Effect of Dapagliflozin on 6-Minute Walk Distance in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: PRESERVED-HF.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is associated with significant functional limitations, yet treatments for improving exercise performance have been elusive. We sought to explore the association between prespecified patient characteristics and changes in 6-minute walk distance that constitute a clinically significant response to dapagliflozin. METHODS: We performed a responder analysis to understand patient characteristics associated with clinically meaningful improvement in 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance ≥15 m among patients randomized to 12 weeks of dapagliflozin versus placebo in the double-blind PRESERVED-HF trial (Effects of Dapagliflozin on Biomarkers, Symptoms and Functional Status in Patients With Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure). RESULTS: A total of 289 randomized patients had 6MWT distance completed at baseline and 12 weeks. Patients randomized to dapagliflozin improved walking distance by ≥15 m more frequently than those on placebo (n=64, 44% versus n=48, 34%). After adjusting for baseline covariates, patients randomized to dapagliflozin were more likely to experience a clinically meaningful improvement in 6MWT distance compared with those that received placebo (adjusted odds ratio, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.00-2.75]; P=0.05). Dapagliflozin-treated patients were also less likely to have a ≥15 m reduction in 6MWT distance compared with placebo-treated patients (adjusted odds ratio, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.33-0.94]; P=0.03). These results were consistent across all prespecified subgroups (all P values for interaction were not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with those on placebo, patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction randomized to dapagliflozin were more likely to experience a clinically meaningful improvement and less likely to experience a deterioration in physical function over 12 weeks as measured by 6MWT distance. Beneficial response to dapagliflozin was consistent across prespecified subgroups. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03030235.

Cost-effectiveness of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Importance: Adding a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2-I) to standard-of-care treatment in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) reduces the risk of a composite outcome of worsening heart failure or cardiovascular mortality, but the cost-effectiveness in US patients with HFpEF is uncertain. Objective: To evaluate the lifetime cost-effectiveness of standard therapy plus an SGLT2-I compared with standard therapy in individuals with HFpEF. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this economic evaluation conducted from September 8, 2021, to December 12, 2022, a state-transition Markov model simulated monthly health outcomes and direct medical costs. Input parameters including hospitalization rates, mortality rates, costs, and utilities were extracted from HFpEF trials, published literature, and publicly available data sets. The base-case annual cost of SGLT2-I was $4506. A simulated cohort with similar characteristics as participants of the Empagliflozin in Heart Failure With a Preserved Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Preserved) and Dapagliflozin in Heart Failure With Mildly Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction (DELIVER) trials was used. Exposures: Standard of care plus SGLT2-I vs standard of care. Main Outcomes and Measures: The model simulated hospitalizations, urgent care visits, and cardiovascular and noncardiovascular death. Future medical costs and benefits were discounted by 3% per year. Main outcomes were quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), direct medical costs (2022 US dollars), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of SGLT2-I therapy from a US health care sector perspective. The ICER of SGLT2-I therapy was evaluated according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association value framework (high value: <$50 000; intermediate value: $50 000 to <$150 000; and low value: ≥$150 000). Results: The simulated cohort had a mean (SD) age of 71.7 (9.5) years and 6828 of 12 251 participants (55.7%) were male. Standard of care plus SGLT2-I increased quality-adjusted survival by 0.19 QALYs at an increased cost of $26 300 compared with standard of care. The resulting ICER was $141 200 per QALY gained, with 59.1% of 1000 probabilistic iterations indicating intermediate value and 40.9% indicating low value. The ICER was most sensitive to SGLT2-I costs and effect of SGLT2-I therapy on cardiovascular death (eg, increasing to $373 400 per QALY gained if SGLT2-I therapy was assumed to have no effect on mortality). Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this economic evaluation suggest that at 2022 drug prices, adding an SGLT2-I to standard of care was of intermediate or low economic value compared with standard of care in US adults with HFpEF. Efforts to expand access to SGLT2-I for individuals with HFpEF should be coupled with efforts to lower the cost of SGLT2-I therapy.

Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Team-Based Care for Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis and Simulation Study.

BACKGROUND: Team-based care (TBC), a team of ≥2 healthcare professionals working collaboratively toward a shared clinical goal, is a recommended strategy to manage blood pressure (BP). However, the most effective and cost-effective TBC strategy is unknown. METHODS: A meta-analysis of clinical trials in US adults (aged ≥20 years) with uncontrolled hypertension (≥140/90 mm Hg) was performed to estimate the systolic BP reduction for TBC strategies versus usual care at 12 months. TBC strategies were stratified by the inclusion of a nonphysician team member who could titrate antihypertensive medications. The validated BP Control Model-Cardiovascular Disease Policy Model was used to project the expected BP reductions out to 10 years and simulate cardiovascular disease events, direct healthcare costs, quality-adjusted life years, and cost-effectiveness of TBC with physician and nonphysician titration. RESULTS: Among 19 studies comprising 5993 participants, the 12-month systolic BP change versus usual care was -5.0 (95% CI, -7.9 to -2.2) mm Hg for TBC with physician titration and -10.5 (-16.2 to -4.8) mm Hg for TBC with nonphysician titration. Relative to usual care at 10 years, TBC with nonphysician titration was estimated to cost $95 (95% uncertainty interval, -$563 to $664) more per patient and gain 0.022 (0.003-0.042) quality-adjusted life years, costing $4400/quality-adjusted life year gained. TBC with physician titration was estimated to cost more and gain fewer quality-adjusted life years than TBC with nonphysician titration. CONCLUSIONS: TBC with nonphysician titration yields superior hypertension outcomes compared with other strategies and is a cost-effective way to reduce hypertension-related morbidity and mortality in the United States.

Nutrition Assessment and Dietary Interventions in Heart Failure: JACC Review Topic of the Week.

Despite the high prevalence of nutrition disorders in patients with heart failure (HF), major HF guidelines lack specific nutrition recommendations. Because of the lack of standardized definitions and assessment tools to quantify nutritional status, nutrition disorders are often missed in patients with HF. Additionally, a wide range of dietary interventions and overall dietary patterns have been studied in this population. The resulting evidence of benefit is, however, conflicting, making it challenging to determine which strategies are the most beneficial. In this document, we review the available nutritional status assessment tools for patients with HF. In addition, we appraise the current evidence for dietary interventions in HF, including sodium restriction, obesity, malnutrition, dietary patterns, and specific macronutrient and micronutrient supplementation. Furthermore, we discuss the feasibility and challenges associated with the implementation of multimodal nutrition interventions and delineate potential solutions to facilitate addressing nutrition in patients with HF.

Predicting Out-of-Office Blood Pressure in a Diverse US Population.

BACKGROUND: The PRedicting Out-of-OFfice Blood Pressure (PROOF-BP) algorithm accurately predicted out-of-office blood pressure (BP) among adults with suspected high BP in the United Kingdom and Canada. We tested the accuracy of PROOF-BP in a diverse US population and evaluated a newly developed US-specific algorithm (PROOF-BP-US). METHODS: Adults with ≥2 office BP readings and ≥10 awake BP readings on 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring from 4 pooled US studies were included. We compared mean awake BP with predicted out-of-office BP using PROOF-BP and PROOF-BP-US. Our primary outcomes were hypertensive out-of-office systolic BP (SBP) ≥130 mm Hg and diastolic BP (DBP) ≥80 mm Hg. RESULTS: We included 3,058 adults, mean (SD) age was 52.0 (11.9) years, 38% were male, and 54% were Black. The area under the receiver-operator characteristic (AUROC) curve (95% confidence interval) for hypertensive out-of-office SBP was 0.81 (0.79-0.82) and DBP was 0.76 (0.74-0.78) for PROOF-BP. For PROOF-BP-US, the AUROC curve for hypertensive out-of-office SBP was 0.82 (0.81-0.83) and for DBP was 0.81 (0.79-0.83). The optimal predicted out-of-office BP ranges for out-of-office BP measurement referral were 120-134/75-84 mm Hg for PROOF-BP and 125-134/75-84 mm Hg for PROOF-BP-US. The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association BP guideline (referral range 130-159/80-99 mm Hg) would refer 93.1% of adults not taking antihypertensive medications with office BP ≥130/80 mm Hg in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for out-of-office BP measurement, compared with 53.1% using PROOF-BP and 46.8% using PROOF-BP-US. CONCLUSIONS: PROOF-BP and PROOF-BP-US accurately predicted out-of-office hypertension in a diverse sample of US adults.

The stress, salt excretion, and nighttime blood pressure (SABRE) study: Rationale and study design.

Background: Abnormal diurnal patterns of blood pressure (BP) on ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), defined by reduced BP dipping or elevated nighttime BP, are associated with increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events. Psychological stress is associated with abnormal diurnal patterns of BP. Exposure to an acute stressor (e.g., mental stress task) normally increases urinary sodium excretion. However, some individuals have sodium retention after stress provocation, revealing substantial between-person variability in the degree of stress-induced sodium excretion. Prior research suggests urinary sodium excretion that does not occur during the daytime may shift toward the nighttime, accompanied by an increase in nighttime BP. Associations between psychological stress and the diurnal patterns of sodium excretion and BP are not yet fully understood. Design: The study is conducted in both the laboratory and naturalistic environment with a multi-racial/ethnic sample of 211 healthy adults. In the laboratory, change in urinary sodium excretion in response to mental stress tasks is examined with pre-/post-stress assessments of sodium excretion. Changes in angiotensin-II, catecholamines, BP, heart rate, endothelin-1, and cortisol are also assessed. In the 24-hour naturalistic environment, the diurnal patterns of sodium excretion and systolic BP are assessed as daytime-to-nighttime ratio of sodium excretion and ABPM, respectively. Ecological momentary assessments of perceived stress are also collected. Summary: The SABRE study investigates previously unexplored associations between stress-induced urinary excretion in the laboratory, diurnal patterns of sodium excretion and BP in the naturalistic environment, and ecological stress. It has high potential to advance our understanding of the role of psychological stress in hypertension.

Lifestyle Behaviors Among Adults Recommended for Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring According to the 2017 ACC/AHA Blood Pressure Guideline.

BACKGROUND: The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure (BP) guideline recommends ambulatory BP monitoring to exclude white coat hypertension (WCH) among adults with office systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) of 130-159/80-99 mm Hg, and masked hypertension (MHT) among adults with office SBP/DBP of 120-129/75-79 mm Hg after a 3-month trial of lifestyle modification. We estimated the proportion of individuals with ideal lifestyle factors among those who meet these office BP criteria. METHODS: We analyzed data from participants not taking antihypertensive medication in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) and Jackson Heart Study (JHS) who met the office BP criteria for screening for WCH (CARDIA n = 490, JHS n = 873) and MHT (CARDIA n = 486, JHS n = 614). We estimated the prevalence of lifestyle factors including ideal body mass index (BMI), physical activity, diet, and alcohol use among participants who met office BP criteria for WCH or MHT screening. RESULTS: Among participants who met office BP criteria for WCH screening, 15.5% in CARDIA and 3.6% in JHS had 3 or more ideal lifestyle factors. Among participants who met office BP criteria for MHT screening, 22.6% in CARDIA and 4.7% in JHS had 3 or more ideal lifestyle factors. Ideal BMI, diet, and physical activity were present in less than half of participants in each sample. CONCLUSIONS: Few participants who met office BP criteria for the screening of WCH or MHT had ideal lifestyle factors.

Cost-Effectiveness of Hypertension Treatment by Pharmacists in Black Barbershops.

BACKGROUND: In LABBPS (Los Angeles Barbershop Blood Pressure Study), pharmacist-led hypertension care in Los Angeles County Black-owned barbershops significantly improved blood pressure control in non-Hispanic Black men with uncontrolled hypertension at baseline. In this analysis, 10-year health outcomes and health care costs of 1 year of the LABBPS intervention versus control are projected. METHODS: A discrete event simulation of hypertension care processes projected blood pressure, medication-related adverse events, fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular disease events, and noncardiovascular disease death in LABBPS participants. Program costs, total direct health care costs (2019 US dollars), and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated for the LABBPS intervention and control arms from a health care sector perspective over a 10-year horizon. Future costs and QALYs were discounted 3% annually. High and intermediate cost-effectiveness thresholds were defined as <$50 000 and <$150 000 per QALY gained, respectively. RESULTS: At 10 years, the intervention was projected to cost an average of $2356 (95% uncertainty interval, -$264 to $4611) more per participant than the control arm and gain 0.06 (95% uncertainty interval, 0.01-0.10) QALYs. The LABBPS intervention was highly cost-effective, with a mean cost of $42 717 per QALY gained (58% probability of being highly and 96% of being at least intermediately cost-effective). Exclusive use of generic drugs improved the cost-effectiveness to $17 162 per QALY gained. The LABBPS intervention would be only intermediately cost-effective if pharmacists were less likely to intensify antihypertensive medications when systolic blood pressure was ≥150 mm Hg or if pharmacist weekly time driving to barbershops increased. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension care delivered by clinical pharmacists in Black barbershops is a highly cost-effective way to improve blood pressure control in Black men.

Association of Midlife Cardiovascular Risk Factors With the Risk of Heart Failure Subtypes Later in Life.

BACKGROUND: Independent associations between cardiovascular risk factor exposures during midlife and later life development of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) versus reduced EF (HFrEF) have not been previously studied. METHODS: We pooled data from 4 US cohort studies (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities, Cardiovascular Health, Health , Aging and Body Composition, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) and imputed annual risk factor trajectories for body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose starting from age 40 years. Time-weighted average exposures to each risk factor during midlife and later life were calculated and analyzed for associations with the development of HFpEF or HFrEF. RESULTS: A total of 23,861 participants were included (mean age at first in-person visit, 61.8 ±1 0.2 years; 56.6% female). During a median follow-up of 12 years, there were 3666 incident HF events, of which 51% had EF measured, including 934 with HFpEF and 739 with HFrEF. A high midlife systolic blood pressure and low midlife high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were associated with HFrEF, and a high midlife body mass index, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and glucose were associated with HFpEF. After adjusting for later life exposures, only midlife pulse pressure remained independently associated with HFpEF. CONCLUSIONS: Midlife exposure to cardiovascular risk factors are differentially associated with HFrEF and HFpEF later in life. Having a higher pulse pressure during midlife is associated with a greater risk for HFpEF but not HFrEF, independent of later life exposures.

Cardiovascular Health and Transition From Controlled Blood Pressure to Apparent Treatment Resistant Hypertension: The Jackson Heart Study and the REGARDS Study.

Almost 1 in 5 US adults with hypertension has apparent treatment resistant hypertension (aTRH). Identifying modifiable risk factors for incident aTRH may guide interventions to reduce the need for additional antihypertensive medication. We evaluated the association between cardiovascular health and incident aTRH among participants with hypertension and controlled blood pressure (BP) at baseline in the Jackson Heart Study (N=800) and the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study (N=2316). Body mass index, smoking, physical activity, diet, BP, cholesterol and glucose, categorized as ideal, intermediate, or poor according to the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 were assessed at baseline and used to define cardiovascular health. Incident aTRH was defined by uncontrolled BP, systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg, while taking ≥3 classes of antihypertensive medication or controlled BP, systolic BP <130 mm Hg and diastolic BP <80 mm Hg, while taking ≥4 classes of antihypertensive medication at a follow-up visit. Over a median 9 years of follow-up, 605 (19.4%) participants developed aTRH. Incident aTRH developed among 25.8%, 18.2%, and 15.7% of participants with 0 to 1, 2, and 3 to 5 ideal Life's Simple 7 components, respectively. No participants had 6 or 7 ideal Life's Simple 7 components at baseline. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for incident aTRH associated with 2 and 3 to 5 versus 0 to 1 ideal components were 0.75 (0.61-0.92) and 0.67 (0.54-0.82), respectively. These findings suggest optimizing cardiovascular health may reduce the pill burden and high cardiovascular risk associated with aTRH among individuals with hypertension.

Short-Term Reproducibility of Masked Hypertension Among Adults Without Office Hypertension.

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure (BP) Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines recommends ambulatory BP monitoring to detect masked hypertension. Data on the short-term reproducibility of masked hypertension are scarce. The IDH study (Improving the Detection of Hypertension) enrolled 408 adults not taking antihypertensive medication from 2011 to 2013. Office BP and 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring were performed on 2 occasions, a median of 29 days apart. After excluding participants with office hypertension (mean systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg), the analytical sample included 254 participants. Using the κ statistic, we evaluated the reproducibility of masked awake hypertension (awake systolic/diastolic BP ≥130/80 mm Hg) defined by the 2017 BP guideline thresholds, as well as masked 24-hour (24-hour systolic/diastolic BP ≥125/75 mm Hg), masked asleep (asleep systolic/diastolic BP ≥110/65 mm Hg), and any masked hypertension (high awake, 24-hour, and asleep BP). The mean (SD) age of participants was 38.0 (12.3) years and 65.7% were female. Based on the first and second ambulatory BP recordings, 24.0% and 26.4% of participants, respectively, had masked awake hypertension. The κ statistic (95% CI) was 0.50 (0.38-0.62) for masked awake, 0.57 (0.46-0.69) for masked 24-hour, 0.57 (0.47-0.68) for masked asleep, and 0.58 (0.47-0.68) for any masked hypertension. Clinicians should consider the moderate short-term reproducibility of masked hypertension when interpreting the results from a single ambulatory BP recording.

Effects of Intensive Versus Standard Office-Based Hypertension Treatment Strategy on White-Coat Effect and Masked Uncontrolled Hypertension: From the SPRINT ABPM Ancillary Study.

Guidelines recommend using out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurements to confirm the diagnoses of hypertension and in the titration of antihypertensive medication. The prevalence of out-of-office BP phenotypes for an office systolic/diastolic BP goal <140/90 mm Hg has been reported. However, the prevalence of these phenotypes when targeting an office systolic/diastolic BP goal <120/80 is unknown. The SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) Ambulatory BP Ancillary study evaluated out-of-office BP using ambulatory BP monitoring in 897 participants 27 months after randomization to intensive versus standard BP targets (office systolic BP <120 versus <140 mm Hg). We used office and daytime BP to assess the proportion of participants with white-coat effect (standard target: office BP ≥140/90 mm Hg and daytime BP <135/85 mm Hg versus intensive target: office BP ≥120/80 mm Hg and daytime BP <120/80 mm Hg) and masked uncontrolled hypertension (standard target: office BP <140/90 mm Hg and daytime BP ≥135/85 mm Hg versus intensive target: office BP <120/80 mm Hg and daytime BP ≥120/80 mm Hg) in each treatment arm. The prevalence of white-coat effect and masked uncontrolled hypertension was 9% and 34%, in both treatment groups. Among participants with uncontrolled office BP, white-coat effect was present in 20% and 23% in the intensive and standard groups, respectively. Among participants with controlled office BP, masked uncontrolled hypertension was present in 62% and 56% in the intensive and standard groups, respectively. In conclusion, a more intensive BP target resulted in a similar proportion of patients with white-coat effect and masked uncontrolled hypertension compared with a standard target.

Salt Taste Sensitivity and Heart Failure Outcomes Following Heart Failure Hospitalization.

Salt taste sensitivity can change after heart failure (HF) hospitalization, however the relation between changes in salt taste sensitivity with HF symptoms, biomarkers, and outcomes is unknown. We assessed salt taste sensitivity over 12 weeks following HF hospitalization using a validated, point-of-care salt taste test. Subjects were divided into 2 groups: increase or no increase in salt taste sensitivity. HF biomarkers and outcomes were compared using 2-sample t tests and log-transformed t tests for non-normally distributed parameters. Baseline characteristics generally did not differ for subjects with an increase in salt taste sensitivity over 12 weeks compared with those without an increase in salt taste sensitivity. The total number of 12-week hospital days was 60 versus 121 days, with an average number of hospital days of 5.45 [3.88] versus 11.00 [6.74] (p = 0.03) among those hospitalized in the groups with an increase versus no increase in salt taste sensitivity, respectively. In conclusion, changes in salt taste sensitivity occurred in some but not all subjects in a 12-week period following HF hospitalization. Subjects with increased salt taste sensitivity over this time period were rehospitalized for fewer days. Improved salt taste sensitivity may represent a novel prognostic factor in postdischarge patients with HF.

Prediabetes and Risk for Cardiovascular Disease by Hypertension Status in Black Adults: The Jackson Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have suggested that prediabetes is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) only among individuals with concomitant hypertension. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed the association between prediabetes and CVD by hypertension status among 3,313 black adults in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) without diabetes or a history of CVD at baseline (2000-2004). Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c between 5.7 and 6.4% (39 and 46 mmol/mol). Hypertension was defined as systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg and/or self-reported antihypertensive medication use. Participants were followed for incident CVD events and all-cause mortality through 31 December 2014. RESULTS: Overall, 35% of JHS participants did not have prediabetes or hypertension, 18% had prediabetes alone, 22% had hypertension alone, and 25% had both prediabetes and hypertension. Compared with participants without either condition, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for CVD events among participants with prediabetes alone, hypertension alone, and both prediabetes and hypertension were 0.86 (95% CI 0.51, 1.45), 2.09 (1.39, 3.14), and 1.93 (1.28, 2.90), respectively. Among participants with and without hypertension, there was no association between prediabetes and an increased risk for CVD (0.78 [0.46, 1.34] and 0.94 [0.70, 1.26], respectively). No association was present between prediabetes and all-cause mortality among participants with or without hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of hypertension status, prediabetes was not associated with an increased risk for CVD or all-cause mortality in this cohort of black adults.

Salt Taste Recognition in a Heart Failure Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) disproportionately affects older adults. Dietary sodium indiscretion is frequently implicated in HF decompensation. The affinity for and ability to taste salt in this process is unexplored. We sought to evaluate differences in salt taste by age and HF diagnosis and to map changes after hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). METHODS: Seventy-two subjects underwent initial salt-taste testing during hospitalization for ADHF. Follow-up taste testing occurred at discharge and 1, 4, and 12 weeks after hospitalization. Three different groups were included as control subjects and underwent 1-time salt-taste testing: 10 patients with stable HF, 10 healthy older adults, and 10 healthy younger adults. Salt-taste testing was completed with the use of commercially available and validated Salsave test strips with increasing concentrations of NaCl (0.6-1.6 mg/cm2) to identify salt taste recognition threshold. Respectively, 2-sample t tests, multiple regression, and linear mixed-effects modeling were used for intergroup comparisons, to adjust for confounders, and to assess the effect of time after discharge from ADHF hospitalization. RESULTS: The baseline salt taste recognition threshold was lowest in the young healthy control group (0.62 [SD 0.05] mg/cm2 NaCl) compared with the healthy older control subjects (0.92 [SD 0.29] mg/cm2 NaCl), stable HF outpatients, (1.06 [SD 0.22] mg/cm2 NaCl), and ADHF subjects on admission (1.06 [SD 0.48] mg/cm2 NaCl). There was a strong trend toward higher recognition threshold in HF patients (P = .051) that was independent from age and other potential confounders. Serial salt-taste testing in the ADHF group demonstrated a decrease in recognition threshold that persisted over the 12 weeks after discharge (1.04 [SD 0.44] to 0.76 [SD 0.22] mg/cm2 NaCl; P = .003). DISCUSSION: When compared with young healthy control subjects, HF patients have impaired recognition of salt taste. The salt taste recognition threshold decreases after hospitalization for ADHF. This change demonstrates the first evidence of the phenomenon known as the "hedonic shift" in HF, in which the threshold to recognize salt taste decreases after prescribed sodium restriction.

A Chronic Disease Management Student-Faculty Collaborative Practice: Educating Students on Innovation in Health Care Delivery.

PROBLEM: In the current transformative health care landscape, it is imperative that clinician educators inspire future clinicians to practice primary care in a dynamic environment. A focus on patient-centered, goal-oriented care for patients with chronic conditions is critical. APPROACH: In 2009, Harvard Medical School founded the Crimson Care Collaborative, a student-faculty collaborative practice (SFCP) network. With the aim of expanding clinical and educational opportunities for medical students and improving patient control of chronic disease (i.e., hypertension, obesity, and diabetes) in an innovative learning environment, in 2012, the authors developed a novel SFCP at their hospital-based academic primary care practice. In this SFCP, students learn to explore patient priorities, provide focused counseling and education, and assist patients with self-management goals during clinical visits. OUTCOMES: From 2012 to 2014, 250 student volunteers participated in the SFCP as clinicians, innovators, educators, and leaders, with between 80 and 95 medical students engaging each semester. Between January 2012 and March 2014, there were 476 urgent care or chronic disease management visits. Patients with chronic diseases were seen at least twice on average, and by 2014, chronic disease management visits accounted for approximately 74% of visits. NEXT STEPS: Work is under way to create assessment tools to evaluate the practice's educa tional impact and student understanding of the current health care system, develop interdisciplinary care teams, expand efforts in registry management and broaden the patient recruitment scope, further emphasize patient engage ment and retention, and evaluate chronic disease management and patient satisfaction effectiveness.

A survey of preoperative blood tests in primary open-angle glaucoma patients versus cataract surgery patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate biomarker differences in routine preoperative blood tests performed on primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) case and control patients presenting for anterior segment eye surgery. METHODS: POAG cases and age-related cataract surgery patients (controls) who underwent anterior segment surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear from January 2009 through March 2012 were identified by retrospective record review. Patients with diabetes mellitus, secondary glaucoma, and cataract due to trauma or steroid exposure were excluded. Data on demographic features, preoperative ophthalmological and medical diagnosis, blood pressure, anthropometric measures, basic metabolic panel, and complete blood count were extracted from the medical records. Univariate differences in lab values between POAG cases and controls were assessed using unpaired t tests. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was completed to determine the independent associations of biomarkers with POAG. RESULTS: A total of 150 cases and 150 age-related controls were included. In multivariate analysis, higher AG was inversely associated with POAG (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-1.00), and higher Cl- level was positively associated with POAG (OR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02-1.29). The lower AG in POAG patients could be explained by higher IgG levels as the available data in post hoc analysis showed a nonsignificant trend toward higher IgG in cases compared to controls (17 vs 23; 1142 ± 284 mg/dl vs 1028 ± 291 mg/dl; P = 0.22). Furthermore, in multivariable analysis, a higher red blood cell count was also associated with POAG (OR = 1.91; 95% CI, 1.11-3.28). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with POAG presenting for anterior segment surgery had a lower AG compared to age-related cataract surgery patients. The etiology of this reduced gap is unclear but the possible contribution of IgG warrants further exploration. The etiology of higher red blood cell counts in POAG cases is unknown and deserves further exploration.