Comparable prognostic impact of BNP levels among HFpEF, Borderline HFpEF and HFrEF: a report from the CHART-2 Study.

We aimed to compare the usefulness of plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) for long-term risk stratification among patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFpEF), borderline HFpEF, and HF with reduced LVEF (HFrEF) in the same HF cohort. In the CHART-2 Study (N = 10,219), we categorized 4301 consecutive Stage C/D HF patients (mean age 68.7 years, female 32.4%) into 3 groups: HFpEF (LVEF ≥ 50%, N = 2893), borderline HFpEF (LVEF 40-50%, N = 666), and HFrEF (LVEF ≤ 40%, N = 742). During the median 6.3-year follow-up, all-cause deaths occurred in 887 HFpEF, 330 borderline HFpEF, and 330 HFrEF patients. Although median BNP levels increased from HFpEF, borderline HFpEF to HFrEF (85.3, 126 and 208 pg/ml, respectively, P < 0.001), the relationship between log2 BNP levels and the mortality risk was comparable among the 3 groups. As compared with patients with BNP < 30 pg/ml, those with 30-99, 100-299 and ≥ 300 pg/ml had comparably increasing mortality risk among the 3 groups (hazard ratio 2.5, 4.7 and 7.8 in HFpEF, 2.1, 4.2 and 7.0 in borderline HFpEF, and 3.0, 4.7 and 9.5 in HFrEF, respectively, all P < 0.001). BNP levels have comparable prognostic impact among HFpEF, borderline HFpEF, and HFrEF patients.

Transition of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Heart Failure.

Along with a worldwide epidemiological transition and dramatic increase in the elderly population, both the incidence and prevalence of heart failure (HF) are increasing worldwide. This epidemic of HF is characterized by an increase of HF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFpEF) and a decrease of HF with reduced LVEF (HFrEF). Of note, transition between HFpEF and HFrEF has been recently highlighted, since it significantly relates with prognosis. Our recent studies indicated that temporary changes in LVEF are common and associated with prognosis in patients with HF. In this chapter, we summarize recent findings on temporal changes in LVEF and their prognostic impact in HF patients, acknowledging that further studies are needed to fully elucidate the pathophysiology of LVEF recovery and deterioration to improve clinical outcomes of HF patients, and also to develop therapies targeting novel pathways of myocardial recovery.

Prognostic Impact of Atrial Fibrillation and New Risk Score of Its Onset in Patients at High Risk of Heart Failure　- A Report From the CHART-2 Study.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) among patients at high risk for heart failure (HF) remains unclear. In addition, there is no risk estimation model for AF development in these patients.Methods and Results:The present study included 5,382 consecutive patients at high risk of HF enrolled in the CHART-2 Study (n=10,219). At enrollment, 1,217 (22.6%) had AF, and were characterized, as compared with non-AF patients, by higher age, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, higher B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. A total of 116 non-AF patients (2.8%) newly developed AF (new AF) during the median 3.1-year follow-up. AF at enrollment was associated with worse prognosis for both all-cause death and HF hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.31, P=0.027 and aHR 1.74, P=0.001, for all-cause death and HF hospitalization, respectively) and new AF was associated with HF hospitalization (aHR 4.54, P<0.001). We developed a risk score with higher age, smoking, pulse pressure, lower eGFR, higher BNP, aortic valvular regurgitation, LV hypertrophy, and left atrial and ventricular dilatation on echocardiography, which effectively stratified the risk of AF development with excellent accuracy (AUC 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that AF is associated with worse prognosis in patients at high risk of HF, and our new risk score may be useful to identify patients at high risk for AF onset.

Prognostic Impact of Loop Diuretics in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure　- Effects of Addition of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors and ß-Blockers.

BACKGROUND: It remains to be elucidated whether addition of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors and/or ß-blockers to loop diuretics has a beneficial prognostic impact on chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: From the Chronic Heart failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku district 2 (CHART-2) Study (n=10,219), we enrolled 4,134 consecutive patients with symptomatic stage C/D CHF (mean age, 69.3 years, 67.7% male). We constructed Cox models for composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke and HF admission. On multivariate inverse probability of treatment weighted (IPTW) Cox modeling, loop diuretics use was associated with worse prognosis with hazard ratio (HR) 1.28 (P<0001). Furthermore, on IPTW multivariate Cox modeling for multiple treatments, both low-dose (<40 mg/day) and high-dose (≥40 mg/day) loop diuretics were associated with worse prognosis with HR 1.32 and 1.56, respectively (both P<0.001). Triple blockade with RAS inhibitor(s), mineral corticoid (aldosterone) receptor antagonist(s) (MRA), and ß-blocker(s) was significantly associated with better prognosis in those on low-dose but not on high-dose loop diuretics. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic use of loop diuretics is significantly associated with worse prognosis in CHF patients in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the triple combination of RAAS inhibitor(s), MRA, and ß-blocker(s) is associated with better prognosis when combined with low-dose loop diuretics. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1396-1403).

Prognostic Impact of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure - A Report From the CHART-2 Study.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is not fully elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 4,818 consecutive stage C/D chronic heart failure (CHF) patients in the Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District-2 (CHART-2) Study (n=10,219). At enrollment, 1,859 (38.6%) of them had AF. Compared with the 2,953 patients without AF, AF patients were characterized by higher age (71 vs. 68 years), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (58.9 vs. 61.9 ml/min/1.73 m(2)), higher brain natriuretic peptide (152 vs. 74.5 pg/ml), similar left ventricular ejection fraction (56.8 vs. 56.5%), and a similar prescription rate of ß-blockers (48.1 vs. 50.6%) and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors (72.9 vs. 71.6%). Among the patients without AF at enrollment, 106 (3.6%) developed new AF during the median 3.2-year follow-up, which was associated with increased mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.72; P=0.013). In contrast, neither paroxysmal nor chronic AF at enrollment was associated with increased mortality. The mortality rate was significantly high in the first year after the onset of new AF. On inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis using propensity score, RAS inhibitors and statins were associated with reduced incidence of new AF, and diuretics were associated with increase of new AF. CONCLUSIONS: Onset of new AF, but not a history of AF, is associated with increased mortality in CHF patients, especially in the first year.

Improved Long-Term Prognosis of Dilated Cardiomyopathy With Implementation of Evidenced-Based Medication - Report From the CHART Studies - .

BACKGROUND: Recent trends in the clinical characteristics, management and prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remain to be examined in Japan. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared 306 and 710 DCM patients in the Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District (CHART)-1 (2000-2005, n=1,278) and the CHART-2 (2006-present, n=10,219) Studies, respectively. Between the 2 groups of DCM patients, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. The prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus were all significantly increased from the CHART-1 to the CHART-2 Study. The use of ß-blockers and aldosterone antagonists was significantly increased, while that of loop diuretics and digitalis was significantly decreased in the CHART-2 Study. The 3-year mortality rate was significantly improved from 14% in the CHART-1 to 9% in the CHART-2 Study (adjusted HR, 0.60; 95% CI: 0.49-0.81; P=0.001). In particular, 3-year incidence of cardiovascular death was significantly decreased (adjusted HR, 0.26; 95% CI: 0.14-0.50, P<0.001), while that of HF admission was not (adjusted HR, 0.90; 95% CI: 0.59-1.37, P=0.632). The prognostic improvement was noted in patients with BNP <220 pg/ml, LVEF>40%, ß-blocker use and aldosterone antagonist use. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term prognosis of DCM patients has been improved, along with the implementation of evidence-based medication in Japan.

Predictors and prognostic impact of post-traumatic stress disorder after the great East Japan earthquake in patients with cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: We examined the prevalence, predictors and prognostic impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the Great East Japan Earthquake in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the CHART-2 study. METHODS AND RESULTS: The prevalence of PTSD was 14.7% at 6 months after the Earthquake. Female sex, experiencing the Tsunami, property loss, poverty, and insomnia medication use were associated with PTSD. The patients with PTSD more frequently experienced a composite of death, acute myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure (18.5% vs. 15.0%, P=0.035). CONCLUSIONS: PTSD was frequent in CVD patients after the Earthquake and had an adverse prognostic impact.

Comprehensive Risk Stratification of Japanese Patients With Aortic Stenosis--A Proposal of a New Risk Score From the CHART-2 Study.

BACKGROUND: The risk of patients with aortic stenosis (AS) should be stratified not only by AS severity but also by comorbidities. METHODS AND RESULTS: We aimed to develop a risk score for mortality in 412 patients with AS (pressure gradient ≥30 mmHg, mean age 74.9 years, male 52.4%) in the CHART-2 Study (n=10,219). During a 3-year follow-up, 73 (17.7%) patients died. Crude 3-year mortality of patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes I, II, and III/IV was 9.5%, 16.5%, and 49.7%, respectively (P<0.001). Stepwise Cox regression analysis showed that the combination of 7 factors was the best model to predict the mortality of AS patients, who were scored according to their hazard ratios, including NYHA class III-IV (score 6), male sex (3), serum albumin level ≤4 g/dl (2), aortic peak flow ≥4.5 m/s (2), age ≥75 years (2), chronic kidney disease (2), and anemia (1). Receiver-operating characteristic analysis showed excellent association between the sum of the scores and 3-year mortality (area under the curve, 0.78). The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that the present risk score also well stratified the mortality risk. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that, in addition to the classical prognostic factors related to symptoms and AS severity, various comorbidities are associated with mortality. Thus, the present comprehensive risk score may be useful for risk stratification of AS patients.

Prognostic Impact of Diabetes Mellitus in Chronic Heart Failure According to Presence of Ischemic Heart Disease ­ With Special Reference to Nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether the prognostic impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) in chronic heart failure (CHF) is influenced by ischemic heart disease (IHD) and/or nephropathy. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 4,065 consecutive patients with stage C/D CHF (mean age, 69.0 years; 68.7% male) in the CHART-2 Study (n=10,219). We defined DM as current history of DM treatment or HbA1c ≥6.5% (National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program [NGSP]), and nephropathy as urine albumin:creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g or urine dipstick test ≥(±) at enrollment. Impacts of DM and nephropathy on the composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and HF admission were examined. Among the 4,065 patients, 1,448 (35.6%) had DM, while IHD and nephropathy were also noted in 1,644 (40.4%) and in 1,549 (38.1%), respectively. During the median follow-up of 2.88 years, 1,025 (25.2%) reached the composite endpoint. On multivariate Cox regression, DM was significantly associated with the composite endpoint in all patients (HR, 1.17; P=0.02), and in those with IHD (HR, 1.38; P=0.004), but not in those without IHD (HR, 1.12; P=0.22; P for interaction=0.12). Furthermore, when the patients were stratified by nephropathy, DM was associated with worse prognosis only in the IHD patients with nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic impact of DM was more evident in patients with IHD than in those without IHD, particularly when complicated with nephropathy.

Prognostic Impact of Anemia in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure- With Special Reference to Clinical Background: Report From the CHART-2 Study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to elucidate the prognostic impact of anemia with special reference to the clinical background of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 4,646 consecutive patients with Stage C/D CHF registered in the Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District-2 (CHART-2) Study (n=10,219). Among them, 1,627 (35%) had anemia and were characterized by higher age (74 vs. 66 years), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (52.8 vs. 66.1 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and higher B-type natriuretic peptide levels (154.5 vs. 81.8 pg/ml) (all P<0.001) but comparable left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; 57.5 vs. 56.7%). Anemic patients were more frequently treated with diuretics (55.1 vs. 42.3%) but less often treated with ß-blockers (45.4 vs. 51.1%) (both P<0.001). During a median follow-up of 3.8 years, 371 and 272 patients died with and without anemia, respectively (22.8 vs. 9.0%, adjusted hazard ratio 1.40; 95% confidence interval 1.15-1.71, P=0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that the prognostic impact of anemia was comparable in terms of age, sex, renal function and double product, but differed by LVEF level and CHF etiology (both, P for interaction <0.001). In particular, a difference in the prognostic impact of LVEF level was noted in patients with ischemic heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the prognostic impact of anemia is evident in CHF patients with preserved EF and it differs by CHF etiology.

Temporal trends in clinical characteristics, management and prognosis of patients with symptomatic heart failure in Japan -- report from the CHART Studies.

BACKGROUND: Temporal trends in clinical characteristics, management and prognosis of patients with symptomatic heart failure (HF) remain to be elucidated in Japan. METHODS AND RESULTS: From the Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District-1 (CHART-1; 2000-2005, n=1,278) and CHART-2 (2006-present, n=10,219) Studies, we enrolled 1,006 and 3,676 consecutive symptomatic stage C/D HF patients, respectively. As compared with the patients in the CHART-1 Study, those in the CHART-2 Study had similar age and sex prevalence, and were characterized by lower brain natriuretic peptide, higher prevalence of preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease (IHD), particularly IHD with LVEF ≥50%. From CHART-1 to CHART-2, use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, ß-blockers and aldosterone antagonists was significantly increased, while that of loop diuretics and digitalis was decreased. Three-year incidences of all-cause death (24 vs. 15%; adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR], 0.73; P<0.001), cardiovascular death (17 vs. 7%; adjHR, 0.38; P<0.001) and hospitalization for HF (30 vs. 17%; adjHR, 0.51; P<0.001) were all significantly decreased from CHART-1 to CHART-2. In the CHART-2 Study, use of ß-blockers was associated with improved prognosis in patients with LVEF <50%, while that of statins was associated with improved prognosis in those with LVEF ≥50%. CONCLUSIONS: Along with implementation of evidence-based medications, the prognosis of HF patients has been improved in Japan. ( TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00418041)

[Gender differences in patients with chronic heart failure in Japan: insights from the CHART-2 study].

BACKGROUND: The gender differences in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF) remain to be elucidated in Japan. We examined gender differences in patients registered in the CHART-2 study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Compared with male patients, females were older and had lower prevalence of ischemic heart disease. Women had higher prevalence of preserved ejection fraction but had higher NYHA class and BNP levels. Women were treated with 2-blockers and statins less frequently, but treated with diuretics were more frequently. Although crude mortality rate was similar between the genders, women more frequently died due to cardiovascular causes than males. CONCLUSIONS: Female patients with CHF had severer clinical backgrounds and had higher cardiovascular mortality than males in the daily practice of Japan.

MUC5AC and MUC5B expression in canine gallbladder mucocele epithelial cells.

Gallbladder mucocele (GBM) is one of the most common gallbladder diseases in dogs. Its pathogenesis has not yet been clarified, but excessive accumulation of a secretory gel-forming mucin, MUC5AC in the gallbladder has been reported. This study aimed to ascertain if MUC5AC overproduction resulted in mucus accumulation in the gallbladder during GBM development. Eleven dogs undergoing cholecystectomy who were pathologically diagnosed with GBM were included, and the expression level of mucins, particularly MUC5AC and MUC5B, in their gallbladder epithelial cells was compared with those in normal gallbladder epithelial cells. On reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction screening, there was a significant difference (P<0.05) in the mRNA expression level of MUC1, but not of other mucins including MUC5AC and MUC5B, between mucocele and normal gallbladder epithelial cells. Protein expression levels were also evaluated for MUC5AC and MUC5B using immunohistochemistry. There was little immunoreactivity for MUC5AC, whereas MUC5B showed definitive staining in gallbladder epithelial cells. There was no difference in MUC5AC and MUC5B protein expression levels between mucocele and normal gallbladder epithelial cells. These data suggest that excessive production of mucin, especially MUC5AC and MUC5B, does not occur in canine GBM, and that abnormal mucus excretion, rather than excessive mucus production, may be the cause of GBM development.

Intratumoral heterogeneity of c-KIT mutations in a feline splenic mast cell tumor and their functional effects on cell proliferation.

A cat was presented with mast cell tumors (MCTs) of the skin and spleen. During the initial diagnosis, the exon 8 mutation of c-KIT was detected in the masses from skin and spleen by a commercial laboratory test. Consequently, treatment with toceranib was started. After complete remission, because of recurrence on day 117, the spleen and skin tumors were removed, but the cat eventually died on day 191. The analysis of ten cDNA clones of the c-KIT gene cloned from the surgically removed spleen revealed that seven different cDNA patterns were included, indicating the heterogeneity of this gene in the splenic MCT. The seven cDNA nucleotide patterns can be classified into four protein sequence patterns. In addition to the previously known mutations in exon 8, we identified novel mutations in exons 9, 10, and 18; four amino acids deletion in exon 9, and a point mutation in exons 10 and 18. Mouse IL-3-dependent cell line, Ba/F3, was transduced with these mutant clones, and c-KIT phosphorylation and proliferation assays were performed. We found that certain mutations affected the c-KIT phosphorylation status and cell proliferation. This suggests that heterogeneity among the population of tumor cells exists in MCTs, and that the dominant clones of this heterogeneity may contribute to the subsequent tumor cell growth.

Prognostic Impact of Statin Intensity in Heart Failure Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease: A Report From the CHART-2 (Chronic Heart Failure Registry and Analysis in the Tohoku District 2) Study.

BACKGROUND: The beneficial prognostic impact of statins has been established in patients with ischemic heart disease but not in those with heart failure (HF). In addition, it is still unclear whether patients benefit from statins regardless of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 2444 consecutive stage C or D HF patients with ischemic heart disease registered in CHART-2 (Chronic Heart Failure Registry and Analysis in the Tohoku District 2), a multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study in Japan. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the Japanese standard doses of statins and statin-intensity categories defined by the 2013 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines: higher (moderate-high)-intensity (n=868), lower (low)-intensity (n=526), and no statin (n=1050). The median follow-up period was 6.4 years (13929 person-years). Analysis with the inverse probability of treatment weighted using a propensity score for multiple treatment revealed that both the higher-intesity group (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.68; P<0.001) and the lower-intensity group (HR: 0.82; P<0.001) had significantly lower incidence of the primary end point-a composite of all-cause death and HF admission-compared with the no statin group. The higher-intensity statin group had significantly lower incidence of the primary end point (HR: 0.82; P<0.001), all-cause death (HR: 0.83; P<0.001), and HF admission (HR: 0.78; P<0.001) than the lower-intensity statin group. Moreover, the use of statins, either higher- or lower-intensity, was associated with reduced incidence of the primary end point, regardless of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that statin use, particularly the use of higher-intensity statins, has a beneficial prognostic impact in HF patients with ischemic heart disease, regardless of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00418041.

Sex differences in post-traumatic stress disorder in cardiovascular patients after the Great East Japan Earthquake: a report from the CHART-2 Study.

Aims: The temporal changes and sex differences in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after natural disasters remain unclear. Therefore, we examined the prevalence, prognostic impacts, and determinant factors of PTSD after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) of 11 March 2011 in cardiovascular (CV) patients registered in the Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District (CHART)-2 Study (n = 10 219), with a special reference to sex. Methods and results: By self-completion questionnaires of the Japanese-language version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R-J), the prevalence of PTSD, defined as IES-R-J score ≥25, was 14.8, 15.7, 7.4, and 7.5% in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. The PTSD rate was higher in women than in men in all years (all P < 0.01). During a median 3.5-year follow-up period, the patients with PTSD in 2011 more frequently experienced a composite of all-cause death and hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure than those without PTSD [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.27, P < 0.01]. Importantly, the prognostic impacts of PTSD on all-cause death (aHR 2.10 vs. 0.87, P for interaction = 0.03) and CV death (aHR 3.43 vs. 0.90, P for interaction = 0.02) were significant in women but not in men. While insomnia medication was a prominent determinant factor of PTSD in both sexes during 2011-14, economic poverty was significantly associated with PTSD only in men. Conclusion: After the GEJE, marked sex differences existed in the prevalence, prognostic impacts, and determinant factors of PTSD, suggesting the importance of sex-sepcific mental stress care in disaster medicine.

Characterization of heart failure patients with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction-a report from the CHART-2 Study.

BACKGROUND: The new category of heart failure (HF), HF with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFmrEF), has recently been proposed. However, the clinical features of HFmrEF, with reference to HF with preserved LVEF (HFpEF) and HF with reduced LVEF (HFrEF) in the same HF cohort, remain to be fully examined. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District-2 Study, we examined 3480 consecutive HF patients with echocardiography data consisting of 2154 HFpEF (LVEF ≥50%), 596 HFmrEF (LVEF 40-49%) and 730 HFrEF (LVEF <40%). While clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of HFmrEF were intermediate between HFpEF and HFrEF, prognosis of HFmrEF resembled HFpEF and the prognostic impact of cardiovascular medications in HFmrEF resembled that of HFrEF. Analysis of LVEF transition among the three groups revealed that HFmrEF and HFrEF dynamically transitioned to other categories, especially within 1 year, whereas HFpEF did not; HFmrEF at registration transitioned to HFpEF and HFrEF by 44% and 16% at 1 year, and 45% and 21% at 3 years, respectively. Landmark analysis demonstrated that, regardless of HF stages at registration, HFmrEF patients at 1 year had mortality comparable to that of HFpEF patients, which was better than HFrEF patients, but HFmrEF patients at registration had increased mortality when transitioned to HFrEF at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that clinical characteristics of HFmrEF are intermediate between HFpEF and HFrEF and that HFmrEF dynamically transitions to HFpEF or HFrEF, especially within 1 year, suggesting that HFmrEF represents a transitional status or an overlap zone between HFpEF and HFrEF, rather than an independent entity of HF.

Long-term prognostic impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake in patients with cardiovascular disease - Report from the CHART-2 Study.

BACKGROUND: We and others have previously reported that the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) caused a significant but transient increase in cardiovascular diseases and deaths in the disaster area. However, it remains to be examined whether the GEJE had a long-term prognostic influence in large-scale cohort studies. This point is important when analyzing the data before and after the GEJE in the cohort studies in the disaster area. METHODS: We examined 8676 patients registered in our Chronic Heart Failure Analysis and Registry in the Tohoku District-2 (CHART-2) Study (N=10,219) between 2006 and 2010 and were alive after March 10, 2011. RESULTS: There were 48 GEJE-related deaths, causing a sharp and transient increase in all-cause death within a month after the GEJE. However, after excluding the GEJE-related deaths, the cubic polynomial spline smoothing showed no significant increase in all-cause death, heart failure admission, non-fetal acute myocardial infarction, or non-fetal stroke during the median 3-year follow-up after the GEJE. The extrapolation curves beyond the GEJE, which were obtained by the parametric survival models based on the survival data censored on the GEJE, were not significantly different from the Kaplan-Meier curves estimating the survival functions of deaths and cardiac events during the total follow-up period without considering the impacts of the GEJE. Furthermore, the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model applied to the matched cohort of the baseline data and the data after the GEJE showed no significant differences in the impacts of prognostic factors on all-cause mortality before and after the GEJE. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the GEJE had no significant long-term prognostic impact after the earthquake in cardiovascular patients in the disaster area.

Coexisting cardiac diseases and pressure recovery phenomenon contribute to discrepancy between the echocardiographic severity of aortic stenosis and left ventricular hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: Assessing left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is an important step in the echocardiographic diagnosis of aortic stenosis (AS). We aimed to investigate the causes of discrepancies between the degrees of AS and LVH. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 149 consecutive patients with AS having aortic valve area <2.0 cm(2) (mean age 72.5 ± 11.9 years, 67 men and 82 women). Coexisting cardiac diseases were determined based on echocardiographic findings and comprehensive clinical judgment. Echocardiographic measurements included LV mass index (LVMI), aortic valve area index (AVAI), transaortic mean pressure gradient (MPG), valvulo-arterial impedance (Zva), energy loss coefficient (ELCo), and energy loss index (ELI). RESULTS: LVMI was not significantly correlated with AVAI and Zva, and had a weak correlation with MPG (r = 0.305, p = 0.0001). There were 55 patients in group A (non-severe AS without significant LVH), 58 in group B (non-severe AS with significant LVH), 7 in group C (severe AS without significant LVH), and 29 in group D (severe AS with significant LVH). Coexisting cardiac diseases were more frequently observed (p = 0.0003) in group B (50 %) than in group A (18 %). In group C, ELCo and (ELI - AVAI)/ELI were significantly greater than in group D (p = 0.043 and 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSION: Significant LVH seen in less than moderate AS is often due to coexisting cardiac diseases, and there may be an overestimation of AS severity due to pressure recovery among patients with apparently severe AS who do not have significant LVH.