Left bundle branch pacing vs biventricular pacing in heart failure patients with left bundle branch block:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Left bundle branch pacing(LBBP)is a novel pacing modality of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT)that achieves more physiologic native ventricular activation than biventricular pacing(BiVP).AIM To explore the validity of electromechanical resynchronization,clinical and echocardiographic response of LBBP-CRT.METHODS Systematic review and Meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the standard guidelines as mentioned in detail in the methodology section.RESULTS In our analysis,the success rate of LBBP-CRT was determined to be 91.1%.LBBP CRT significantly shortened QRS duration,with significant improvement in echocardiographic parameters,including left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular end-systolic diameter in comparison with BiVP-CRT.CONCLUSION A significant reduction in New York Heart Association class and B-type natriuretic peptide levels was also observed in the LBBP-CRT group vs BiVP-CRT group.Lastly,the LBBP-CRT cohort had a reduced pacing threshold at follow-up as compared to BiVP-CRT.

Dapagliflozin and sacubitril on myocardial microperfusion in patients with post-acute myocardial infarction heart failure and type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)frequently coexist,creating a complex and challenging clinical scenario,particularly when complicated with acute myocardial infarction(AMI).AIM To examine the effects of dapagliflozin combined with sakubactrovalsartan sodium tablets on myocardial microperfusion.METHODS In total,98 patients were categorized into control(n=47)and observation(n=51)groups.The control group received noxital,while the observation group was treated with dapagliflozin combined with noxital for 6 months.Changes in myocardial microperfusion,blood glucose level,cardiac function,N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)level,growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15)level,and other related factors were compared between the two groups.Additionally,the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)and adverse reactions were calculated.RESULTS After treatment,in the observation and control groups,the corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame counts were 37.12±5.02 and 48.23±4.66,respectively.The NT-proBNP levels were 1502.65±255.87 and 2015.23±286.31 pg/mL,the N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide(NT-proANP)levels were 1415.69±213.05 and 1875.52±241.02 ng/mL,the GDF-15 levels were 0.87±0.43 and 1.21±0.56 g/L,and the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)levels were 6.54±1.56 and 8.77±1.94 mg/L,respectively,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The cumulative incidence of MACEs in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions was 13.73%(7/51)in the observation group and 10.64%(5/47)in the control group,with no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Dapagliflozin combined with nocinto can improve myocardial microperfusion and left ventricular remodeling and reduce MACE incidence in patients with post-AMI heart failure and T2DM.The underlying mechanism may be related to the reduction in the expression levels of NT-proANP,GDF-15,and hs-CRP.

Clinical Analysis of Early Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation in the Treatment of Acute Left Heart Failure Complicated with Respiratory Failure

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of early and non-early non-invasive mechanical ventilation(NIV) for acute left heart failure and respiratory failure. Methods 29 cases of patients with acute left heart failure and respiratory failure treated by NIV were selected from our department from August 2016 to March 2019. According to the time of initiation of noninvasive mechanical ventilation, the patients were divided into the early treatment group(group A, treatment with NIV immediately after admission, n=15) and the non-early treatment group(group B, treatment with NIV for 2 h after admission, n=14), the improvement time, mechanical ventilation time, effective rate, intubation rate and fatality rate were compared between the two groups. Results The improvement time of patients in group A was(4.8±2.5) hours, the time of mechanical ventilation was(9.6±3.2) hours, the improvement time of group B was(6.8±2.6) hours, and the time of mechanical ventilation(12.8±4.4) hours. There were significant differences between the two groups(P<0.05). In group A, 13 patients were cured, 2 patients were intubated, 1 patient died, 10 patients in group B were cured, 4 patients were intubated, and 2 patients died. The difference in cure rate, intubation rate and mortality was statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusion The treatment of acute left heart failure and respiratory failure is effective, and early application can improve the cure rate, reduce intubation and mortality.

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.

Effects of rh BNP after PCI on non-invasive hemodynamic in acute myocardial infarction patients with left heart failure

Objective: To investigate the effects of exogenous recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide(rh BNP) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) on non-invasive hemodynamic in acute myocardial infarction patients with left ventricular failure. Methods: A number of 96 acute myocardial infarction patients accompanied with heart failure after PCI hospitalized in the People's Hospital of Sanya during February 2012 to October 2015 were selected. They were randomly divided into the therapy group(n = 50) and control group(n = 46). On the basis of routine treatment, patients in the therapy group were treated with intravenous rh BNP(1.5 μg/kg was intravenous injection with uniform speed of 3 min, followed by continuous infusion 0.007 5 μg/kg·min for 72 h), while the control group received conventional treatment. Bio Z-2011 non-invasive hemodynamic real-time monitoring system was used to monitor the hemodynamic parameters changes and the leves of plasma pro-BNP, serum creatinine, serum potassium, serum sodium and urine volume of each group before and after treating for 30 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h. Results: Patients in the therapy group showed no effect on heart rate, while after 30 min of intravenous injection of rh BNP, CO, CI, SV, and SI increased significantly and LVET and TFC reduced at the same time, which had certain effect on blood pressure(SBP/DBP). Compared with the control group, the therapy group showed a faster and more effective improvement on haemodynamics. Conclusions: Acute myocardial infarction patients complicated with left heart failure after primary PCI can significantly improve hemodynamics by treating with rh BNP.

Cardioprotective effects of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists in heart failure: Myth or truth?

Therapy with glucagon-like peptide 1(GLP1)receptor agonists has raised great interest for its beneficial cardiovascular effects in preventing atherosclerosis and heart failure-related outcomes.However,while evidence about atherosclerosis consistently suggests a cardioprotective potential with class effect,controversies remain on its impact on heart failure.GLP1 receptor agonists appear to prevent hospitalization for new-onset heart failure and reduce symptoms in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(as demonstrated by the recent STEP-HFpEF Trial).Still,GLP1 agonism has resulted in neutral or even harmful effects in patients with established heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(the LIVE trial).GLP1 receptor agonists benefit the cardiovascular system indirectly through their marked metabolic effects(improved weight management,glycemic control,blood pressure,systemic and tissue inflammation),while direct effects on the heart have been questioned.Nonetheless,weight loss alone achieved through GLP1 receptor agonists has failed in improving left ventricular functions.Tirzepatide is a dual agonist of GLP1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide,representing an innovative treatment option in diabetes with a major impact on weight loss and promising cardiovascular benefits.Whether this class of therapies is going to change the history of heart failure is an ongoing debate.

Application of non-invasive ventilator in the treatment of acute heart failure merged with respiratory failure in ICU

Objective:To observe the application effect of non-invasive ventilator in the treatment of acute heart failure merged with respiratory failure in ICU.Methods:A total of 80 patients with acute heart failure merged with respiratory failure who were admitted in ICU from January, 2015 to January, 2016 were included in the study and randomized into the observation group and the control group with 40 cases in each group. The patients in the two groups were given routine treatments after admission. On this basis, the patients in the observation group were given non-invasive ventilator. The patients in the control group were given continuous low flow oxygen inhalation. PaO2, pH, PaCO2, SaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 before and after treatment between the two groups were compared. The serum NT-pro BNP and cTnI levels before treatment, 24 h and 48 h after treatment in the two groups were compared.Results:The comparison of PaO2, pH, PaCO2, SaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 before treatment between the two groups was not statistically significant. PaO2, pH, SaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 after treatment in the two groups were significantly elevated, while PaCO2 was significantly reduced when compared with before treatment. PaO2, pH, SaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 after treatment in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while PaCO2 was significantly lower than that in the control group. The comparison of NT-pro BNP and cTnI levels before treatment between the two groups was not statistically significant. NT-pro BNP and cTnI levels 12 h and 24 h after treatment in the two groups were significantly elevated when compared with before treatment. NT-pro BNP and cTnI levels 12 h and 24 h after treatment in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group.Conclusions:Non-invasive ventilator in the treatment of acute heart failure merged with respiratory failure can effectively improve the ventilation function, reduce NT-pro BNP and cTnI levels, and is of great significance in enhancing the rescued effect.

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.

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.

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.

Diagnosis and treatment of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction

Nearly six million people in United States have heart failure.Fifty percent of these people have normal left ventricular(LV)systolic heart function but abnormal diastolic function due to increased LV myocardial stiffness.Most commonly,these patients are elderly women with hypertension,ischemic heart disease,atrial fibrillation,obesity,diabetes mellitus,renal disease,or obstructive lung disease.The annual mortality rate of these patients is 8%-12%per year.The diagnosis is based on the history,physical examination,laboratory data,echocardiography,and,when necessary,by cardiac catheterization.Patients with obesity,hypertension,atrial fibrillation,and volume overload require weight reduction,an exercise program,aggressive control of blood pressure and heart rate,and diuretics.Miniature devices inserted into patients for pulmonary artery pressure monitoring provide early warning of increased pulmonary pressure and congestion.If significant coronary heart disease is present,coronary revascularization should be considered.

Heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction in older patients with chronic kidney disease: the China Hypertension Survey (2012‒2015)

Background Heart failure(HF)is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality for older chronic kidney disease(CKD)patients.However,the epidemiological data is scarce.We aimed to determine the prevalence of left ventricular(LV)dysfunction and HF,and to explore the risk factors for HF among those patients.Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis of the China Hypertension Survey conducted between October 2012 and December 2015.A total of 5,808 participants aged≥65 years were included in the analysis.Self-reported history of HF and any other cardiovascular diseases was acquired.2-D and Doppler echocardiography were used to assess LV dysfunction.CKD was defined as either estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)<60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or urinary albumin to creatinine ratio(ACR)≥30 mg/g.Results Among CKD patients aged≥65 years,the weighted prevalence of HF,heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF),heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction(HFmrEF),and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)was 4.8%,2.5%,0.8%,and 1.7%,respectively.The weighted prevalence of HF was 5.0%in patients with eGFR<60 mL/min per 1.73 m2,and was 5.9%in patients with ACR≥30 mg/g.The prevalence of LV systolic dysfunction was 3.1%,and while it was 8.9%for moderate/severe diastolic dysfunction.Multivariate analysis showed that smoking was significantly associated with the risk of HF.Furthermore,age,smoking,and residents in rural areas were significantly associated with a risk of LV diastolic dysfunction.Conclusions The prevalence of HF and LV dysfunction was high in older patients with CKD,suggesting that particular strategies will be required.

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.

Electrophysiological changes of autonomic cells in left ventricular outflow tract in guinea pigs with iron deficiency anemia complicated with chronic heart failure

Objective: To investigate the electrophysiological changes of autonomic cells in left ventricular outflow tract in guinea pigs with iron deficiency anemia complicated with chronic heart failure.Methods: Guinea pigs model of iron deficiency anemia complicated with chronic heart failure in 10 guinea pigs of the experimental group was made by feeding a low iron diet,pure water and subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol. The control group consisting of 11 guinea pigs was given normal food, normal water and injected with normal saline. The left ventricular outflow tract model specimen was also prepared. The standard microelectrode technique was used to observe electrophysiological changes of autonomic cells in the outflow tract of left ventricular heart failure complicated with iron deficiency anemia in guinea pig model. The indicators of observation were maximal diastolic potential, action potential amplitude, 0 phase maximal depolarization velocity, 4 phase automatic depolarization velocity, repolarization 50% and 90%, and spontaneous discharge frequency.Results: Compared with the control group, 4 phase automatic depolarization velocity,spontaneous discharge frequency and 0 phase maximal depolarization velocity decreased significantly(P < 0.01) and action potential amplitude reduced(P < 0.01) in model group. Moreover, repolarization 50% and 90% increased(P < 0.01).Conclusions: There are electrophysiological abnormalities of the left ventricular outflow tract in guinea pigs with iron deficiency anemia complicated with heart failure.

Post-myocardial infarction giant left ventricular pseudoaneurysm presenting with severe heart failure

Left ventricle(LV) pseudoaneurysm is a late mechanical complication of myocardial infarction.A giant LV pseudoaneurysm is a rare presentation.We report a case of giant LV pseudoaneurysm in a post-MI patient who presented with gross congestive heart failure.The patient had a successful surgical repair of the aneurysm and had a favorable 3-mo outcome.The imaging modality and surgical treatment of the pseudoaneurysm are discussed.

Predicting mortality in patients with acute heart failure:Role of risk scores

Acute heart failure is a leading cause of hospitalization and death,and it is an increasing burden on health care systems. The correct risk stratification of patients could improve clinical outcome and resources allocation,avoiding the overtreatment of low-risk subjects or the early,inappropriate discharge of high-risk patients. Many clinical scores have been derived and validated for in-hospital and post-discharge survival; predictive models include demographic,clinical,hemodynamic and laboratory variables. Data sets are derived from public registries,clinical trials,and retrospective data. Most models show a good capacity to discriminate patients who reach major clinical end-points,with C-indices generally higher than 0.70,but their applicability in realworld populations has been seldom evaluated. No study has evaluated if the use of risk score-based stratification might improve patient outcome. Some variables(age,blood pressure,sodium concentration,renal function) recur in most scores and should always be considered when evaluating the risk of an individual patient hospitalized for acute heart failure. Future studies will evaluate the emerging role of plasma biomarkers.

Characteristics of Patients with Decreased Cognitive Function Undergoing Treatment for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Heart Failure—Basic Survey for Standardization of Nursing to Prevent Discontinuation of Treatment

The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of patients with decreased cognitive function undergoing treatment for acute exacerbation phase of chronic heart failure as a basic survey with a view to the standardization of nursing to prevent discontinuation of treatment of patients with declining cognitive function in the acute exacerbation phase of chronic heart failure. As the first stage of the research, using the interview guide created based on the background of discontinuation of treatment and symptomatic monitoring from 33 target literature sources, seven certified chronic heart failure nurses and 15 certified dementia nurses were given semi-structured interviews. Data obtained from the interviews was analyzed by qualitative induction. As a result, we obtained opinions/views on 8 situations namely, “cognitive function at hospitalization”, “characteristics at hospitalization, “characteristics when receiving examinations, procedures or treatment”, “characteristics of course of treatment”, “characteristics related to difficulties in grasping the symptoms of chronic heart failure and indices of deterioration”, “characteristics when using diuretics”, “characteristics concerning compliance with dietary restrictions” and “support required for discharge from hospital” concerning patients with declining cognitive function. In the future, it is necessary to prepare nursing protocols incorporating these contents for standardization of nursing.

Development of Nursing Protocol for Preventing Interruptions during Clinical Examinations and Treatments in the Early Days of Hospitalization for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Heart Failure in Patients with Impaired Cognitive Function

The purpose of this study is to prepare a nursing protocol for preventing interruptions during clinical examinations and treatments performed in the early days of hospitalization for acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure in patients with impaired cognitive function. For the first stage of the research, we prepared a draft of the nursing protocol based on a basic survey. For the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 nurses specialized in chronic heart failure and 11 nurses in dementia care to ensure content validity of the draft protocol. For the third stage, we examined the possibility of clinical application of the revised version of the protocol draft prepared in the second stage of the study. For assessment items, significant points of nursing care, and specific nursing care practice in this revised version, 73 subjects (84.9%) considered effective for patients, in terms of prevention of interruptions during clinical examinations and treatments in the early days of hospitalization. All items and contents were considered useful by more than 60% of the nurses. Considering that the nurses working in the clinical setting reported 84.9% of usefulness, we concluded that this nursing protocol remained valid at a certain level. We consider that this nursing protocol will be useful especially for newly graduated/employed nurses as a procedure manual which can reduce their anxiety or stress caused by lack of knowledge or experiences.

Development of Nursing Protocol for Preventing Discontinuation of Treatments by Methods Other than Physical Restraint during Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Heart Failure in Patients with Impaired Cognitive Function

The purpose of this study is to prepare a nursing protocol for preventing discontinuation of treatments using a method other than physical restraint during acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure in patients with impaired cognitive function. For the first stage of the study, we prepared a draft of the nursing protocol based on a basic survey. For the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 nurses specialized in chronic heart failure and 10 nurses in dementia case to ensure content validity of the draft protocol. For the third stage, we examined the possibility of clinical application of the revised version of the protocol draft prepared in the second stage of the study. For assessment items, significant points of nursing care, and specific nursing care practice in this revised version, 154 subjects (93.9%) considered effective for patients, in terms of prevention of treatment discontinuation using a method other than physical restraint. All items and contents were considered useful by more than 60% of the nurses. Considering that the nurses working in the clinical setting reported 93.9% of usefulness, we concluded that this nursing protocol remained valid at a certain level. We also received a comment from the certified nurses that we should include the basic contents for newly graduated nurses. We consider that this nursing protocol will be also useful for newly graduated nurses to acquire knowledge. It helped to standardize nursing care in order to predict potential risks for patients with impaired cognitive function.

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.