. This analysis used the socio-demographic and clinical data of HF patients who were aged 〉 65 years old and stayed in the clinic over a six-month period. Results The data of a total of 78 HF patients were included in this data analysis. The mean age of the patients was 77.38 ± 6.80 years. Approximately half of the HF patients were male （51.3%）, almost half were smokers （46.2%）, and the majority received 〈 six years of formal education. Most of the HF patients （87.2%） belonged to classes II and III of the New York Heart Association Functional Classification, with a mean ejection fraction of 47.15± 20.31 mL. The HF patients who attended the clinic （n = 38, 75.13 ± 5.89 years） were significantly younger than those who did not attend the clinic （n = 40, 79.53 ± 6.96 years） （P = 0.04）, and had lower recorded blood pressure. No other statistically significant difference existed between the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups. The HF patients who did not attend the nurse-led HF clinic demonstrated a significantly higher risk of hospital readmission [odd ratio （OR）： 7.40; P 〈 0.01] than those who attended after adjusting for the effect of age and blood pressure. In addition, HF patients who attended the clinic had lower mortality （n = 4） than those who did not attend （n = 14）. However, such a difference did not reach statistical significance when the effects of age and blood pressure were adjusted. A signifi- cant reduction in systolic blood pressure IF （2, 94） = 3.39, P = 0.04] and diastolic blood pressure [F （2, 94） = 8.48, P 〈 0.01] was observed among the HF patients who attended the clinic during the six-month period. Conclusions The finding of this study suggests the important role of nurse-led HF clinics in reducing healthcare burden and improving patient outcomes among HF patients in Hong Kong.展开更多
Objective To forecast the future burden and its attributable risk factors of infective endocarditis(IE).Methods We analyzed the disease burden of IE and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Di...Objective To forecast the future burden and its attributable risk factors of infective endocarditis(IE).Methods We analyzed the disease burden of IE and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database and projected the disease burden from 2020 to 2030 using a Bayesian age-period-cohort model.Results By 2030,the incidence of IE will increase uncontrollably on a global scale,with developed countries having the largest number of cases and developing countries experiencing the fastest growth.The affected population will be predominantly males,but the gender gap will narrow.The elderly in high-income countries will bear the greatest burden,with a gradual shift to middle-income countries.The incidence of IE in countries with middle/high-middle social-demographic indicators(SDI) will surpass that of high SDI countries.In China,the incidence rate and the number of IE will reach 18.07 per 100,000 and 451,596 in 2030,respectively.IEassociated deaths and heart failure will continue to impose a significant burden on society,the burden on women will increase and surpass that on men,and the elderly in high-SDI countries will bear the heaviest burden.High systolic blood pressure has become the primary risk factor for IE-related death.Conclusions This study provides comprehensive analyses of the disease burden and risk factors of IE worldwide over the next decade.The IE-associated incidence will increase in the future and the death and heart failure burden will not be appropriately controlled.Gender,age,regional,and country heterogeneity should be taken seriously to facilitate in making effective strategies for lowering the IE disease burden.展开更多
文摘Background Increased red blood cell distribution width （RDW） is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure （HF）. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the predictive value of RDW in patients with HF due to different causes. Methods We retrospectively investigated 1,021 HF patients from October 2009 to December 2011 at Fuwai Hospital （Beijing, China）. HF in these patients was caused by three diseases; coronary heart disease （CHD）, dilated cardiomyopathy （DCM） and valvular heart disease （VHD）. Patients were followed-up for 21 ~ 9 months. Results The RDW, mortality and survival duration were significantly different among the three groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative survival decreased significantly with increased RDW in patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM, but not in those with HF patients caused by VHD. In a multivariable model, RDW was identified as an independent predictor for the mortality of HF patients with CHD （P 〈 0.001, HR 1.315, 95% CI 1.122-1.543）. The group with higher N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） and higher RDW than median had the lowest cumulative survival in patients with HF due to CHD, but not in patients with HF due to DCM. Conclusions RDW is a prognostic indicator for patients with HF caused by CHD and DCM; thus, RDW adds important information to NT-proBNP in CHD caused HF patients.
文摘Background Heart failure （HF） is a physically and socially debilitating disease that carries the burden of hospital re-admission and mortality. As an aging society, Hong Kong urgently needs to find ways to reduce the hospital readmission of HF patients. This study evaluates the effects of a nurse-led HF clinic on the hospital readmission and mortality rates among older HF patients in Hong Kong. Methods This study is a retrospective data analysis that compares HF patient in a nurse-led HF clinic in Hong Kong compared with HF patients who did not attend the clinic. The nurses of this clinic provide education on lifestyle modification and symptom monitoring, as well as titrate the medications and measure biochemical markers by following established protocols. This analysis used the socio-demographic and clinical data of HF patients who were aged 〉 65 years old and stayed in the clinic over a six-month period. Results The data of a total of 78 HF patients were included in this data analysis. The mean age of the patients was 77.38 ± 6.80 years. Approximately half of the HF patients were male （51.3%）, almost half were smokers （46.2%）, and the majority received 〈 six years of formal education. Most of the HF patients （87.2%） belonged to classes II and III of the New York Heart Association Functional Classification, with a mean ejection fraction of 47.15± 20.31 mL. The HF patients who attended the clinic （n = 38, 75.13 ± 5.89 years） were significantly younger than those who did not attend the clinic （n = 40, 79.53 ± 6.96 years） （P = 0.04）, and had lower recorded blood pressure. No other statistically significant difference existed between the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups. The HF patients who did not attend the nurse-led HF clinic demonstrated a significantly higher risk of hospital readmission [odd ratio （OR）： 7.40; P 〈 0.01] than those who attended after adjusting for the effect of age and blood pressure. In addition, HF patients who attended the clinic had lower mortality （n = 4） than those who did not attend （n = 14）. However, such a difference did not reach statistical significance when the effects of age and blood pressure were adjusted. A signifi- cant reduction in systolic blood pressure IF （2, 94） = 3.39, P = 0.04] and diastolic blood pressure [F （2, 94） = 8.48, P 〈 0.01] was observed among the HF patients who attended the clinic during the six-month period. Conclusions The finding of this study suggests the important role of nurse-led HF clinics in reducing healthcare burden and improving patient outcomes among HF patients in Hong Kong.
文摘Objective To forecast the future burden and its attributable risk factors of infective endocarditis(IE).Methods We analyzed the disease burden of IE and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database and projected the disease burden from 2020 to 2030 using a Bayesian age-period-cohort model.Results By 2030,the incidence of IE will increase uncontrollably on a global scale,with developed countries having the largest number of cases and developing countries experiencing the fastest growth.The affected population will be predominantly males,but the gender gap will narrow.The elderly in high-income countries will bear the greatest burden,with a gradual shift to middle-income countries.The incidence of IE in countries with middle/high-middle social-demographic indicators(SDI) will surpass that of high SDI countries.In China,the incidence rate and the number of IE will reach 18.07 per 100,000 and 451,596 in 2030,respectively.IEassociated deaths and heart failure will continue to impose a significant burden on society,the burden on women will increase and surpass that on men,and the elderly in high-SDI countries will bear the heaviest burden.High systolic blood pressure has become the primary risk factor for IE-related death.Conclusions This study provides comprehensive analyses of the disease burden and risk factors of IE worldwide over the next decade.The IE-associated incidence will increase in the future and the death and heart failure burden will not be appropriately controlled.Gender,age,regional,and country heterogeneity should be taken seriously to facilitate in making effective strategies for lowering the IE disease burden.
