Clinical characteristics of heart failure patients with mid-range ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to characterise and compare the clinical profile of heart failure (HF) with mid-range (HFmrEF), reduced (HFrEF) and preserved (HFpEF) left-ventricular ejection fraction. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive, observational study in 267 HF patients admitted to the Internal Medicine department of a tertiary hospital during 2010-2016. The study population was divided into three groups according to the ejection fraction rate: HFrEF (<40%), HFmrEF (40-49%), and HFpEF (≥50%). We analysed and compared their demographic, clinical, and analytical characteristics. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 79.5 (standard deviation, 8.14) years; 56.6% were males. The most common phenotype was HFpEF (58.1%), followed by HFrEF (21.7%) and HFmrEF (20.2%). Ischaemic cardiopathy was the primary aetiology in the HFmrEF and HFrEF groups, and arterial hypertension in the HFpEF group. The most common comorbidities among HFmrEF patients were diabetes (43.4%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (35.8%), and anaemia (35.8%); 49.1% had impairment of segmental myocardial contractility, and 35.8% ventricular dilatation. No differences in HF outcomes were observed among the three phenotypes. CONCLUSION: HFmrEF shows characteristics similar to both HFpEF and HFrEF. Further large-scale studies with longer follow-up are needed to ascertain if it is worth distinguishing this phenotype in clinical practice in terms of management and prognosis.

Gastrointestinal symptoms and complications in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, an international multicentre prospective cohort study (TIVURON project).

BACKGROUND: Retrospective studies suggest that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) commonly involves gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and complications. Our aim was to prospectively evaluate GI manifestations in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. METHODS: This international multicentre prospective cohort study recruited COVID-19 patients hospitalized at 31 centres in Spain, Mexico, Chile, and Poland, between May and September 2020. Patients were followed-up until 15 days post-discharge and completed comprehensive questionnaires assessing GI symptoms and complications. A descriptive analysis as well as a bivariate and multivariate analysis were performer using binary logistic regression. p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Eight hundred twenty-nine patients were enrolled; 129 (15.6%) had severe COVID-19, 113 (13.7%) required ICU admission, and 43 (5.2%) died. Upon admission, the most prevalent GI symptoms were anorexia (n=413; 49.8%), diarrhoea (n=327; 39.4%), nausea/vomiting (n=227; 27.4%), and abdominal pain (n=172; 20.7%), which were mild/moderate throughout the disease and resolved during follow-up. One-third of patients exhibited liver injury. Non-severe COVID-19 was associated with ≥2 GI symptoms upon admission (OR 0.679; 95% CI 0.464-0.995; p=0.046) or diarrhoea during hospitalization (OR 0.531; 95% CI 0.328-0.860; p=0.009). Multivariate analysis revealed that worse hospital outcomes were not independently associated with liver injury or GI symptoms. CONCLUSION: GI symptoms were more common than previously documented, and were mild, rapidly resolved, and not independently associated with COVID-19 severity. Liver injury was a frequent complication in hospitalized patients not independently associated with COVID-19 severity.