Determinants of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive patients.

INTRODUCTION: The progression of hypertensive heart disease leads to the left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), which is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this analysis is to explore the determinants for LVDD in patients with hypertension. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data of Impedance Cardiography in the Evaluation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Arterial Hypertension (IMPEDDANS) Study. Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests were used for univariable analysis. Multiple logistic regression was used to model for LVDD occurrence and discriminative capacity of the model assessed by the value of the area under the curve given by the receiver-operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Older age (65 vs. 58 years, p<0.001), longer duration of hypertension (160 vs. 48 months, p<0.001), uncontrolled hypertension (59.8 vs. 15.9%, p<0.001), tobacco smoking (17.8 vs. 3.8%, p=0.016), higher systolic blood pressure (133 vs. 124mmHg, p=0.001) and slower heart rate (62 vs. 66bpm, p=0.023) were associated with LVDD. Multivariate model identified uncontrolled hypertension (AdjOR 36.90; 95% CI 7.94-171.58; p<0.001), smoking (AdjOR 6.66; 95% CI 1.63-27.26; p=0.008), eccentric hypertrophy (AdjOR 3.59; 95% CI 0.89-14.39; p=0.072), duration of hypertension (AdjOR 1.03; 95% CI 1.02-1.05; p<0.001) and concentric remodeling (AdjOR 0.19; 95% CI 0.04-0.93; p=0.041) as the more determinant for occurrence of LVDD. The discriminative capacity of the model was AUC=0.95 (95% CI 0.91-0.98). CONCLUSION: The occurrence of LVDD in hypertensive patients was strongly associated to long-lasting, uncontrolled hypertension, tobacco smoking, concentric remodeling and eccentric hypertrophy.

Geriatric nutritional risk index as a nutritional and survival risk assessment tool in stable outpatients with systolic heart failure.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Malnutrition is frequent in heart failure (HF). However, the best tool for evaluating malnutrition in geriatric patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the incremental prognostic value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in stable geriatric outpatients with HFrEF compared with a clinical/laboratory prognostic model. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 143 outpatients with HFrEF, aged >65 years, a LVEF <40%, and who were stable and on optimal therapy were studied. Follow-up lasted 3 years. The outcome was all-cause death. The GNRI was calculated as follows: [(1.489 × serum albumin (g/L)) + (41.7 × (current body weight/ideal weight)]. The 3-year death rate was 36.4% and 16 (11.2%) patients were at risk of malnutrition (GNRI ≤98). Deceased patients had a lower GNRI (113.6 ± 9.1 vs. 105.6 ± 9.2; p < 0.001) than did survivors. Greater values of the GNRI (hazard ratio = 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90-0.95; p < 0.001) and GNRI >98 (hazard ratio = 0.29, 95% CI 0.15-0.57; p < 0.001) were associated with better survival. These factors remained significant after adjustment of significant confounders. The GNRI was a better discriminator of death than weight and albumin. Adding the GNRI to the clinical/laboratory predictor survival model significantly increased the c-statistics from 0.93 to 0.95 (p < 0.001) and the chi-square likelihood ratio test from 106.15 to 119.9. CONCLUSION: The risk of malnutrition, as assessed by the GNRI, in stable geriatric outpatients with HFrEF is a strong independent predictor of survival. The GNRI adds significant prognostic information to the clinical/laboratory model.

Association of ADAMTS7 gene polymorphism with cardiovascular survival in coronary artery disease.

Recent genetic studies have revealed an association between polymorphisms at the ADAMTS7 gene locus and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. Functional studies have shown that a CAD-associated polymorphism (rs3825807) affects ADAMTS7 maturation and vascular smooth muscular cell (VSMC) migration. Here, we tested whether ADAMTS7 (A/G) SNP is associated with cardiovascular (CV) survival in patients with established CAD. A cohort of 1,128 patients with angiographic proven CAD, who were followed up prospectively for a mean follow-up period of 63 (range 6-182) mo, were genotyped for rs3825807 A/G. Survival statistics (Cox regression) compared heterozygous (AG) and wild-type (AA) with the reference homozygous GG. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curves were performed according to ADAMTS7 genotypes for CV mortality. Results showed that 47.3% of patients were heterozygous (AG), 36.5% were homozygous for the wild-type allele (AA) and only 16.2% were homozygous for the GG genotype. During the follow-up period, 109 (9.7%) patients died, 77 (6.8%) of CV causes. Survival analysis showed that AA genotype was an independent risk factor for CV mortality compared with reference genotype GG (HR = 2.7, P = 0.025). At the end of follow-up, the estimated survival probability (K-M) was 89.8% for GG genotype, 82.2% for AG and 72.3% for AA genotype (P = 0.039). Carriage of the mutant G allele of the ADAMTS7 gene was associated with improved CV survival in patients with documented CAD. The native overfunctional ADAMTS7 allele (A) may accelerate VSMC migration and lead to neointimal thickening, atherosclerosis progression and acute plaque events. ADAMTS7 gene should be further explored in CAD for risk prediction, mechanistic and therapeutic goals.

Nutritional status of geriatric outpatients with systolic heart failure and its prognostic value regarding death or hospitalization, biomarkers and quality of life.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of malnutrition in ambulatory patients with heart failure is difficult to determine, depending on the timing and methodology. OBJECTIVE: To determine the nutritional status of outpatients with systolic heart failure with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) full and short-form versions, and evaluate its relationship with the short-term prognosis, biomarkers and quality of life. METHODS: Fifty consecutive (70% male), geriatric (74.3+ 6.2years old) stable outpatient with heart failure (NYHA class II 68%, III 32%) and left ventricular ejection fraction of 26.7 +11.5% were included and followed during 12 months. At a routine visit to the heart failure clinic, the MNA, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire (MLHFQ) were applied. According to the MNA screening score the nutritional status was classified using the MNA full (MNA-F) and the short-form (MNA-F) versions of the questionnaire. The recorded events were death and hospitalization. STATISTICS: The survival and hospitalizations curves were evaluated with the Log-Rank test and Cox Regression analysis. The association between parameters was analyzed with the Pearson and Spearmann correlation coefficient. RESULTS: (1) The mortality and hospitalization rates were 12% and 42%, respectively. (2) With the MNA-SF 7.6% of the patients had malnutrition and 20% were at risk of malnutrition. There was a good agreement (90%) between the MNA-SF and the MNA-F classifications. (3) There was a significant relationship between the MNA screening score and the MLHFQ (rs= -0.592 p<0.001), Nt-ProBNP (rs= -0.49 p<0.001) and total plasma protein (r= 0.672 p=0.006); (3) The MNA-SF nutritional classification was associated with the 12 months survival (Log-Rank p=0.044) and hospitalization (Log-Rank p=0.005) curves. (4) Those patients with malnutrition by the MNA-SF were at greater risk of death (HR= 8.0 p=0.059) and hospitalization (HR 8.1 p=0.008). CONCLUSION: The MNA is useful for the evaluation of the nutritional status of elderly outpatients with systolic heart failure. It is a good predictor of the short-term outcome and is also associated with the quality of life and Nt-ProBNP.