The Effectiveness of Outpatient Treatment Under the Control of the Soluble ST2 Receptor Concentration in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction After Acute Decompensation of Heart Failure.

Aim    To study the effectiveness of a treatment based on monitoring the soluble ST2 receptor (sST2) concentration in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).Material and methods    The study included 37 patients hospitalized for ADHF with LVEF ≤40% and sST2 concentration ≥37.8 ng/ml at the time of discharge from the hospital. Patients were randomized into two groups: a sST2 monitoring (sST2M) group (19 patients) and a standard therapy (ST) group (18 patients). The follow-up period was 12 months. At baseline, the groups practically did not differ by clinical, functional, laboratory, and instrumental characteristics. For the sST2M group, the goal was reducing the sST2 concentration by >30% of baseline or to <30 ng/ml.Results    Therapy in both groups was comparable both in doses and in frequency of administration of basic drugs. However, the diuretic therapy was more frequently adjusted in the sST2M group (3.0 [1.0; 4.0] vs. 1.0 [0; 3.0] adjustments per patient, p = 0.047), which required more visits to the clinic (7.0 [6.0; 9.0] vs. 6.0 [6.0; 6.0] visits per patient, p=0.024). In the sST2M group at 6 months, the sST2 concentration was decreased by 43.3% (p=0.001), and 13 patients (72.2%) achieved the goal. In the ST group, the sST2 concentration was decreased by 38.5% (p=0.001), and 11 patients (68.8%) reached the target values. After 12 months, the downward trend continued in both groups. In both groups, the NT-proBNP concentration decreased: in the sST2M group by 27.7% (p=0.014), and in the ST group by 31.9% (p = 0.006). By the 12th month, the decrease remained only in the sST2M group. Only the sST2M group had an increase in LVEF (+28.5%, p=0.003), a decrease in left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) (-12.0%, p=0.017), and a decrease in left atrial volume (-13.4%, p=0.045); at 12 months, LVEF remained increased (26%, p=0.006), and LA volume remained decreased (-14.3%, p=0.028). Quality of life and results of 6-minute walk test (6MWT) improved in both groups. For 6 months of treatment, the sST2M group had a significantly lower incidence of composite endpoints (CEP, cardiovascular death and decompensation/hospitalization due to HF), 26.3% (5 events) of the sST2M group compared to the ST group, 83.3% (15 events) (p=0.029), primarily due to a lower incidence of decompensated HF. For 12 months of follow-up, the incidence of CEP in the ST group was 122.2% (22 events), and 47.4% (9 events) in the sST2M group (p=0.035).Conclusions    The tactics of sST2 monitoring used in the treatment of "high-risk" HFrEF patients (with high sST2 concentrations) is associated with increased LVEF, improved functional status of patients, a beneficial effect on LV remodeling, and decreased incidence of CEP.

[Takotsubo syndrome after palliative transcatheter treatment of acquired aortic stenosis in patient with congenital ventricular septal defect. Case report].

The authors report the clinical case of secondary Takotsubo syndrome developed after transcatheter aortic valve replacement that was performed in compassionate manner in female patient with combination of congenital ventricular septal defect and acquired severe aortic stenosis. In the teams view, Takotsubo syndrome was triggered with profound changes of intracardial hemodynamics subsequent to iatrogenic impairment of preexisting interventricular shunt.

[The Clinical Value of no-Reflow Phenomenon in the Routing Operation of The Regional Vascular Center].

Coronary no-reflow phenomenon (CNR) is a complication of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). According to different reports, CNR occurs in 10 to 60 % of cases. Despite the long history of studying this phenomenon many issues remain unsolved. This article presents a clinical case of electrocardiographically confirmed ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. In this case, the CNR phenomenon occurred during PCI and was associated with heart rhythm disorders, left ventricular (LV) cavity dilatation with a decrease in LV contractility, and formation of intracavitary thrombus. The patient asked for medical care late, which could influence the development of CNR. This case demonstrates the clinical significance, diagnostic characteristics, and successful drug correction of the no-reflow phenomenon.

[Soluble ST2 - biomarker for prognosis and monitoring in decompensated heart failure].

The review aims to appraise the value of determining the concentrations of the new biomarker sST2 for assessing prognosis and monitoring treatment effectiveness of patients with decompensated heart failure during an episode of decompensation and during long-term follow-up after discharge from the hospital. The article analyses in detail the expedience of sST2 measurement in a patient with ADHF on admission and discharge from the hospital and the changes in the biomarker level during the period of active treatment for risk-stratification in patients, presents the optimal threshold values of sST2, which should be oriented when selecting patients with high and very high risk. The importance of subsequent monitoring of the marker concentration during long-term observation in emphasized to predict the risk of death, HF re-decompensation / HF rehospitalization. The potential benefits of choosing sST2 as the optimal marker for serial measurement during long-term follow-up, as well as evaluating the treatment effectiveness in patients with HF, compared to the "classical" variant - natriuretic peptides are shown.

Clinical significance of serial biomarkers activity determination after acute heart failure decompensation: sST2 NT-proBNP role during long-term follow-up.

AIM: Monitoring of concentrations of modern biomarkers to evaluate the efficacy of long­term treatment of patients after acute decompensated HF (ADHF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 100 patients with severe decompensated FC II-IV CHF and LV EF <40 % due to IHD, DCMP or AH. At discharge from the hospital, patients were divided into groups of low (NT­proBNP<1400 pg / ml) (control, n=30) and high (NT­proBNP≥1400 pg / ml) risk (n=70). Patients at high risk were randomized to two treatment groups, a group of NT­proBNP monitoring (NPM) (n=35) and a group of standard therapy (n=35). At the end of the study, noncompliant patients were isolated from these two groups into a separate group (n=10). The aim of the treatment was decreasing the NT­proBNP concentration to less than 1000 pg / ml and / or ≥50 % of the baseline level. In addition to the soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) receptor, concentrations of copeptin, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NCAL), galectin 3, and high­sensitivity troponin T were measured at discharge from the hospital (baseline) and at three and 6 months of treatment. RESULTS: The strongest correlations were found between changes in concentrations (Δ%) of NT­proBNP, copeptin, and sST2 and changes in CHF FC, 6­min walk distance, CCS, quality of life, LV EF, and Е / Е' (р<0.001). The incidence of cardiovascular events was directly related with the degree of decrease and / or increase in biomarker concentration. Patients of the NPM group had the lowest risk of adverse clinical outcome upon a decrease in NT­proBNP <988.5 pg / ml at 6 months of treatment or > 50 % of the baseline level at discharge from the hospital. For these patients, the mean Δ% was 60.7±8.5 % for NT­proBNP, 34.03±17.6 % for sST2, and 32.41±8.8 % for copeptin [OR at 95 % CI 0.08 (0.02-0.36), р <0.0001]. A significant increase in the risk for cardiovascular events was observed only at a considerable increase in NT­proBNP >50 % [OR at 95 % CI 3.8 (1.13-13.0), р=0.03], and the highest incidence of cardiovascular events was observed in the group of noncompliant patients (110 %). Besides NT­proBNP, to significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular events, it was necessary to achieve a decrease in sST2 concentration to less than 30 ng / ml or by more than 24.9 % (Δ%) at the end of followup [ОR (95 % CI: 0.1 (0.02-0.5), р=0.004]. CONCLUSION: Among the modern biomarkers, changes in NT­proBNP, sST2, and copeptin concentrations most accurately reflect changes in the clinical and functional status, quality of life, and EchoCG parameters in HF patients during long­term monitoring. The lowest risk for adverse clinical outcomes was observed in post­decompensation patients with a decrease in NT­proBNP <988.5 pg / ml after 6 months of treatment or ≥50 % of baseline upon discharge from the hospital. The sST2 concentration has to be reduced by more than 24.9 % of baseline and less than 30 ng / ml in the course of long­term treatment after decompensated HF.

[Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy as a Consequence of Myocardial Infarction. It is Possible?]

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a well-known complication of many conditions associated with emotional or physical stress. Abnormal catecholamine release has been hypothesized to be the main cause of TCM. Myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with release of large amounts of catecholamines. We present here two cases in which patients simultaneously suffered from acute MI and TCM. In these elderly women without prior history of severe somatic diseases we have not revealed any external stressing factor responsible for the initiation of the disease. Therefore, we have considered primary coronary event (acute MI) to be a triggering factor of TCM manifestation.