Patients with cardiac amyloidosis are at a greater risk of mortality and hospital readmission after acute heart failure.

AIMS: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an under-diagnosed cause of heart failure (HF) and has a worse prognosis than other forms of HF. The frequency of death or rehospitalization following discharge for acute heart failure (AHF) in CA (relative to other causes) has not been documented. The study aims to compare hospital readmission and death rates 90 days after discharge for AHF in patients with vs. without CA and to identify risk factors associated with these events in each group. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with HF and CA (HF + CA+) were recruited from the ICREX cohort, after screening of their medical records. The cases were matched 1:5 by sex and age with control HF patients without CA (HF + CA-). There were 27 HF + CA + and 135 HF + CA- patients from the ICREX cohort included in the study. Relative to the HF + CA- group, HF + CA+ patients had a higher heart rate (P = 0.002) and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide levels (P < 0.001) and lower blood pressure (P < 0.001), weight, and body mass index values (P < 0.001) on discharge. Ninety days after discharge, the HF + CA+ group displayed a higher death rate, a higher all-cause hospital readmission rate, and a higher hospital readmission rate for AHF. Death and hospital readmissions occurred sooner after discharge in the HF + CA+ group than in the HF + CA- group. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CA in patients with HF was associated with a three-fold greater risk of death and a two-fold greater risk of all-cause hospital readmission 90 days after discharge. These findings emphasize the importance of close, active management of patients with CA and AHF.

Good performance in the management of acute heart failure in cardiogeriatric departments: the ICREX-94 experience.

CONTEXT: A growing number of elderly patients hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure (AHF) are being managed in cardiogeriatrics departments, but their characteristics and prognosis are poorly known. This study aimed to investigate the profile and outcome (rehospitalization at 90 days) of patients hospitalized for AHF in cardiogeriatrics departments in the Val-de-Marne area in the suburbs of Paris, and to compare them to AHF patients hospitalized in cardiology departments in the same area. METHODS: Observational study, ICREX-94, conducted in seven cardiology departments in France and three specific cardiogeriatrics departments in Val-de-Marne. RESULTS: A total of 308 patients were hospitalized for AHF between October 2017 and January 2019. During the 90 days following discharge, 29.6% patients were readmitted to the hospital. Compared with patients hospitalized in cardiology departments, patients in cardiogeriatrics departments were older (p < 0.001), less independent (living more often alone or in an institution) (p < 0.001), more often depressed (p < 0.001), had more often major neurocognitive disorder (p < 0.001), had a higher Human Development Index (HDI, p < 0.001), and were less often diagnosed with amyloidosis (p < 0.001). There was no difference in outcome whether patients were discharged from cardiology or cardiogeriatrics departments. The most frequent precipitating factors underlying AHF decompensation between the first and second hospitalization were arrhythmia and infection. CONCLUSION: AHF patients discharged from cardiogeriatrics departments, compared to cardiology departments, showed clinical differences but had the same prognosis regarding AHF rehospitalization at 90 days.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Iron Deficiency in Heart Failure: OFICSel study by the French Heart Failure Working Group.

AIMS: Iron deficiency (ID) occurs in about 50% of patients with heart failure (HF). The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommends ID diagnostic testing in newly diagnosed patients with HF and during follow-up, with intravenous iron supplementation (IS) only recommended in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This study aimed to assess prevalence, clinical characteristics, and application of ESC guidelines for ID and IS in patients with HF in the real-life clinical setting. METHODS AND RESULTS: The French transversal multicentre OFICSel registry (300 cardiologists) conducted in 2017 included patients hospitalized for HF at least once in the previous 5 years. Diverse adult patients were eligible including inpatients and outpatients and those with acute and chronic HF. Data were collected from cardiologists and patients using study-specific surveys. Data included demographic and clinical data, as well as HF and ID management data. Overall, 2822 patients, mainly male (69.3%) with a median age of 69 years (interquartile range 58-78), were included. A total of 1075 patients (38.1%) were tested for ID, with 364 (33.9%) diagnosed. Of these, 168 (46.2%) received IS: 128 (76.2%) intravenous IS and 40 (23.8%) oral. Among the 201 patients with HFrEF diagnosed with ID, 99 (49.3%) received IS: 79 (79.8%) intravenous IS and 20 (20.2%) oral. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice, only one-third of patients with HF had a diagnostic test for ID. In patients with ID with HFrEF, only 39.3% received intravenous IS as recommended. Thus, in general, cardiologists should be encouraged to follow the ESC guidelines to ensure optimal treatment for patients with HF.

[Assessing the educational needs of patients with heart failure]. / Évaluation des besoins éducatifs des patients insuffisants cardiaques.

Heart failure is a chronic pathology resulting in repeated hospitalisations and has a significant impact on the patient's quality of life. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) forms part of patients' global care to improve their health status. A study was carried out at Bégin military teaching hospital of hospitalised patients with heart failure to identify their educational needs and create a TPE programme which best meets their expectations.