Prevalence of advanced heart failure and use of palliative care in admitted patients: Findings from the EPICTER study.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Palliative care in patients with advanced heart failure is strongly recommended by Clinical Practice Guidelines. We aimed to calculate the prevalence of advanced heart failure in admitted patients, to describe their management, and to analyse the factors that influence their referral to specialised palliative care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, multicentre study that consecutively included patients admitted for heart failure in 74 Spanish hospitals. If they met criteria for advanced heart failure, their treatment, complications and procedures were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 3153 patients were included. Of them, 739 (23%) met criteria for advanced heart failure. They were more likely to be women, older and to have a history of anaemia, chronic kidney disease and cognitive impairment. For their management, furosemide infusions (30%) and vasodilators (21%) were used. Refractory symptoms were treated with opioids (47%) and benzodiazepines (44%). Palliative care was only provided in the last hours of life in 48% of them. A multidisciplinary approach, involving palliative care specialists was sought in 15% of these patients. Treatment with furosemide infusions, an advanced New York Heart Association functional class, to meet advanced HF criteria and the presence of cancer were associated with the referral to specialised palliative care. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one in four patients admitted with HF met criteria of advanced disease. They were older and had more comorbidities. Specialist palliative care services were involved in only a minority of patients, mainly those who were highly symptomatic or had cancer.

Heart failure mortality according to acute variations in N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide and cystatin C levels.

AIM: Changes in N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and cystatin C (CysC) are predictors of adverse outcomes in acute heart failure. This study assess whether NT-proBNP variations might provide independent information in addition to that obtained from CysC levels. METHODS: NT-proBNP levels were assessed in patients admitted due to acute heart failure using an observational study. Patients were classified as follows: group 1, those with a decrease in NT-proBNP levels of at least 30% from admission to 4 weeks after discharge; group 2, those with no significant changes in levels; and group 3, those who showed an increase in NT-proBNP of 30%. A multivariable Cox regression model and c-statistics were used. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 195 patients completed the follow-up. The mortality rate reached 20.5% (40 patients); 14 out of the 32 in group 3. The cumulative incidence of death, according to the change in NT-proBNP and Kaplan-Meier analysis, showed a significant increase in group 3 (log-rank P = 0.004). In the multivariable analysis, NT-proBNP variation for group 3 (hazard ratio 4.27; P <0.001) and for group 2 (hazard ratio 2.19; P = 0.043) in comparison with group 1 were independently associated with all-cause mortality, as well as anemia, hyponatremia, and admission CysC levels. Patients in group 3, and those with levels of serum CysC above the median, were also associated with slight increase in mortality. CONCLUSION: An increase of at least 30% in NT-proBNP levels after hospitalization is related to all-cause mortality in patients with acute heart failure and provides supplementary prognostic information in patients with high levels of CysC. A decrease in NT-proBNP of at least 30% is a desirable target to achieve.

Prognostic value of cystatin C on admission in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Cystatin C has emerged as a new biomarker of renal function that has been found to predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes, especially heart failure (HF). Evidence of the usefulness of cystatin C in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) remains sparse. It is hypothesized that serum cystatin C levels in HFPEF has prognostic value. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cystatin C, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and N-terminal proBNP-type natriuretic peptide levels were measured on admission in 218 consecutive patients with HF and left ventricular ejection fraction >45%, as measured by Doppler echocardiography. The primary end point was all-cause mortality and/or readmission at 1 year. We determined the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) by Cox regression model. During the 1-year follow-up period, 70 patients (32.2%) died, and 126 patients (57.8%) died and/or required rehospitalization. Serum cystatin C levels by quartiles were associated with increased risk for adverse events. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed significantly increased primary end point with each quartile of cystatin C (log rank <0.001). Patients in the highest quartile of cystatin C level were at increased adjusted risk for the primary end point (HR 3.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.86-6.21; P < .0001) and all-cause mortality (HR 8.14; 95% CI 1.21-23.26; P < .01). Furthermore, high serum cystatin C levels were also associated with poor prognosis despite normal or mildly reduced renal function. CONCLUSIONS: Serum cystatin C level on admission in patients with HFPEF is a strong and independent predictor of an unfavorable outcome. This relationship remains in patients without advanced renal dysfunction.