Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors vs. sitagliptin in heart failure and type 2 diabetes: an observational cohort study.

AIMS: The effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with heart failure (HF) in routine clinical practice is not extensively studied. This study aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of SGLT2i vs. sitagliptin in older adults with HF and type 2 diabetes and to investigate whether there were any differences between agents within the SGLT2i class or for reduced and preserved ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Medicare claims data (April 2013 to December 2019), 16 253 SGLT2i initiators vs. 43 352 initiators of sitagliptin aged ≥65 years with type 2 diabetes and HF were included. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, hospitalization for HF or urgent visit requiring intravenous diuretics; secondary outcomes included its individual components. Propensity score fine stratification weighted Cox regression was used to adjust for 100 pre-exposure characteristics. Mean age was 74 years; 49.8% were women. Initiation of SGLT2i vs. sitagliptin was associated with a lower risk of the primary composite outcome [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.72; 95% confidence interval 0.67-0.77]. The adjusted HRs were 0.70 (0.63-0.78) for all-cause mortality, 0.64 (0.58-0.70) for hospitalization for HF, and 0.77 (0.69-0.86) for urgent visit requiring intravenous diuretics. Similar associations with the primary composite outcome were observed for all three agents within the SGLT2i class, for reduced and preserved ejection fraction, and subgroups based on demographics, comorbidities, and other HF treatments. Bias-calibrated HRs for the primary endpoint using negative and positive control outcomes ranged between 0.81 and 0.89, suggesting that the observed benefit could not be fully explained by residual confounding. CONCLUSION: In routine US clinical practice, SGLT2i demonstrated robust clinical effectiveness in older adults with HF and type 2 diabetes compared with sitagliptin, with no evidence of heterogeneity across the SGLT2i class or across ejection fraction.

Diastolic and systolic left ventricular dysfunction and mortality in chronic kidney disease patients on haemodialysis.

AIMS: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD) are prevalent in CKD, but their prognostic relevance is debatable. We intent to verify whether LVDD and LVSD are independently predictive of all-cause mortality and if they have comparable or different effects on outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the echocardiographic data of 1285 haemodialysis patients followed up until death or transplantation. LVDD was classified into 4 grades of severity. Endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During a follow-up of 30 months, 419/1285 (33%) patients died, 224 (53%) due to CV events. LVDD occurred in 75% of patients, grade 1 DD was the prevalent diastolic abnormality, and pseudonormal pattern was the predominant form of moderate-severe DD. Moderate-severe LVDD (HR 1.379, CI% 1.074-1.770) and LVSD (HR 1.814, CI% 1.265-2.576) independently predicted death; a graded, progressive association was found between LVDD categories and the risk of death; and the impact of isolated severe-moderate LVDD on the risk of death was comparable to that exercised by isolated compromised LV systolic function. CONCLUSION: Moderate-severe LVDD and LVSD were independently associated with a higher probability of death and had a similar impact on survival. A progressive association was observed between LVDD grades and mortality.

Bariatric surgery decreases the number of future hospital admissions for diastolic heart failure in subjects with severe obesity: a retrospective analysis of the US National Inpatient Sample database.

BACKGROUND: Considerable evidence documents the effectiveness and efficacy of bariatric surgery (BaS) in reducing the prevalence and severity of obesity-related co-morbidities. Diastolic heart failure (DHF) is a condition with considerable morbidity and mortality, yet recalcitrant to medical therapy. OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to assess whether BaS is associated with a decrease in hospital admissions for DHF and determine its impact upon DHF hospital admissions among patients with hypertension (HTN) and coronary artery disease (CAD). SETTING: Academic institution. METHODS: Data on 296 041 BaS cases and 2 004 804 controls with severe obesity were extracted from the US National Inpatient Sample database for the years 2010 to 2015 and compared. Univariate and multivariable analysis were performed to assess the impact of pre-2010 BaS on the rate of hospital admissions for DHF, adjusting for demographics, co-morbidities, and other risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). RESULTS: Relative to controls, all baseline CVD risk factors were less common among BaS cases. Nonetheless, even after adjusting for all CVD risk factors, controls exhibited marked increases in the odds of DHF overall (odds ratio = 2.80; 95% confidence interval = 2.52-3.10). Controls with HTN and CAD demonstrated an almost 3-fold increase in odds of DHF admissions. Similarly, controls with no HTN demonstrated a 5-fold increase in odds of admissions for DHF when compared to the surgical group. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective, case control study of a large, representative national sample of patients with severely obesity, BaS was found to be associated with significantly reduced hospitalizations for DHF when adjusted for baseline CVD risk factors. It also reduced DHF incidence in high-risk patients with HTN and CAD.

Outcomes of Patients With Diabetes Versus Patients Without Diabetes Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure.

The objective is to define the clinical echocardiographic characteristics and cardiovascular outcome in patients with acute heart failure (HF) with versus without diabetes mellitus (DM). Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data were collected in Olmsted County adults hospitalized for acute HF between 2005 and 2008. Analyses were performed for mortality and acute HF hospitalization outcomes stratified by diabetic status, systolic function, and diastolic function. There were 912 subjects who met inclusion criteria, and mean age was 79 (SD 13.1) years with 53% women. Prevalence of DM was 42% in the study population, and those with DM had worse diastolic function and increased mortality and HF rehospitalization. Among those with DM and acute HF, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and worse diastolic function conferred increased HF rehospitalization (p = 0.010 and p = 0.022, respectively). In conclusion, DM is common in those hospitalized for acute HF and is associated with worse long-term clinical outcomes. The subgroup of DM with acute HF and left ventricular systolic dysfunction or diastolic dysfunction had worse HF rehospitalization outcomes.

Effect of diabetes mellitus on the development of left ventricular contractile dysfunction in women with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous syndrome with sex-specific pathophysiology. Estrogen deficiency is believed to be responsible for the development of HFpEF in women. However, estrogen deficiency does not seem to be completely responsible for the differences in HFpEF prevalence between sexes. While diabetes mellitus (DM) frequently coexists with HFpEF in women and is associated with worse outcomes, the changes in myocardial contractility among women with HFpEF and the DM phenotype is yet unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate sex-related differences in left ventricular (LV) contractility dysfunction in HFpEF comorbid with DM. METHODS: A total of 224 patients who underwent cardiac cine MRI were included in this study. Sex-specific differences in LV structure and function in the context of DM were determined. LV systolic strains (global longitudinal strain [GLS], circumferential strain [GCS] and radial strain [GRS]) were measured using cine MRI. The determinants of impaired myocardial strain for women and men were assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of DM did not differ between sexes (p > 0.05). Despite a similar LV ejection fraction, women with DM demonstrated a greater LV mass index than women without DM (p = 0.023). The prevalence of LV geometry patterns by sex did not differ in the non-DM subgroup, but there was a trend toward a more abnormal LV geometry in women with DM (p = 0.072). The magnitudes of systolic strains were similar between sexes in the non-DM group (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, in the DM subgroup, there was significant impairment in women in systolic strains compared with men (p < 0.05). In the multivariable analysis, DM was associated with impaired systolic strains in women (GLS [ß = 0.26; p = 0.007], GCS [ß = 0.31; p < 0.001], and GRS [ß = -0.24; p = 0.016]), whereas obesity and coronary artery disease were associated with impaired systolic strains in men (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Women with DM demonstrated greater LV contractile dysfunction, which indicates that women with HFpEF comorbid with DM have a high-risk phenotype of cardiac failure that may require more aggressive and personalized medical treatment.

Diastolic Heart Failure: A Review of Current and Future Treatment Options.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), often referred to as diastolic heart failure, remains one of the more challenging forms of heart failure to treat. This is a condition in which patients may or may not have signs and symptoms of heart failure, and retain a left ventricular ejection fraction greater than 50%. The challenge to treating HFpEF is due to the paucity of clinical trials with specific therapies, and those that have been completed have yielded relatively neutral results. This has resulted in treatments that are aimed more towards associated conditions, such as hypertension, rather than the underlying pathophysiology. This article will review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of HFpEF, and discuss the current therapeutic modalities, and clinical trials. In addition, we will discuss an ongoing clinical trial and the impact it may hold on future treatment options.

The quintessential form of diastolic heart failure in older adults: Wild type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

Wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt) is now recognized as a common cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In this review, we aim to describe the unique epidemiologic, pathophysiologic, and clinical features associated with ATTwt cardiac amyloidosis. Compared to other etiologies of HFpEF, ATTRwt cardiac amyloidosis affects almost exclusively older adults, demonstrating a characteristic age-dependent penetrance that impacts both the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In addition, ATTR cardiac amyloidosis demonstrates a unique pathophysiology in contrast to other etiologies of HFpEF, which results in a characteristic phenotype that can raise suspicion for ATTRwt cardiac amyloid in the appropriate demographic. With these distinguishing features in mind, we aim to describe the specific signs, symptoms, and imaging characteristics associated with ATTRwt cardiac amyloidosis, including the role of nuclear scintigraphy that has essentially eliminated the need for biopsy in most patients with suspected disease. Finally, we review the evidence behind the available therapeutic agents, as well as those under investigation, which will change the way we manage older patients with ATTRwt cardiac amyloidosis in the coming years.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Diastolic Heart Failure in Preterm Infants.

Diastolic dysfunction is primarily an echocardiographic diagnosis. Its clinical counterpart is diastolic heart failure, where the heart has difficulty to fill at normal pressure and the patient develops signs of pulmonary edema. Although diastolic dysfunction is common in adults, limited information is available in preterm infants. The aim of this study is to explore left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and diastolic heart failure in preterm infants and describe clinical manifestations in this population. This is a retrospective observational study in preterm infants < 30 weeks' gestation who received an echocardiography in the first 4 weeks after birth. Diastolic dysfunction was graded using a population-specific adapted version of the adult recommendations for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function by echocardiography. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was absent, indeterminate, and definite in 82%, 14%, and 4% of the 168 echocardiograms analyzed, and is associated with increased respiratory signs and respiratory deterioration at 48 h before echocardiogram. In seven infants, diastolic heart failure was diagnosed with both ultrasound and clinical signs. The cumulative risk of diastolic dysfunction increased with the increasing postnatal age and a patent ductus arteriosus. Evidence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on echocardiography is relatively common in preterm infants, while the left ventricular diastolic heart failure is less frequent. Prolonged exposure to volume load was the most common cause.

Heart Failure among People with HIV: Evolving Risks, Mechanisms, and Preventive Considerations.

PURPOSE: People with HIV (PHIV) with access to modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) face a two-fold increased risk of heart failure as compared with non-HIV-infected individuals. The purpose of this review is to consider evolving risks, mechanisms, and preventive considerations pertaining to heart failure among PHIV. RECENT FINDINGS: While unchecked HIV/AIDS has been documented to precipitate heart failure characterized by overtly reduced cardiac contractile function, ART-treated HIV may be associated with either heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In HFpEF, a "stiff" left ventricle cannot adequately relax in diastole-a condition known as diastolic dysfunction. Diastolic dysfunction, in turn, may result from processes including myocardial fibrosis (triggered by hypertension and/or immune activation/inflammation) and/or myocardial steatosis (triggered by metabolic dysregulation). Notably, hypertension, systemic immune activation, and metabolic dysregulation are all common conditions among even those PHIV who are well-treated with ART. Of clinical consequence, HFpEF is uniquely intransigent to conventional medical therapies and portends high morbidity and mortality. However, diastolic dysfunction is reversible-as are contributing processes of myocardial fibrosis and myocardial steatosis. Our challenges in preserving myocardial health among PHIV are two-fold. First, we must continue working to realize UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals. This achievement will reduce AIDS-related mortality, including cardiovascular deaths from AIDS-associated heart failure. Second, we must work to elucidate the detailed mechanisms continuing to predispose ART-treated PHIV to heart failure and particularly HFpEF. Such efforts will enable the development and implementation of targeted preventive strategies.

The prevalence and predictors of resistant hypertension in high-risk overweight and obese patients: A cross-sectional study based on the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines.

Obesity is significantly associated with uncontrolled blood pressure and resistant hypertension (RH). There are limited studies on the prevalence and determinants of RH in patients with higher body mass index (BMI) values. Since the hypertension guidelines changed in 2017, the prevalence of RH has become unknown and now is subject to be estimated by further studies. We conducted a cross-sectional study in an urban Federally Qualified Health Center in New York City aiming to estimate the prevalence of RH in high-risk overweight and obese patients based on the new hypertension definition, BP threshold ≥130/80 mm Hg, and also to describe the associated comorbid conditions in these patients. We identified 761 eligible high-risk overweight and obese subjects with hypertension between October 2017 and October 2018. Apparent treatment-RH was found in 13.6% among the entire study population. This represented 15.4% of those treated with BP-lowering agents. True RH confirmed with out-of-office elevated BP was found in 6.7% of the study population and 7.4% among patients treated with BP-lowering agents. Prevalence was higher with higher BMI values. Those with true RH were more likely to be black, to have diabetes mellitus requiring insulin, chronic kidney disease stage 3 or above and diastolic heart failure. In conclusion, obesity is significantly associated with RH and other significant metabolic comorbid conditions.

Comparing the influence of 2009 versus 2016 ASE/EACVI diastolic function guidelines on the prevalence and echocardiographic characteristics of preclinical diastolic dysfunction (stage B heart failure) in a Hispanic population with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: To identify prevalence and predictors of undetected pre-clinical diastolic dysfunction (PDD) in a cohort of adult Hispanic patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), and compare variations in epidemiology and echocardiographic characteristics between categorization based on the 2009 versus 2016 guidelines. METHODS: From 2013 to 2016, a cross-sectional cohort study of adults with T2D was performed. Patients without signs/symptoms of heart failure (HF) underwent 2D/Doppler echocardiographic screening, and were grouped into two subcohorts: 1) normal diastolic function, and 2) PDD, defined by the 2009 or 2016 ASE/EACVI criteria. RESULTS: Among 307 Hispanic subjects, by 2009 criteria, 193 (62.9%) had normal diastolic function, 113 (36.8%) diastolic dysfunction and 1 (0.3%) indeterminate. Those that had diastolic dysfunction (DD) were older (mean age 59.1 ±â€¯12.7 vs 52.2 ±â€¯12.2 years, p< 0.0001), with higher proportion female (69.0 vs 53.9%, p = 0.0092), and higher systolic blood pressure (136.5 ±â€¯18.6 vs 131.7 ±â€¯19.9, p = 0.0372). By 2016 criteria, 261 (85%) had normal diastolic function, 22 (7.2%) diastolic dysfunction and 24 (7.8%) indeterminate. Among those that had normal diastolic function (n = 261) by 2016 criteria, 29% (n = 76) had DD by 2009 criteria, and they were more likely to have higher E/e' and left atrial volume index (LAVI). CONCLUSIONS: By applying the 2016 versus the 2009 diastolic function criteria to a Hispanic population with T2D, the prevalence of PDD decreased significantly from 37% to 7%. These findings are consistent with recent studies demonstrating that the 2016 ASE/EACVI guidelines are more specific for diagnosing DD and hence less sensitive leading to lower prevalence of diastolic dysfunction.

Utility of the FRAIL Questionnaire in Detecting Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

OBJECTIVE: To test the utility of the FRAIL questionnaire as a screening tool for heart failure. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Chinese older people in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Participants aged 60 years and over were recruited from a territory-wide primary care needs assessment for older people based in community centers as well as two nonacute hospitals. MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaire administered included the five-item FRAIL scale, and information regarding sociodemographic data, smoking and alcohol use, history of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and heart failure symptoms. Handgrip strength, walking speed and 6 minute walk distance were recorded. Cardiac assessment included electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and blood assay for N-terminal prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). RESULTS: The prevalence of diastolic dysfunction was high, being 52% in the robust group, increasing to 65% in the pre-frail and 85% in the frail group. This finding is accompanied by a corresponding increase in NT-proBNP from 64.18 pg/ml in the robust group, to 118.57 pg/ml in the pre-frail and 167.98 pg/ml in the frail group. Three of the five components of the FRAIL scale, fatigue, resistance and ambulation, were associated with increased odds ratios of diastolic dysfunction among those aged 75 years and older, while resistance alone was associated with increased odds ratio among those less than 75 years old. CONCLUSION: Frailty is associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and frailty screening may be used to detect undiagnosed HFpEF. The findings support the proposal that HFpEF be considered a geriatric syndrome.

The 2016 ASE/EACVI recommendations may be able to more accurately identify patients at risk for diastolic dysfunction in living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction between the 2016 American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging and 2009 ASE/European Association of Echocardiography recommendations in patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 312 adult patients who underwent LDLT at our hospital from January 2010 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Exclusion criteria were systolic dysfunction, arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, and mitral or aortic valvular insufficiency. RESULTS: The study population was largely male (68.3%), and the median age was 54 (49-59) years. The median model for end-stage liver disease score was 12 (6-22) points. A predominant difference in the prevalence rates of diastolic dysfunction was observed between the two recommendations. The prevalence rates of diastolic dysfunction and indeterminate diastolic function were lower according to the 2016 recommendations than the 2009 recommendations. The level of concordance between the two recommendations was poor. The proportion of patients with a high brain natriuretic peptide level (> 100 pg/mL) decreased significantly during surgery in the normal and indeterminate groups according to the 2009 recommendations; however, only the normal group showed an intraoperative decrease in the proportion according to the 2016 recommendations. Patients with diastolic dysfunction showed a poorer overall-survival rate than those with normal function according to both recommendations. However, there was a difference in the survival rate in the indeterminate group between the two recommendations. A significant difference in patient survival rate was observed between the dysfunction and indeterminate groups according to the 2009 recommendations; however, the difference was not significant in the 2016 recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: The 2016 classification may be better able to identify patients with a risk for diastolic dysfunction. Particularly, patients in the 2016 indeterminate group seemed to require a cardiac diastolic functional evaluation more frequently during and after surgery than those in the 2009 indeterminate group.

Subclinical hypothyroidism and the development of heart failure: an overview of risk and effects on cardiac function.

The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) ranges from 5 to 15% of the general population. However, it remains controversial if SCH warrants life-long thyroxine replacement therapy. Patients with a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level > 10 mIU/L have a higher risk of developing heart failure with reduced ejection fraction as compared to subjects with normal thyroid function. However, abnormally high TSH levels could also be connected with an overall lower metabolic rate and better survival in elderly subjects. The potential mechanisms responsible for diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV) in SCH are connected with endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness, inflammatory state and are driven by TSH apoptosis-derived microparticles. The impact of SCH on LV systolic function is more controversial, and it is connected not only with cardiac remodelling but also with predisposition of patients with SCH to the conditions leading to heart failure. This review presents an overview of processes in the context of potential benefits of thyroxine supplementation therapy.

Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure in Women.

Atrial fibrillation often occurs as a cause or consequence of heart failure. Clinical outcomes are worse when atrial fibrillation and heart failure coexist. There are important sex-related differences in the incidence, prevalence, pathophysiology, treatment, and outcomes of these patients. Women with heart failure are at greater risk of developing atrial fibrillation than men, and more women with atrial fibrillation develop heart failure. More women die of atrial fibrillation-related strokes. Despite significant morbidity and mortality, current treatments for women are inadequate. This review explores sex differences in atrial fibrillation and heart failure, emphasizing risk stratification and treatments to improve clinical outcomes.

Predictive power of different obesity measures for the presence of diastolic dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as measures of obesity have some limitations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether one measure could predict the presence of diastolic dysfunction (DD) more accurately than the other measures. METHODS: A total of 91 obese patients without any other risk factors for DD were prospectively enrolled. Echocardiographic examination was performed. DD was defined and categorized according to recent guidelines. The study participants were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of DD. Weight, height, and WC were measured; BMI and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated; and a body shape index (ABSI) was calculated as WC/(BMI2/3height1/2). The associations between ABSI, BMI, WHR, and WC and the presence of DD were examined using logistic regression analyses. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the differences. RESULTS: WC and BMI were significantly greater in subjects with DD (p=0.049 and 0.051, respectively). A greater BMI, WC, and WHR increased the risk of the presence of DD (BMIDD: odds ratio [OR]=1.096, p=0.024; WC-DD: OR=1.059, p=0.007; WHR-DD: OR=2.363, p=0.007). After adjustment for age and sex, only BMI continued to be significantly associated with DD (p=0.031). ABSI was not associated with DD. CONCLUSION: After adjustment for age and sex, BMI was the only predictor of DD in obesity. Despite its limitations, BMI may still be a potentially more accurate measure of DD compared with other obesity measures.

Prevalence and correlates of coronary microvascular dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: PROMIS-HFpEF.

Aims: To date, clinical evidence of microvascular dysfunction in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been limited. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and its association with systemic endothelial dysfunction, HF severity, and myocardial dysfunction in a well defined, multi-centre HFpEF population. Methods and results: This prospective multinational multi-centre observational study enrolled patients fulfilling strict criteria for HFpEF according to current guidelines. Those with known unrevascularized macrovascular coronary artery disease (CAD) were excluded. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was measured with adenosine stress transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Systemic endothelial function [reactive hyperaemia index (RHI)] was measured by peripheral arterial tonometry. Among 202 patients with HFpEF, 151 [75% (95% confidence interval 69-81%)] had CMD (defined as CFR <2.5). Patients with CMD had a higher prevalence of current or prior smoking (70% vs. 43%; P = 0.0006) and atrial fibrillation (58% vs. 25%; P = 0.004) compared with those without CMD. Worse CFR was associated with higher urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and NTproBNP, and lower RHI, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and right ventricular (RV) free wall strain after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, revascularized CAD, smoking, left ventricular mass, and study site (P < 0.05 for all associations). Conclusions: PROMIS-HFpEF is the first prospective multi-centre, multinational study to demonstrate a high prevalence of CMD in HFpEF in the absence of unrevascularized macrovascular CAD, and to show its association with systemic endothelial dysfunction (RHI, UACR) as well as markers of HF severity (NTproBNP and RV dysfunction). Microvascular dysfunction may be a promising therapeutic target in HFpEF.

Prognostic Value of Frailty and Diastolic Dysfunction in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: High prevalence of frailty and of diastolic dysfunction (DD) in heart failure and high mortality in frail adults have been noted. We characterized frailty by quantifying differences on echocardiography, and assessed the added prognostic utility of frailty and DD grade in an elderly population. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-one patients ≥65 years who had at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor were prospectively recruited for clinically indicated echocardiography at the present institute. Weight loss, exhaustion, and deficits in physical activity, gait speed, and handgrip strength were used to categorize patients as frail (≥3 features), intermediately frail (1 or 2 features), or non-frail (0 features). DD grade ≥2 was defined as severe. Frailty was associated with larger left atrial volume, smaller stroke volume, and worse DD grade after adjustment for age. In a period of 14 months, 29 patients (15%) had cardiovascular events. The addition of frailty score and severe DD significantly improved the prognostic power of a model containing male gender (model 1, male gender, χ2=6.4; model 2, model 1 plus frailty score, χ2=16.7, P=0.004; model 3, model 2 plus severe DD, χ2=25.5, P=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Both frailty and DD grade were significantly associated with future cardiovascular events in an elderly population with preserved ejection fraction and ≥1 risk factor of cardiovascular disease.