Role of Neprilysin Inhibitors in Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) is a complex multifactorial medical condition that should be addressed according to its complexity and diversity. Currently, there is a medical arsenal available for the management of HF, but despite the advance in medical resources, its prevalence and social and financial impacts are still worrisome for the medical community and society. Among the numerous therapeutic options for the treatment of HF, neprilysin inhibitors have changed the perspective of the approach to titrate patients who suffer from this condition because neprilysin plays a role in the degradation of natriuretic peptides and various other vasoactive compounds that are crucial to counteract the devastating pathophysiology of HF. The purpose of this review was to analyze the role of neprilysin inhibitors in HF, focusing on newer therapy such as LCZ696 and studies that sustain its potential benefits in this medical entity.

Gaps of care in patients with venous thrombotic embolism: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) includes pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and results in 100,000 deaths annually in the United States. There is low global VTE awareness, including limited data regarding difficulties patients encounter during their management. This study aims to identify a patient's perspective on VTE gaps of care. METHODS: This is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with VTE patients, who had been previously diagnosed and treated for at least one VTE event in their lifetime. Participants were separated in five focused groups; sample size was defined by data saturation. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using framework analysis based on data saturation evaluation. The study was approved by a local institutional review board. We used inductive framework analysis to interpret the data. RESULTS: Twenty participants were included in the analysis. Ten participants (50%) were men. Three major themes were identified: 1) concerned about limited disease knowledge; 2) VTE awareness in healthcare system; 3) incomplete communication during transitional and follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that gaps of VTE care extend in different levels of the medical system, including: the patient, physicians, and medical teams. Patients were sensitive to a lack of disease awareness among healthcare providers. There was appreciation for subspecialty care recommended for VTE. In a qualitative study, using the patient perspective, we have detected frustrations and perceived areas of improvement of the care of the patient with VTE. These gaps are anchored in perceived lack of disease awareness and difficult transitional care.

Pancreatic cancer thromboembolic outcomes: rate of thrombosis after adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma pancreatic cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to define the association of non-adenocarcinoma pancreatic cancer (NACPC) as a risk factor for postoperative cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT). METHODS: We conducted analysis of prospectively collected data of pancreatic cancer surgery. Randomly collected NACPC cases were matched 1:3 to adenocarcinoma cases (ACPC). Variables included comorbidities, demographics, cancer extension, and preoperative Khorana score (KRS). Primary outcome was CAT, which included deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism confirmed by imaging. Categorical variables are presented as percentages, continuous variables as median and range. SPSS, χ2, Cochran-Armitage, and logistic regression were use for analysis. RESULTS: The study included 441 patients. Age 65.9±11.5, male 57% (N.=252), 8% (N.=36) had metastasis. IPMN and neuroendocrine were the most common NACPC. Median follow-up was 449 days in which 90 (20%) patients developed CAT. The odds (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.1, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.6- 1.9, P=0.7) and time to venous thromboembolism were not different between NACPC and ACPC. We analyzed for trends of prophylactic strategies by year of surgery; there was no trend for NACPC (P=0.4) or ACPC (P=0.06). KRS was not associated with CAT. In the multivariate analysis, peripheral artery disease (Adjusted Odds Ratio [ORadj] 5.4, 95% CI: 1.7-17.3), ASA class ≥4 (ORadj 3.6; 95% CI: 1.3-10.4), length of stay >9 days (ORadj: 1.9; 1.2-3.2), and cancer vascular invasion (ORadj: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.6-5.3) were associated with CAT. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of VTE in NACPC after surgery was high and not different than ACPC. Histology type should not govern discrimination in thromboprophylaxis selection or extension.

Predictors of active cancer thromboembolic outcomes: mortality associated with calf deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of mortality in patients with cancer. Outcomes, including mortality data, in the cancer population are limited in those with calf deep vein thrombosis (CDVT) compared to individuals with proximal deep vein thrombosis. The aim of this study was to assess the prognosis among patients with active cancer and CDVT. METHODS: Single institution inception cohort of cancer-associated CDVT patients who presented with thrombosis distal to popliteal level confirmed objectively by ultrasound. We defined active cancer as metastatic disease or use of chemotherapy at diagnosis. Clinical and laboratory data were extracted from the electronic health records. The Khorana Risk Score (KRS) was extracted based on data at entry. Institutional review board approval was obtained prior to the analysis. Categorical variables are expressed as percentages and continuous variables as median (interquartile range). Kaplan-Meier method, Pearson's χ2, Mann-Whitney U and Cox proportional hazard were applied. SPSS software version 22 was used for all statistics. RESULTS: One hundred nine patients (men=44 [40%], Age>65=89 [82%], BMI>30=25 [23%], Smoker=59 [54%]) were included. The majority had a low (30%) or intermediate KRS (64%) at diagnosis. Forty-seven percent died during a median follow-up time of 2.5 years (0.5-3.1). After multivariate analysis, the predictors of mortality were: smoking (hazard ratio [HR] 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2-4.7), metastasis (HR=5.8; 95% CI: 2.9-11.7), gastrointestinal cancer (HR=3.9; 95% CI: 1.8-8.5), and lung cancer (HR=4.1 95% CI: 1.7-10.3). VTE specific variables not associated with mortality included: bilateral CDVT, concomitant pulmonary embolism, multiple vein involvement, filter placement, or a surgery-associated event. The KRS was not predictive of death. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer-specific variables and smoking predicted mortality among CDVT patients in this cohort, rather than VTE characteristics at the time of CDVT diagnosis.