PRADOC: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Efficiency of PRADO-IC, a Nationwide Pragmatic Transition Care Management Plan for Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure in France.

BACKGROUND: The PRADO-IC (Programme de Retour à Domicile après une Insuffisance Cardiaque) is a transition care program designed to improve the coordination of care between hospital and home that was generalized in France in 2014. The PRADO-IC consists of an administrative assistant who visits patients during hospitalization to schedule follow-up visits. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the PRADO-IC program based on the hypotheses provided by health authorities. METHODS AND RESULTS: The PRADOC study is a multicenter, controlled, randomized, open-label, mixed-method trial of the transition program PRADO-IC versus usual management in patients hospitalized with heart failure (standard of care group; NCT03396081). A total of 404 patients were recruited between April 2018 and May 2021. The mean patient age was 75 years (±12 years) in both groups. The 2 groups were well balanced regarding severity indices. At discharge, patients homogeneously received the recommended drugs. There was no difference between groups regarding hospitalizations for acute heart failure at 1 year, with 24.60% in the standard of care group and 25.40% in the PRADO-IC group during the year following the index hospitalization (hazard ratio, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.69-1.56]; P=0.85) or cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.34-1.31]; P=0.24). CONCLUSIONS: The PRADO-IC has not significantly improved clinical outcomes, though a trend toward reduced cardiovascular mortality is evident. These results will help in understanding how transitional care programs remain to be integrated in pathways of current patients, including telemonitoring, and to better tailor individualized approaches. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique Identifier: NCT03396081.

The admission level of CRP during cardiogenic shock is a strong independent risk marker of mortality.

Inflammatory processes are involved not only in coronary artery disease but also in heart failure (HF). Cardiogenic shock (CS) and septic shock are classically distinct although intricate relationships are frequent in daily practice. The impact of admission inflammation in patients with CS is largely unknown. FRENSHOCK is a prospective registry including 772 CS patients from 49 centers. One-month and one-year mortalities were analyzed according to the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) at admission, adjusted on independent predictive factors. Within 406 patients included, 72.7% were male, and the mean age was 67.4 y ± 14.7. Four groups were defined, depending on the quartiles of CRP at admission. Q1 with a CRP < 8 mg/L, Q2: CRP was 8-28 mg/L, Q3: CRP was > 28-69 mg/L, and Q4: CRP was > 69 mg/L. The four groups did not differ regarding main baseline characteristics. However, group Q4 received more often antibiotics in 47.5%, norepinephrine in 66.3%, and needed more frequently respiratory support and renal replacement therapy. Whether at 1 month (Ptrend = 0.01) or 1 year (Ptrend < 0.01), a strong significant trend towards increased all-cause mortality was observed across CRP quartiles. Specifically, compared to the Q1 group, Q4 patients demonstrated a 2.2-fold higher mortality rate at 1-month (95% CI 1.23-3.97, p < 0.01), which persisted at 1-year, with a 2.14-fold increase in events (95% CI 1.43-3.22, p < 0.01). Admission CRP level is a strong independent predictor of mortality at 1 month and 1-year in CS. Specific approaches need to be developed to identify accurately patients in whom inflammatory processes are excessive and harmful, paving the way for innovative approaches in patients admitted for CS.NCT02703038.

Post-capillary pulmonary hypertension in heart failure: impact of current definition in the PH-HF multicentre study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Based on retrospective studies, the 2022 European guidelines changed the definition of post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (pcPH) in heart failure (HF) by lowering the level of mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). However, the impact of this definition and its prognostic value has never been evaluated prospectively. METHODS: Stable left HF patients with the need for right heart catheterization were enrolled from 2010 to 2018 and prospectively followed up in this multicentre study. The impact of the successive pcPH definitions on pcPH prevalence and subgroup [i.e. isolated (IpcPH) vs. combined pcPH (CpcPH)] was evaluated. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to assess the prognostic value of mPAP and PVR on all-cause death or hospitalization for HF (primary outcome). RESULTS: Included were 662 HF patients were (median age 63 years, 60% male). Lowering mPAP from 25 to 20 mmHg resulted in +10% increase in pcPH prevalence, whereas lowering PVR from 3 to 2 resulted in +60% increase in CpcPH prevalence (with significant net reclassification improvement for the primary outcome). In multivariable analysis, both mPAP and PVR remained associated with the primary outcome [hazard ratio (HR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.03, P = .01; HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.14, P = .03]. The best PVR threshold associated with the primary outcome was around 2.2 WU. Using the 2022 definition, pcPH patients had worse survival compared with HF patients without pcPH (log-rank, P = .02) as well as CpcPH compared with IpcPH (log-rank, P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first emphasizing the impact of the new pcPH definition on CpcPH prevalence and validating the prognostic value of mPAP > 20 mmHg and PVR > 2 WU among HF patients.

Cardiogenic shock and infection: A lethal combination.

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock and sepsis are severe haemodynamic states that are frequently present concomitantly, leading to substantial mortality. Despite its frequency and clinical significance, there is a striking lack of literature on the outcomes of combined sepsis and cardiogenic shock. METHODS: FRENSHOCK was a prospective registry including 772 patients with cardiogenic shock from 49 centres. The primary endpoint was 1-month all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included heart transplantation, ventricular assistance device and all-cause death rate at 1year. RESULTS: Among the 772 patients with cardiogenic shock included, 92 cases were triggered by sepsis (11.9%), displaying more frequent renal and hepatic acute injuries, with lower mean arterial pressure. Patients in the sepsis group required broader use of dobutamine (90.1% vs. 81.2%; P=0.16), norepinephrine (72.5% vs. 50.8%; P<0.01), renal replacement therapy (29.7% vs. 14%; P<0.01), non-invasive ventilation (36.3% vs. 24.4%; P=0.09) and invasive ventilation (52.7% vs. 35.9%; P=0.02). Sepsis-triggered cardiogenic shock resulted in higher 1-month (41.3% vs. 24.0%; adjusted hazard ratio: 1.94, 95% confidence interval: 1.36-2.76; P<0.01) and 1-year (62.0% vs. 42.9%; adjusted hazard ratio 1.75, 95% confidence interval 1.32-2.33; P<0.01) all-cause death rates. No significant difference was found at 1year for heart transplantation or ventricular assistance device (8.7% vs. 10.3%; adjusted odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.32-1.64; P=0.43). In patients with sepsis-triggered cardiogenic shock, neither the presence of a preexisting cardiomyopathy nor the co-occurrence of other cardiogenic shock triggers had any additional impact on death. CONCLUSIONS: The association between sepsis and cardiogenic shock represents a common high-risk scenario, leading to higher short- and long-term death rates, regardless of the association with other cardiogenic shock triggers or the presence of preexisting cardiomyopathy.

Phenotypic clustering of patients hospitalized in intensive cardiac care units: Insights from the ADDICT-ICCU study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive cardiac care units (ICCUs) were created to manage ventricular arrhythmias after acute coronary syndromes, but have diversified to include a more heterogeneous population, the characteristics of which are not well depicted by conventional methods. AIMS: To identify ICCU patient subgroups by phenotypic unsupervised clustering integrating clinical, biological, and echocardiographic data to reveal pathophysiological differences. METHODS: During 7-22 April 2021, we recruited all consecutive patients admitted to ICCUs in 39 centers. The primary outcome was in-hospital major adverse events (MAEs; death, resuscitated cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock). A cluster analysis was performed using a Kamila algorithm. RESULTS: Of 1499 patients admitted to the ICCU (69.6% male, mean age 63.3±14.9 years), 67 (4.5%) experienced MAEs. Four phenogroups were identified: PG1 (n=535), typically patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction; PG2 (n=444), younger smokers with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction; PG3 (n=273), elderly patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and conduction disturbances; PG4 (n=247), patients with acute heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Compared to PG1, multivariable analysis revealed a higher risk of MAEs in PG2 (odds ratio [OR] 3.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-10.0) and PG3 (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.02-10.8), with the highest risk in PG4 (OR 20.5, 95% CI 8.7-60.8) (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cluster analysis of clinical, biological, and echocardiographic variables identified four phenogroups of patients admitted to the ICCU that were associated with distinct prognostic profiles. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05063097.

Predictors and Risk Score for Immune Checkpoint-Inhibitor-Associated Myocarditis Severity.

Background: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are associated with life-threatening myocarditis but milder presentations are increasingly recognized. The same autoimmune process that causes ICI-myocarditis can manifest concurrent generalized myositis, myasthenia-like syndrome, and respiratory muscle failure. Prognostic factors for this "cardiomyotoxicity" are lacking. Methods: A multicenter registry collected data retrospectively from 17 countries between 2014-2023. A multivariable cox regression model (hazard-ratio(HR), [95%confidence-interval]) was used to determine risk factors for the primary composite outcome: severe arrhythmia, heart failure, respiratory muscle failure, and/or cardiomyotoxicity-related death. Covariates included demographics, comorbidities, cardio-muscular symptoms, diagnostics, and treatments. Time-dependent covariates were used and missing data were imputed. A point-based prognostic risk score was derived and externally validated. Results: In 748 patients (67% male, age 23-94), 30-days incidence of the primary composite outcome, cardiomyotoxic death, and overall death were 33%, 13%, and 17% respectively. By multivariable analysis, the primary composite outcome was associated with active thymoma (HR=3.60[1.93-6.72]), presence of cardio-muscular symptoms (HR=2.60 [1.58-4.28]), low QRS-voltage on presenting electrocardiogram (HR for ≤0.5mV versus >1mV=2.08[1.31-3.30]), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% (HR=1.78[1.22-2.60]), and incremental troponin elevation (HR=1.86 [1.44-2.39], 2.99[1.91-4.65], 4.80[2.54-9.08], for 20, 200 and 2000-fold above upper reference limit, respectively). A prognostic risk score developed using these parameters showed good performance; 30-days primary outcome incidence increased gradually from 3.9%(risk-score=0) to 81.3%(risk-score≥4). This risk-score was externally validated in two independent French and US cohorts. This risk score was used prospectively in the external French cohort to identify low risk patients who were managed with no immunosuppression resulting in no cardio-myotoxic events. Conclusions: ICI-myocarditis can manifest with high morbidity and mortality. Myocarditis severity is associated with magnitude of troponin, thymoma, low-QRS voltage, depressed LVEF, and cardio-muscular symptoms. A risk-score incorporating these features performed well. Trial registration number: NCT04294771 and NCT05454527.

Salt substitute recommendations for heart failure patients may influence guideline-directed medical therapies titration.

AIMS: Reducing sodium intake is necessary for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Salt substitutes (saltSubs) have become increasingly popular as recommendations by healthcare professionals (HCPs) as well as options for patients and their caregivers. However, their consumption is generally potassium based and remains poorly evaluated in CHF management. Their impact on guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) also remains unknown. The primary objective of this study was to provide a description and estimate of HCP recommendations and reported use of saltSubs in France. Secondary objectives were to identify if there was an association between these recommendations by HCPs and the use of GDMTs. METHODS AND RESULTS: A nationwide, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional, epidemiological study was conducted from September 2020 to July 2021. Data collection included baseline characteristics, the use and recommendations of saltSubs, and the use of GDMTs, which included (i) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) or angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNis), (ii) mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and/or (iii) beta-blockers (BBs). In total, 13% of HCPs advised saltSubs and 17% of patients and 22% of caregivers reported their consumption. CHF patients advised to take saltSubs did not differ in terms of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) <40%, ischaemic origin, and New York Heart Association III-IV class, but were more recently hospitalized for acute HF (P = 0.004). HCPs who recommended saltSubs to patients were more likely to advise an anti-diabetic diet (P < 0.001), cholesterol-lowering diet (P < 0.001), and exercise (P = 0.018). In the overall population, ACEi/ARB/ARNi use was less frequent in case of saltSub recommendations (74% vs. 82%, P = 0.012). The concomitant prescription of none, one, two, or three GDMTs was less favourable in case of saltSub recommendations (P = 0.046). There was no significant difference for the presence of MRA (56% vs. 58%) and/or BB (78% vs. 82%). The under-prescription of ACEi/ARB/ARNi was found when patients had EF < 40% (P = 0.029) and/or EF ≥ 40% (P = 0.043). In the subgroup with left ventricular EF ≥ 40%, we found a higher thiazide use (P = 0.014) and a less frequent use of low EF GDMTs (P = 0.044) in case of being recommended saltSubs. CONCLUSIONS: Beyond the well-established risk for hyperkalaemia, our preliminary results suggest a potentially negative impact of saltSubs on GDMT use, especially for ACEis/ARBs/ARNis in CHF management. saltSub recommendations and their availability from open sale outlets should be considered to avoid possible misuse or deference from GDMTs in the future. Informed advice to consumers should also be considered from HCPs or pharmacists.

Sacubitril/valsartan has an underestimated impact on the right ventricle in patients with sleep-disordered breathing, especially central sleep apnoea syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Sacubitril/valsartan has been demonstrated to significantly improve left ventricular performance and remodelling in patients with heart failure. However, its effects on the right ventricle in patients with chronic heart failure and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) have not been studied. AIM: To investigate the impact of sacubitril/valsartan treatment on right ventricular function in patients with SDB. METHODS: This was a subanalysis of an observational prospective multicentre study involving 101 patients. At inclusion, patients were evaluated by echocardiography and nocturnal ventilatory polygraphy, which allowed patients to be divided into three groups: "central-SDB"; "obstructive-SDB"; and "no-SDB". RESULTS: After 3 months of sacubitril/valsartan therapy, a positive impact on right ventricular function was observed. In the general population, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion increased by +1.32±4.74mm (P=0.024) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased by -3.1±10.91mmHg (P=0.048). The central-SDB group experienced the greatest echocardiographic improvement, with a significant increase in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion of +2.1±4.9mm (P=0.045) and a significant reduction in systolic pulmonary artery pressure of -8.4±9.7mmHg (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sacubitril/valsartan improved right ventricular function in patients with heart failure and SDB after only 3 months of treatment. The greatest improvement in right ventricular function was observed in the central-SDB group.

Balloon predilation or direct valve implantation in TAVI for women: Insights from the DIRECTAVI study.

BACKGROUND: The randomized DIRECTAVI trial demonstrated safety and feasibility of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) without balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) using SAPIEN 3 balloon-expandable devices. However, the female population with smaller anatomy may have potential higher risk of residual gradient and/or mismatch. PURPOSE: We assessed the impact of BAV on the procedural success rate and clinical outcomes in the female population of the DIRECTAVI trial. METHODS: Between May 2016 and May 2018, 91 of the 250 patients included in the DIRECTAVI trial were women (38.6%), 45 of them (49.5%) were enrolled in the BAV group and 46 of them (50.5%) in the direct TAVI group. The primary endpoint was procedural success rate in women (Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria). The secondary endpoint included evaluation of PPM and 1-month major adverse events according to the implantation stategy in women and comparison between men and women regarding major endpoints. RESULTS: The primary endpoint occurred in 29 women (64.4%) in the BAV group and in 34 women (73.9%) in the direct TAVI group (mean difference 9.47%; 95% confidence interval: 6.5%-25.4%; p = 0.045 for non-inferiority of the direct strategy). One-month major adverse events were similar between the 2 women groups. Procedural success was lower in women vs men (p = 0.01) due to higher incidence of moderate mismatches in women (p = 0.001) but with no significant difference regarding the implantation strategy (p = 0.4). CONCLUSION: Direct implantation of the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 valve was non-inferior to predilatation on procedural success in women. Incidence of moderate mismatch was higher in women but was not related to the implantation strategy.

Predicting One-Year Mortality after Discharge Using Acute Heart Failure Score (AHFS).

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) represents a leading cause of unscheduled hospital stays, frequent rehospitalisations, and mortality worldwide. The aim of our study was to develop a bedside prognostic tool, a multivariable predictive risk score, that is useful in daily practice, thus providing an early prognostic evaluation at admission and an accurate risk stratification after discharge in patients with AHF. Methods: This study is a subanalysis of the STADE HF study, which is a single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled trial enrolling 123 patients admitted to hospital for AHF. Here, 117 patients were included in the analysis, due to data exhaustivity. Regression analysis was performed to determine predictive variables for one-year mortality and/or rehospitalisation after discharge. Results: During the first year after discharge, 23 patients died. After modellisation, the variables considered to be of prognostic relevance in terms of mortality were (1) non-ischaemic aetiology of HF, (2) elevated creatinine levels at admission, (3) moderate/severe mitral regurgitation, and (4) prior HF hospitalisation. We designed a linear model based on these four independent predictive variables, and it showed a good ability to score and predict patient mortality with an AUC of 0.84 (95%CI: 0.76-0.92), thus denoting a high discriminative ability. A risk score equation was developed. During the first year after discharge, we observed as well that 41 patients died or were rehospitalised; hence, while searching for a model that could predict worsening health conditions (i.e., death and/or rehospitalisation), only two predictive variables were identified: non-ischaemic HF aetiology and previous HF hospitalisation (also included in the one-year mortality model). This second modellisation showed a more discrete discriminative ability with an AUC of 0.67 (95% C.I. 0.59-0.77). Conclusions: The proposed risk score and model, based on readily available predictive variables, are promising and useful tools to assess, respectively, the one-year mortality risk and the one-year mortality and/or rehospitalisations in patients hospitalised for AHF and to assist clinicians in the management of patients with HF aiming at improving their prognosis.

Cardiogenic shock and chronic kidney disease: Dangerous liaisons.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, closely interrelated with cardiovascular diseases, ultimately leading to the failure of both organs - the so-called "cardiorenal syndrome". Despite this burden, data related to cardiogenic shock outcomes in CKD patients are scarce. METHODS: FRENSHOCK (NCT02703038) was a prospective registry involving 772 patients with cardiogenic shock from 49 centres. One-year outcomes (rehospitalization, death, heart transplantation, ventricular assist device) were analysed according to history of CKD at admission and were adjusted on independent predictive factors. RESULTS: CKD was present in 164 of 771 patients (21.3%) with cardiogenic shock; these patients were older (72.7 vs. 63.9years) and had more comorbidities than those without CKD. CKD was associated with a higher rate of all-cause mortality at 1month (36.6% vs. 23.2%; hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.9; P=0.04) and 1year (62.8% vs. 40.5%, hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.77; P<0.01). Patients with CKD were less likely to be treated with norepinephrine/epinephrine or undergo invasive ventilation or receive mechanical circulatory support, but were more likely to receive renal replacement therapy (RRT). RRT was associated with a higher risk of all-cause death at 1month and 1year regardless of baseline CKD status. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiogenic shock and CKD are frequent "cross-talking" conditions with limited therapeutic options, resulting in higher rates of death at 1month and 1year. RRT is a strong predictor of death, regardless of preexisting CKD. Multidisciplinary teams involving cardiac and kidney physicians are required to provide integrated care for patients with failure of both organs.

Sex disparities in cardiogenic shock: Insights from the FRENSHOCK registry.

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is the most severe form of acute heart failure. Discrepancies have been reported between sexes regarding delays, pathways and invasive strategies in CS complicating acute myocardial infarction. However, effect of sex on the prognosis of unselected CS remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to analyze the impact of sex on aetiology, management and prognosis of CS. METHODS: The FRENSHOCK registry included all CS admitted in 49 French Intensive Care Units (ICU) and Intensive Cardiac Care Units (ICCU) between April and October 2016. RESULTS: Among the 772 CS patients included, 220 were women (28.5%). Women were older, less smokers, with less history of ischemic cardiac disease (20.5% vs 33.6%) than men. At admission, women presented less cardiac arrest (5.5 vs 12.2%), less mottling (32.5 vs 41.4%) and higher LVEF (30 ± 14 vs 25 ± 13%). Women were more often managed via emergency department while men were directly admitted at ICU/ICCU. Ischemia was the most frequent trigger irrespective of sex (36.4% in women vs 38.2%) but women had less coronary angiogram and PCI (45.9% vs 54% and 24.1 vs 31.3%, respectively). We found no major difference in medication and organ support. Thirty-day mortality (26.4 vs 26.5%), transplant or permanent assist device were similar in both sexes. CONCLUSION: Despite some more favorable parameters in initial presentation and no significant difference in medication and support, women shared similar poor prognosis than men. Further analysis is required to cover the lasting gap in knowledge regarding sex specificities to distinguish between differences and inequalities. NCT02703038.

Weight telemonitoring of heart failure versus standard of care in a real-world setting: Results on mortality and hospitalizations in a 6-month nationwide matched cohort study.

AIMS: Evaluating the benefit of telemonitoring in heart failure (HF) management in real-world settings is crucial for optimizing the healthcare pathway. The aim of this study was to assess the association between a 6-month application of the telemonitoring solution Chronic Care Connect™ (CCC) and mortality, HF hospitalizations, and associated costs compared with standard of care (SOC) in patients with a diagnosis of HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: From February 2018 to March 2020, a retrospective cohort study was conducted using the largest healthcare insurance system claims database in France (Système National des Données de Santé) linked to the CCC telemonitoring database of adult patients with an ICD-10-coded diagnosis of HF. Patients from the telemonitoring group were matched with up to two patients from the SOC group based on their high-dimensional propensity score, without replacement, using the nearest-neighbour method. A total of 1358 telemonitored patients were matched to 2456 SOC patients. The cohorts consisted of high-risk patients with median times from last HF hospitalization to index date of 17.0 (interquartile range: 7.0-66.0) days for the telemonitoring group and 27.0 (15.0-70.0) days for the SOC group. After 6 months, telemonitoring was associated with mortality risk reduction (hazard ratio [HR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56-0.89), a higher risk of first HF hospitalization (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.55-2.13), and higher HF healthcare costs (relative cost 1.38, 95% CI 1.26-1.51). Compared with the SOC group, the telemonitoring group experienced a shorter average length of overnight HF hospitalization and fewer emergency visits preceding HF hospitalizations. CONCLUSION: The results of this nationwide cohort study highlight a valuable role for telemonitoring solutions such as CCC in the management of high-risk HF patients. However, for telemonitoring solutions based on weight and symptoms, consideration should be given to implement additional methods of assessment to recognize imminent worsening of HF, such as impedance changes, as a way to reduce mortality risk and the need for HF hospitalizations. Further studies are warranted to refine selection of patients who could benefit from a telemonitoring system and to confirm long-term benefits in high-risk and stable HF patients.

In-hospital Prognostic Value of TAPSE/sPAP in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure.

AIMS: TAPSE/sPAP (tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion over systolic pulmonary artery pressure) assessed by echocardiography appears to be a good noninvasive approach for right ventricular to pulmonary artery coupling assessment. We aimed to assess the in-hospital prognostic value of TAPSE/sPAP among patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF). METHODS AND RESULTS: 333 consecutive patients (mean age 68 ± 14 years, 70% of male, mean LVEF 44 ± 16%) hospitalized for AHF across 39 French cardiology department, with TAPSE/sPAP measured by echocardiography within the 24 first hours of hospitalization were included in this prospective study. The primary outcome was in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) defined as all-cause death, resuscitated cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock and occurred in 50 (15%) patients. Using receiver operating characteristics curves analysis, the best TAPSE/sPAP threshold for in-hospital MACEs was 0.40 mm/mmHg. TAPSE/sPAP <0.40 mm/mmHg was independently associated with in-hospital MACEs, even after adjustment with comorbidities (OR:3.75, 95%CI[1.87-7.93], p < 0.001), clinical severity (OR:2.80, 95%CI[1.36-5.95], p = 0.006). Using a 1:1 propensity-matched population, TAPSE/sPAP ratio <0.40 was associated with a higher rate of in-hospital MACEs (OR:2.98, 95%CI[1.53-6.12], p = 0.002). After adjustment, TAPSE/sPAP <0.40 showed the best improvement in model discrimination and reclassification above traditional prognostic factors (C-statistic improvement: 0.05; Chi-2 improvement: 14.4; LR-test p < 0.001). These results were consistent in an external validation cohort of 133 patients. CONCLUSION: TAPSE/sPAP < 0.40 mm/mmHg assessed by an early echocardiography during an AHF episode is independently associated with in-hospital MACEs suggesting enhanced close monitoring and strengthened HF-specific care in these patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05063097.

Development and validation of algorithms to predict left ventricular ejection fraction class from healthcare claims data.

AIMS: The use of large medical or healthcare claims databases is very useful for population-based studies on the burden of heart failure (HF). Clinical characteristics and management of HF patients differ according to categories of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), but this information is often missing in such databases. We aimed to develop and validate algorithms to identify LVEF in healthcare databases where the information is lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: Algorithms were built by machine learning with a random forest approach. Algorithms were trained and reinforced using the French national claims database [Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS)] and a French HF registry. Variables were age, gender, and comorbidities, which could be identified by medico-administrative code-based proxies, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes for drug delivery, International Classification of Diseases (Tenth Revision) coding for hospitalizations, and administrative codes for any other type of reimbursed care. The algorithms were validated by cross-validation and against a subset of the SNDS that includes LVEF information. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.84 for the algorithm identifying LVEF ≤ 40% and 0.79 for the algorithms identifying LVEF < 50% and ≥50%. For LVEF ≤ 40%, the reinforced algorithm identified 50% of patients in the validation dataset with a positive predictive value of 0.88 and a specificity of 0.96. The most important predictive variables were delivery of HF medication, sex, age, hospitalization, and testing for natriuretic peptides with different orders of positive or negative importance according to the LVEF category. CONCLUSIONS: The algorithms identify reduced or preserved LVEF in HF patients within a nationwide healthcare claims database with high positive predictive value and low rates of false positives.

Optimal Heart Failure Medical Therapy and Mortality in Survivors of Cardiogenic Shock: Insights From the FRENSHOCK Registry.

BACKGROUND: The effects of pharmacological therapy on cardiogenic shock (CS) survivors have not been extensively studied. Thus, this study investigated the association between guideline-directed heart failure (HF) medical therapy (GDMT) and one-year survival rate in patients who are post-CS. METHODS AND RESULTS: FRENSHOCK (French Observatory on the Management of Cardiogenic Shock in 2016) registry was a prospective multicenter observational survey, conducted in metropolitan French intensive care units and intensive cardiac care units. Of 772 patients, 535 patients were enrolled in the present analysis following the exclusion of 217 in-hospital deaths and 20 patients with missing medical records. Patients with triple GDMT (beta-blockers, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists) at discharge (n=112) were likely to have lower left ventricular ejection fraction on admission and at discharge compared with those without triple GDMT (n=423) (22% versus 28%, P<0.001 and 29% versus 37%, P<0.001, respectively). In the overall cohort, the one-year mortality rate was 23%. Triple GDMT prescription was significantly associated with a lower one-year all-cause mortality compared with non-triple GDMT (adjusted hazard ratio 0.44 [95% CI, 0.19-0.80]; P=0.007). Similarly, 2:1 propensity score matching and inverse probability treatment weighting based on the propensity score demonstrated a lower incidence of one-year mortality in the triple GDMT group. As the number of HF drugs increased, a stepwise decrease in mortality was observed (log rank; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In survivors of CS, the one-year mortality rate was significantly lower in those with triple GDMT. Therefore, this study suggests that intensive HF therapy should be considered in patients following CS.

Profile of patients hospitalized in intensive cardiac care units in France: ADDICT-ICCU registry.

BACKGROUND: Intensive cardiac care units (ICCU) were initially developed to monitor ventricular arrhythmias after myocardial infarction. In recent decades, ICCU have diversified their activities. AIM: To determine the type of patients hospitalized in ICCU in France. METHODS: We analysed the characteristics of patients enrolled in the ADDICT-ICCU registry (NCT05063097), a prospective study of consecutive patients admitted to ICCU in 39 centres throughout France from 7th-22nd April 2021. In-hospital major adverse events (MAE) (death, resuscitated cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock) were recorded. RESULTS: Among 1499 patients (median age 65 [interquartile range 54-74] years, 69.6% male, 21.7% diabetes mellitus, 64.7% current or previous smokers), 34.9% had a history of coronary artery disease, 11.7% atrial fibrillation and 5.2% cardiomyopathy. The most frequent reason for admission to ICCU was acute coronary syndromes (ACS; 51.5%), acute heart failure (AHF; 14.1%) and unexplained chest pain (6.8%). An invasive procedure was performed in 36.2%. "Advanced" ICCU therapies were required for 19.9% of patients (intravenous diuretics 18.4%, non-invasive ventilation 6.1%, inotropic drugs 2.3%). No invasive procedures or advanced therapies were required in 44.1%. Cardiac computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was carried out in 12.3% of patients. The median length of ICCU hospitalization was 2.0 (interquartile range 1.0-4.0) days. The mean rate of MAE was 4.5%, and was highest in patients with AHF (10.4%). CONCLUSIONS: ACS remains the main cause of admissions to ICCU, with most having a low rate of in-hospital MAE. Most patients experience a brief stay in ICCU before being discharged home. AHF is associated with highest death rate and with higher resource consumption.

[Natriuretic peptides in the diagnosis and monitoring of heart failure]. / Peptides natriurétiques dans le diagnostic et le suivi de l'insuffisance cardiaque.

NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF CARDIAC FAILURE. Heart failure (HF) is a serious and common disease requiring a prompt diagnosis for appropriate management. Natriuretic peptides, such as BNP and NT-proBNP, play a crucial role in diagnosing HF due to their s pecificity and reproducibility. It is important to measuring natriuretic peptides, especially in cases of acute dyspnea, to differentiate cardiac causes from others. Specific thresholds are recommended, with high values strongly suggest HF, while normal levels rule out the diagnosis. Clinical characteristics, such as age, renal function, atrial fibrillation, obesity, and gender, influence natriuretic peptides levels and should be considered in interpretation. For diabetic, hypertensive, and obese patients, early screening for HF through natriuretic peptides measurement is crucial. Furthermore, these natriuretic peptides are useful for monitoring chronic heart failure patients. They assist in confirming decompensation, titrating treatment, evaluating treatment response, and establishing prognosis. However, it's essential to choose a single biomarker (BNP or NT-proBNP) to avoid confusion.

DANS LE DIAGNOSTIC ET LE SUIVI DE L'INSUFFISANCE CARDIAQUE. L'insuffisance cardiaque (IC) est une maladie grave et fréquente nécessitant un diagnostic rapide pour une prise en charge adéquate. Les peptides natriurétiques, tels que le BNP et le NT-proBNP, jouent un rôle essentiel dans le diagnostic de l'IC en raison de leur spécificité et de leur reproductibilité. Il est important de doser les peptides natriurétiques, en particulier lors d'une dyspnée aiguë, pour différencier les causes cardiaques des autres. Des seuils spécifiques sont recommandés, et des valeurs élevées évoquent fortement une IC, tandis que des taux normaux écartent le diagnostic. Les caractéristiques cliniques ­ telles que l'âge, la fonction rénale, la fibrillation atriale, l'obésité et le sexe ­ modifient les taux de peptides natriurétiques et doivent être prises en compte dans l'interprétation. Chez les patients diabétiques, hypertendus et obèses, le dépistage précoce de l'IC par le dosage des peptides natriurétiques est crucial. De plus, ces peptides natriurétiques sont utiles pour le suivi des patients insuffisants cardiaques chroniques. Ils aident à confirmer une décompensation, à titrer le traitement, à en évaluer la réponse et à établir un pronostic. Cependant, il est essentiel de choisir un seul biomarqueur (BNP ou NT-proBNP) pour éviter toute confusion.