Heart rate control and its predictors in patients with heart failure and sinus rhythm. Data from the European Society of Cardiology Long-Term Registry.

BACKGROUND: Higher resting heart rate (HR) in patients with heart failure (HF) and sinus rhythm (SR) is associated with increased mortality. In patients hospitalized for HF, the aim herein, was to assess the use and dosage of guideline-recommended HR lowering medications, HR control at discharge and predictors of HR control. METHODS: In the present study, were Polish participants of the European Society of Cardiology HF Long-Term (ESC-HF-LT) Registry. Those selected were hospitalized for HF, with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and SR at discharge (n = 236). The patients were divided in two groups ( < 70 and ≥ 70 bpm). Logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of HR ≥ 70 bpm. RESULTS: Of patients with HFrEF and SR, 59% had HR ≥ 70 bpm at hospital discharge. At discharge, 96% and only 0.5% of the patients with HFrEF and SR received beta-blocker and ivabradine, respectively. In the HF groups < 70 and ≥ 70 bpm, only 11% and 4% of patients received beta-blocker target doses, respectively. There was no difference in the use of other guideline-recommended medications. Age, New York Heart Association class, HR on admission and lack of HR lowering medications were predictors of discharge HR ≥ 70 bpm. CONCLUSIONS: Heart rate control after hospitalization for HFrEF is unsatisfactory, which may be attributed to suboptimal doses of beta-blockers, and negligence in use other HR lowering drugs (including ivabradine).

Patient-prosthesis mismatch in patients treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation - predictors, incidence and impact on clinical efficacy. A preliminary study.

INTRODUCTION: Patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) is relatively frequent after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and negatively impacts prognosis. AIM: We sought to determine the frequency and clinical effects of PPM after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Overall, 238 patients who underwent TAVI were screened. Moderate PPM was defined as indexed effective orifice area (EOAi) between 0.65 and 0.85 cm2/m2, and severe PPM as < 0.65 cm2/m2. All-cause mortality and the Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 (VARC-2) defined composite of clinical efficacy at 1 year were the primary endpoints. RESULTS: Finally, 201 patients were included (mean age: 79.6 ±7.4 years, 52% females). The femoral artery served as the delivery route in 79% and most of the prostheses were self-expanding (68%). Any PPM was present in 48 (24%) subjects, and only 7 (3.5%) had severe PPM. Body surface area (BSA) independently predicted any PPM (OR = 16.9, p < 0.001) whereas post-dilation tended to protect against PPM (OR = 0.46, p = 0.09). All-cause mortality was similar in patients with moderate or severe PPM as compared to those with no PPM (14.6% vs. 14.3% vs. 13.1%, respectively, log-rank p = 0.98). Neither moderate (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.8-3.2, p = 0.16) nor severe PPM (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 0.36-7.7, p = 0.51) had a significant impact on composite endpoint, or its elements, with the exception of transvalvular pressure gradient > 20 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: Severe PPM after TAVI is rare, can be predicted by larger BSA and does not seem to affect mid-term mortality or composite clinical outcome. Larger studies are needed to find different independent predictors of PPM and elucidate its impact in terms of device durability and long-term clinical efficacy.