Incidence and predictors of rehospitalization of acute heart failure patients.

Repeated hospitalization due to acute decompensated heart failure (HF) is a pandemic health problem in Japan. However, it is difficult to predict rehospitalization after discharge for acute decompensated HF. We used a single hospital-based cohort from the Shinken Database 2004-2012, comprising all new patients (n = 19,994) who visited the Cardiovascular Institute Hospital. A total of 282 patients discharged after their first acute HF admission were included in the analysis. The median follow-up period was 908 ± 865 days. Of these patients, rehospitalization due to worsening HF occurred in 55 patients. The cumulative rate of rehospitalization was 17.5% at 1 year, 21.4% at 2 years, and 25.5% at 3 years. Patients with rehospitalization were older than those without rehospitalization. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) was more common in patients with rehospitalization. Average heart rate (HR) tended to be higher in patients with rehospitalization. Loop diuretics were more commonly used at hospital discharge in patients with rehospitalization. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age ≥ 75 years, DM, HR ≥ 75 bpm at discharge, and use of loop diuretics at discharge were independent predictors for rehospitalization. The number of these independent risk factors could be used to clearly discriminate between the HF rehospitalization low-, middle- and high-risk patients. HF rehospitalization commonly occurred in patients who were discharged after their first acute HF admission. Older age, DM, increased HR, and loop diuretics use at discharge were independently associated with HF rehospitalization. By simply counting these risk factors, we might be able to predict the risk of HF rehospitalization after discharge.

One-year limb outcome and mortality in patients undergoing revascularization therapy for acute limb ischemia: short-term results of the Edo registry.

The present study aimed to clarify the current status, therapeutic strategy, and 1-year outcome in acute limb ischemia (ALI) patients in Japan. The EnDOvascular treatment (Edo) registry database includes 324 patients from 10 institutes who were registered between November 2011 and October 2013. A total of 70 ALI patients (mean age 74.0 years) from the Edo registry database were enrolled in this study. Of the 70 included patients, 72.9% were male and 35.7% had embolism. Of patients, 38.6%, 42.9%, and 18.6% underwent EVT, surgery, and hybrid thrombectomy, respectively, in primary revascularization strategy. Limb ischemia was categorized into four classes at initial evaluation: SVS/ISCVS class I (n = 13, 18.6%), SVS/ISCVS class IIa (n = 36, 51.4%), SVS/ISCVS class IIb (n = 21, 30%), and SVS/ISCVS class III (n = 0, 0%). Three patients with SVS/ISCVS class IIb limb ischemia developed myonephropathic metabolic syndrome. No catheter-directed thrombolysis was employed as a primary revascularization strategy. The 1-year rates of all-cause death, major amputation, and a composite of perioperative death or major adverse limb event were 28.6%, 5.7%, and 40.0%, respectively. Lower age, male sex, dyslipidemia, high estimated glomerular filtration rate, high albumin level, and low C-reactive protein level were independent positive predictors of all-cause death. In this registry, SVS/ISCVS class IIa ALI was predominant. Approximately 40% of primary revascularization strategy was surgery and EVT, followed by hybrid therapy. All-cause death and major amputation rates at 1 year were less than 30% and 6%, respectively.

Real clinical practice of catheter therapy for deep venous thrombosis: periprocedural and 6-month outcomes from the EDO registry.

A recent national study in Japan indicated that 5.8 % of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) patients were treated using endovascular procedures, 83 % of which included catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT). However, the details of these endovascular procedures and their outcomes have not yet been fully evaluated. Using DVT data from the EDO registry (EnDOvascular treatment registry) database, a total of 35 symptomatic iliac or femoral DVT patients who received endovascular treatment (54.3 % male, age 64.7 ± 15.1) were analyzed. The dominant patient risks were being bedridden (22.9 %) and May-Thurner syndrome (25.7 %). Approximately 77.1 % of patients were treated using an antegrade approach, and CDT and other endovascular procedures were performed in 82.9 and 57.1 % of patients, respectively. A periprocedural inferior vena cava (IVC) filter was used in 94.1 % of patients, which remained implanted in 37.1 and 20.0 % of patients after discharge and 6 months after hospitalization, respectively. After 6 months of treatment, 2.9 % of patients experienced a recurrence of DVT and 5.7 % suffered revascularization, but no patient had a recurrence of pulmonary embolism. Subjective symptoms improved in 80.0 % of patients, while 2.9 % of patients felt worse at 6 months after treatment. Postthrombotic syndrome-related symptoms were observed in seven patients (19.4 %), and edema was most frequently observed (71.4 %). The details of CDT procedures, such as approach site and the removal of the IVC filter, varied among hospitals. Despite improved symptoms, further procedural standardization and data collection should be conducted to reduce complications and improve outcomes.

Presentations and outcomes of patients with acute decompensated heart failure admitted in the winter season.

BACKGROUND: Seasonal variations in cardiovascular disease is well recognized. However, little is known about the presentations and outcomes of Japanese heart failure (HF) patients in the winter season. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used a single hospital-based cohort from the Shinken Database 2004-2012, comprising all new patients (n=19,994) who visited the Cardiovascular Institute Hospital. A total of 375 patients who were admitted owing to acute decompensated HF were included in the analysis. Of these patients, 136 (36%) were admitted in winter. Winter was defined as the period between December and February. The HF patients admitted in winter were older, and had a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus than the patients admitted in other seasons. Patients with conditions categorized as clinical scenario 1 tended to be admitted more commonly in winter. HF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was more common in HF patients admitted in winter than in those admitted in other seasons. Beta-blocker use at hospital discharge was more common in the patients admitted in other seasons. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test results indicated that the incidences of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and HF admission were comparable between the patients admitted in winter and those admitted in other seasons. CONCLUSIONS: HF admission was frequently observed in the winter season and HF patients admitted in the winter season were older, and had higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and preserved LVEF suggesting that we might need to pay more attention for elderly patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and HF with preserved LVEF to decrease HF admissions in the winter season.