Oral Sodium Chloride in the Prevention of Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Elderly Outpatients: The PNIC-Na Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the non-inferiority of oral versus intravenous hydration in the incidence of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) in elderly outpatients undergoing a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) scan. METHODS: PNIC-Na (NCT03476460) is a phase-2, single-center, randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial. We included outpatients undergoing a CE-CT scan, >65 years having at least one risk factor for CA-AKI, such as diabetes, heart failure, or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m². Participants were randomized (1:1) to oral sodium-chloride capsules or intravenous hydration. The primary outcome was an increase in serum creatinine >0.3 mg/dL or a reduction in eGFR >25% within 48 h. The non-inferiority margin was set at 5%. RESULTS: A total of 271 subjects (mean age 74 years, 66% male) were randomized, and 252 were considered for the main analysis (per-protocol). A total of 123 received oral hydration and 129 intravenous. CA-AKI occurred in 9 (3.6%) of 252 patients and 5/123 (4.1%) in the oral-hydration group vs. 4/129 (3.1%) in the intravenous-hydration group. The absolute difference between the groups was 1.0% (95% CI -4.8% to 7.0%), and the upper limit of the 95% CI exceeded the pre-established non-inferiority margin. No major safety concerns were observed. CONCLUSION: The incidence of CA-AKI was lower than expected. Although both regimens showed similar incidences of CA-AKI, the non-inferiority was not shown.

The Effects of a Therapeutic Strategy Guided by Lung Ultrasound on 6-Month Outcomes in Patients with Heart Failure: Results from the EPICC Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Pulmonary congestion (PC) is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and death in patients with heart failure (HF). Lung ultrasound is highly sensitive for detecting PC. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether lung ultrasound-guided therapy improves 6-month outcomes in patients with HF. Methods: A randomized, multicenter, single-blind clinical trial in patients discharged after hospitalization for decompensated HF. Participants were assigned 1:1 to receive treatment guided according to the presence of lung ultrasound signs of congestion (semi-quantitative evaluation of B lines and the presence of pleural effusion) versus standard of care (SOC). The primary endpoint was the combination of cardiovascular death, readmission, or emergency department or day hospital visit due to worsening HF at 6 months. In September 2020, after an interim analysis, patient recruitment was stopped. Results: A total of 79 patients were randomized (mean age 81.2 +/− 9 years) and 41 patients (51.8%) showed a left ventricular ejection fraction >50%. The primary endpoint occurred in 11 patients (29.7%) in the SOC group and in 11 patients (26.1%) in the LUS group (log-rank = 0.83). Regarding nonserious adverse events, no significant differences were found. Conclusions: LUS-guided diuretic therapy after hospital discharge due to ADHF did not show any benefit in survival or a need for intravenous diuretics compared with SOC.

Insuficiencia cardiaca derecha tras el implante de un marcapasos / Right heart failure after pacemaker implantation

Fundamento y objetivo: La insuficiencia tricuspídea (IT) grave secundaria a interferencia del cable del marcapasos (MCP) es una causa infrecuente de insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) derecha progresiva, que puede complicar la evolución del paciente. Material y métodos: Presentamos 3 casos clínicos de IC derecha secundaria a IT tras implantación de MCP. Resultados: En estos pacientes la clínica consiste en IC derecha, que puede aparecer de forma precoz, como en nuestra segunda paciente, o al cabo de años de la implantación del MCP, como en el primer y la tercera pacientes. El diagnóstico se confirma por ecocardiografía, siendo la más precisa la 3D, seguida de la transesofágica. La 2D transtorácica puede no detectarla, ya que tiene baja sensibilidad para la IT asociada a MCP. El tratamiento médico es siempre la primera opción, ya que cualquier otro procedimiento conlleva una morbimortalidad significativa. Conclusiones: Probablemente, esta es una patología que vamos a diagnosticar cada vez con más frecuencia, ya que cada vez hay más pacientes con dispositivos y, al mismo tiempo, están mejorando las herramientas diagnósticas (AU)

Conclusions: Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) secondary to interference pacemaker (PM) cable is a rare cause of progressive right heart failure (HF), which can worsen patient outcomes. This continuation/maintenance electroconvulsive therapy programme has shown to be clinically useful and to have a favourable economic impact, as well as high perceived quality. Introducción: We present 3 clinical cases of right HF secondary to TR after PM implantation. La terapia electroconvulsiva de continuación/mantenimiento ha demostrado su eficacia en la prevención de recaídas tanto en cuadros afectivos como psicóticos. Sin embargo, existen pocos estudios sobre variables de gestión clínica, costes asociados y calidad percibida. Results: In these patients the clinic is right HF, which can appear early, as in our second patient, or after years of implementation of the PM, as in the first and third patients. The diagnosis is confirmed by echocardiography, the most accurate 3D, followed by transesophageal. The 2D transthoracic can not detect it, because it has low sensitivity for TR associated with PM. Medical treatment is always the first choice, since any other procedure carries significant morbidity and mortality. Resultados: Probably this is a condition that we will diagnose with increasing frequency, because there are more and more patients with devices and, at the same time, the diagnostic tools are improving. Tras su inclusión en el programa, el 50,0% de los pacientes refirió encontrarse «mucho mejor», y el 37,5% «moderadamente mejor» en la Escala de Impresión Clínica Global-Mejoría Global. Además, una vez incluidos en el programa de terapia electroconvulsiva de continuación/mantenimiento, los pacientes tuvieron un total de 349 días de ingreso, 3 visitas a Urgencias y 2 ingresos urgentes, frente a los 690 días de ingreso (p = 0,012), 26 visitas a Urgencias (p = 0,011) y 22 ingresos urgentes (p = 0,010) en el mismo periodo, antes de su inclusión en el programa. Los costes directos asociados por estancia/día tras su inclusión en el programa se redujeron al 50,6% del coste previo, y los costes asociados a visitas a Urgencias disminuyeron al 11,5% del coste previo. Respecto a la calidad percibida, un 87,5% de los pacientes evaluaron la atención y tratamiento recibido como «muy satisfactorio», y un 12,5% como «satisfactorio» (AU)

[Right heart failure after pacemaker implantation]. / Insuficiencia cardiaca derecha tras el implante de un marcapasos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) secondary to interference pacemaker (PM) cable is a rare cause of progressive right heart failure (HF), which can worsen patient outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We present 3 clinical cases of right HF secondary to TR after PM implantation. RESULTS: In these patients the clinic is right HF, which can appear early, as in our second patient, or after years of implementation of the PM, as in the first and third patients. The diagnosis is confirmed by echocardiography, the most accurate 3D, followed by transesophageal. The 2D transthoracic can not detect it, because it has low sensitivity for TR associated with PM. Medical treatment is always the first choice, since any other procedure carries significant morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Probably this is a condition that we will diagnose with increasing frequency, because there are more and more patients with devices and, at the same time, the diagnostic tools are improving.

[Diagnosis of acute heart failure and relevance of biomarkers in elderly patients]. / Diagnóstico de la insuficiencia cardíaca aguda y relevancia de los biomarcadores en pacientes de edad avanzada.

Diagnosis of acute heart failure (HF) is difficult in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Risk scales and classification criteria based exclusively on clinical manifestations, such as the Framingham scales, lack sufficient specificity. In addition to clinical manifestations, diagnosis should be based on two key factors: natriuretic peptides and echocardiographic study. When there is clinical suspicion of acute HF, a normal natriuretic peptide level will rule out this process. When a consistent clinical suspicion is present, an echocardiographic study should also be performed. Diagnosis of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HF/pEF) requires detection of an enlarged left atrium or the presence of parameters of diastolic dysfunction. Elevation of cardiac biomarkers seems to be due to myocardial injury and the compensatory mechanisms of the body against this injury (hormone and inflammatory response and repair mechanisms). Elevation of markers of cardiac damage (troponins and natriuretic peptides) have been shown to be useful both in the diagnosis of acute HF and in prediction of outcome. MMP-2 could be useful in the diagnosis of HF/pEF. In addition to biomarkers with diagnostic value, other biomarkers are helpful in prognosis in the acute phase of HF, such as biomarkers of renal failure (eGFR, cystatin and urea), inflammation (cytokines and CRP), and the cell regeneration marker, galectin-3. A promising idea that is under investigation is the use of panels of biomarkers, which could allow more accurate diagnosis and prognosis of acute HF.

Diagnóstico de la insuficiencia cardíaca aguda y relevancia de los biomarcadores en pacientes de edad avanzada / Diagnosis of acute heart failure and relevance of biomarkers in elderly patients

El diagnóstico de insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) aguda es difícil en pacientes de edad avanzada con múltiples comorbilidades. Las escalas y criterios de clasificación basados exclusivamente en manifestaciones clínicas, como los de Framingham, carecen de especificidad suficiente. Además de la clínica, el diagnóstico debe estar basado en otros 2 pilares: los péptidos natriuréticos y el ecocardiograma. Ante una sospecha clínica baja, la normalidad de los péptidos natriuréticos descarta la IC aguda. En aquellos con sospecha clínica consistente debe realizarse también un ecocardiograma. El diagnóstico de IC con fracción de eyección preservada (ICFEP) requiere la detección de una aurícula izquierda aumentada de tamaño o la presencia de parámetros de disfunción diastólica. La elevación de los biomarcadores cardíacos parece responder al daño del miocardio y a los mecanismos de compensación que tiene el organismo frente a este (respuesta hormonal, inflamatoria y mecanismos de reparación). En la clínica la elevación de los marcadores de daño cardíaco (troponinas y péptidos natriuréticos) ha demostrado utilidad tanto en el diagnóstico de la IC aguda como en su pronóstico. El MMP-2 podría ser útil en el diagnóstico de ICFEP. Además del valor diagnóstico, otros biomarcadores son de ayuda en el pronóstico en la fase aguda de IC, como los de fallo renal (eGFR, cistatina y urea), los de inflamación (citocinas y proteína C reactiva [PCR]) y el marcador de regeneración celular galectina-3. Una idea prometedora en estudio es el uso de combinaciones de biomarcadores para predecir de una forma más precisa tanto el diagnóstico como el pronóstico de la IC aguda (AU)

Diagnosis of acute heart failure (HF) is difficult in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Risk scales and classification criteria based exclusively on clinical manifestations, such as the Framingham scales, lack sufficient specificity. In addition to clinical manifestations, diagnosis should be based on two key factors: natriuretic peptides and echocardiographic study. When there is clinical suspicion of acute HF, a normal natriuretic peptide level will rule out this process. When a consistent clinical suspicion is present, an echocardiographic study should also be performed. Diagnosis of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HF/pEF) requires detection of an enlarged left atrium or the presence of parameters of diastolic dysfunction. Elevation of cardiac biomarkers seems to be due to myocardial injury and the compensatory mechanisms of the body against this injury (hormone and inflammatory response and repair mechanisms). Elevation of markers of cardiac damage (troponins and natriuretic peptides) have been shown to be useful both in the diagnosis of acute HF and in prediction of outcome. MMP-2 could be useful in the diagnosis of HF/pEF. In addition to biomarkers with diagnostic value, other biomarkers are helpful in prognosis in the acute phase of HF, such as biomarkers of renal failure (eGFR, cystatin and urea), inflammation (cytokines and CRP), and the cell regeneration marker, galectin-3. A promising idea that is under investigation is the use of panels of biomarkers, which could allow more accurate diagnosis and prognosis of acute HF (AU)