The prognostic value of improving congestion on lung ultrasound during treatment for acute heart failure differs based on patient characteristics at admission.

BACKGROUND: Lung ultrasound congestion scoring (LUS-CS) is a congestion severity biomarker. The BLUSHED-AHF trial demonstrated feasibility for LUS-CS-guided therapy in acute heart failure (AHF). We investigated two questions: 1) does change (∆) in LUS-CS from emergency department (ED) to hospital-discharge predict patient outcomes, and 2) is the relationship between in-hospital decongestion and adverse events moderated by baseline risk-factors at admission? METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of 933 observations/128 patients from 5 hospitals in the BLUSHED-AHF trial receiving daily LUS. ∆LUS-CS from ED arrival to inpatient discharge (scale -160 to +160, where negative = improving congestion) was compared to a primary outcome of 30-day death/AHF-rehospitalization. Cox regression was used to adjust for mortality risk at admission [Get-With-The-Guidelines HF risk score (GWTG-RS)] and the discharge LUS-CS. An interaction between ∆LUS-CS and GWTG-RS was included, under the hypothesis that the association between decongestion intensity (by ∆LUS-CS) and adverse outcomes would be stronger in admitted patients with low-mortality risk but high baseline congestion. RESULTS: Median age was 65 years, GWTG-RS 36, left ventricular ejection fraction 36 %, and ∆LUS-CS -20. In the multivariable analysis ∆LUS-CS was associated with event-free survival (HR = 0.61; 95 % CI: 0.38-0.97), while discharge LUS-CS (HR = 1.00; 95%CI: 0.54-1.84) did not add incremental prognostic value to ∆LUS-CS alone. As GWTG-RS rose, benefits of LUS-CS reduction attenuated (interaction p < 0.05). ∆LUS-CS and event-free survival were most strongly correlated in patients without tachycardia, tachypnea, hypotension, hyponatremia, uremia, advanced age, or history of myocardial infarction at ED/baseline, and those with low daily loop diuretic requirements. CONCLUSIONS: Reduction in ∆LUS-CS during AHF treatment was most associated with improved readmission-free survival in heavily congested patients with otherwise reassuring features at admission. ∆LUS-CS may be most useful as a measure to ensure adequate decongestion prior to discharge, to prevent early readmission, rather than modify survival.

Lung Ultrasound-Guided Emergency Department Management of Acute Heart Failure (BLUSHED-AHF): A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine whether a 6-hour lung ultrasound (LUS)-guided strategy-of-care improves pulmonary congestion over usual management in the emergency department (ED) setting. A secondary goal was to explore whether early targeted intervention leads to improved outcomes. BACKGROUND: Targeting pulmonary congestion in acute heart failure remains a key goal of care. LUS B-lines are a semi-quantitative assessment of pulmonary congestion. Whether B-lines decrease in patients with acute heart failure by targeting therapy is not well known. METHODS: A multicenter, single-blind, ED-based, pilot trial randomized 130 patients to receive a 6-hour LUS-guided treatment strategy versus structured usual care. Patients were followed up throughout hospitalization and 90 days' postdischarge. B-lines ≤15 at 6 h was the primary outcome, and days alive and out of hospital (DAOOH) at 30 days was the main exploratory outcome. RESULTS: No significant difference in the proportion of patients with B-lines ≤15 at 6 hours (25.0% LUS vs 27.5% usual care; P = 0.83) or the number of B-lines at 6 hours (35.4 ± 26.8 LUS vs 34.3 ± 26.2 usual care; P = 0.82) was observed between groups. There were also no differences in DAOOH (21.3 ± 6.6 LUS vs 21.3 ± 7.1 usual care; P = 0.99). However, a significantly greater reduction in the number of B-lines was observed in LUS-guided patients compared with those receiving usual structured care during the first 48 hours (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot trial, ED use of LUS to target pulmonary congestion conferred no benefit compared with usual care in reducing the number of B-lines at 6 hours or in 30 days DAOOH. However, LUS-guided patients had faster resolution of congestion during the initial 48 hours. (B-lines Lung Ultrasound-Guided ED Management of Acute Heart Failure Pilot Trial; NCT03136198).