Reduced systolic performance by tissue Doppler in patients with preserved and abnormal ejection fraction: new insights in chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is useful in the evaluation of systolic and diastolic function. It allows assessment of ventricular dynamics in its longitudinal axis. We sought to investigate the difference in systolic and diastolic longitudinal function in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) with normal and reduced ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred ten outpatients with CHF and 68 controls were included. Ejection fraction (EF) was obtained and longitudinal systolic (S) and diastolic (E' and A') wall velocities were recorded from basal septum. Group A (controls) were normal and CHF patients were classified by EF in Group B1: > 45% and B2: < or = 45%. In A, B1 and B2 the mean S peak was 7.74; 5.45 and 4.89 cm/s (p<0.001); the mean E' peak was 8.56; 5.72 and 6.1 cm/s (p<0.001); and the mean A' peak was 10.2; 7.3 and 5.3 cm/s (p<0.001). Also, isovolumic contraction and relaxation time were different among control and CHF groups, (both p<0.001). The most useful parameters for identifying diastolic CHF were IVRT and S peak, with area under ROC curves of 0.93 and 0.89. The cut-off of 115 ms for IVRT and 5.8 cm/s for S peak showed a sensitivity of 94 and 97%, with a specificity of 82 and 73%, respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that impairment of left ventricular systolic function is present even in those with diastolic heart failure, and that abnormalities may have an important role to identifying the condition.

[Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome in patients with heart failure complicating acute myocardial infarction]. / Características clínicas y evolución a largo plazo de pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca como complicación del infarto agudo de miocardio.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of heart failure (HF) development in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between May 1990 and March 2000, 836 consecutive patients were admitted with a diagnosis of AMI within 24 h of symptom onset. HF was defined as the presence of rales and a third heart sound with gallop, and evidence of pulmonary congestion on chest x-ray. It was diagnosed in 263 subjects (31.5%). RESULTS: The mean age of patients with HF (group 1) was 63.4 (11.4) years compared with 59.9 (11.6) years in those without HF (group 2) (P<.01). There were differences between groups 1 and 2 in history of diabetes (36% vs 20%; P<.001) or previous HF (9.2% vs 1.1%; P<.001). The reperfusion strategy used in patients with Q-wave infarction, with or without HF, was primary angioplasty in 15% and 14%, respectively (P=.81), and thrombolytic agents in 28% and 37%, respectively (P=.013). Patients with HF were more likely to develop recurrent angina (26.8% vs 19.6%; P=.02), pericarditis (17.5% vs 6.3%; P<.001), and atrial fibrillation (12.3% vs 5.1%; P<.01). In-hospital mortality in groups 1 and 2 was 15.6% and 2.3% (P<.001), respectively, and 10-year survival was 10% and 30%, respectively (P<.001). The variables associated with mortality were: age (HR=1.022; P<.001), hyperglycemia (HR=1.748 per 1.0-g/L increase; P<.001), leukocytosis (HR=1.035 per 1000-cell/.L increase; P<.001), and HF (HR=1.308; P=.028). CONCLUSIONS: AMI is still frequently complicated by HF, which increases short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. Heart failure, age, hyperglycemia, and leukocytosis at admission were independent predictors of mortality during follow-up.

Características clínicas y evolución a largo plazo de pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca como complicación del infarto agudo de miocardio / Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome in patients with heart failure complicating acute myocardial infarction

Introducción y objetivos. Evaluar las características clínico-evolutivas y el pronóstico a largo plazo del desarrollo de insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) en pacientes hospitalizados por un infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM). Pacientes y método. Entre mayo de 1990 y marzo de 2000 se ingresó a 836 pacientes consecutivos con IAM dentro de las 24 h de evolución. La IC definida por presencia de estertores, tercer ruido y signos de congestión pulmonar en la radiografía de tórax se diagnosticó en 263 sujetos (31,5%). Resultados. La edad media de los pacientes con IC (grupo 1) y sin IC (grupo 2) fue de 63,4 ± 11,4 frente a 59,9 ± 11,6 años (p < 0,01). Hubo diferencias en ambos grupos en los antecedentes de diabetes (36 y 20%; p < 0,001) e IC previa (9,2 y 1,1%; p < 0,001). La reperfusión utilizada en los pacientes con infarto con ondas Q, con y sin IC, fue la angioplastia primaria (el 15 frente al 14%; p = 0,81) y la administración de trombolíticos (el 28 frente al 37%; p = 0,013). Una mayor proporción de sujetos con IC evolucionaron con angina postinfarto (el 26,8 y el 19,6%; p = 0,02), pericarditis (el 17 y el 6,3%; p < 0,001) y fibrilación auricular (el 12,3 y el 5,1%; p < 0,01). La mortalidad hospitalaria en los grupos 1 y 2 fue del 15,6 y del 2,3% (p < 0,001), y la supervivencia a 10 años fue del 10 y del 30%, respectivamente (p < 0,001). Las variables asociadas a la mortalidad en el seguimiento fueron la edad (harzard ratio [HR] = 1,022; p < 0,001), la glucemia (incremento de 1,0 g/l: HR = 1,748; p < 0,001), la leucocitosis (aumento de 1.000 células/μl; HR = 1,035; p < 0,001) y la IC (HR = 1,308; p = 0,028) Conclusiones. El fallo cardíaco continúa siendo una complicación frecuente en el IAM y se asoció a una elevada morbimortalidad hospitalaria y tardía. La IC, la edad avanzada, la glucemia y la leucocitosis en el momento del ingreso fueron marcadores independientes de mortalidad tardía

Introduction and objectives. To evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of heart failure (HF) development in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Patients and method. Between May 1990 and March 2000, 836 consecutive patients were admitted with a diagnosis of AMI within 24 h of symptom onset. HF was defined as the presence of rales and a third heart sound with gallop, and evidence of pulmonary congestion on chest x-ray. It was diagnosed in 263 subjects (31.5%). Results. The mean age of patients with HF (group 1) was 63.4 (11.4) years compared with 59.9 (11.6) years in those without HF (group 2) (P<.01). There were differences between groups 1 and 2 in history of diabetes (36% vs 20%; P<.001) or previous HF (9.2% vs 1.1%; P<.001). The reperfusion strategy used in patients with Q-wave infarction, with or without HF, was primary angioplasty in 15% and 14%, respectively (P=.81), and thrombolytic agents in 28% and 37%, respectively (P=.013). Patients with HF were more likely to develop recurrent angina (26.8% vs 19.6%; P=.02), pericarditis (17.5% vs 6.3%; P<.001), and atrial fibrillation (12.3% vs 5.1%; P<.01). In-hospital mortality in groups 1 and 2 was 15.6% and 2.3% (P<.001), respectively, and 10-year survival was 10% and 30%, respectively (P<.001). The variables associated with mortality were: age (HR=1.022; P<.001), hyperglycemia (HR=1.748 per 1.0-g/L increase; P<.001), leukocytosis (HR=1.035 per 1000-cell/μL increase; P<.001), and HF (HR=1.308; P=.028).Conclusions. AMI is still frequently complicated by HF, which increases short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. Heart failure, age, hyperglycemia, and leukocytosis at admission were independent predictors of mortality during follow-up

Nefropatía por contraste, un problema común en cardiología intervencionista / Radiocontrast nephropathy

La incidencia de deterioro de la función renal inducida por agentes de contraste (nefropatía por contraste) ha aumentado significativamente en los últimos años a consecuencia del creciente número de procedimientos intervencionistas diagnósticos y terapéuticos realizados en pacientes con patologías cardíacas ó extracardíacas. La nefropatía por contraste, si bien suele ser reversible, dista de ser una complicación benigna, ya que supone una prolongación de la estadía hospitalaria y en algunos casos, en particular en pacientes de alto riesgo, conlleva el riesgo de deterioro irreversible de la función renal. A partir de un conocimiento más acabado de su fisiopatología se han ensayado diversas estrategias para reducir la incidencia de la nefropatía por contraste. De ellas, las más eficaces resultaron ser la hidratación correcta y la utilización de medios de contraste de baja osmolaridad. Resulta entonces sumamente importante alertar, no sólo a cardiólogos intervencionistas, sino también a todos los médicos que deciden derivar a sus pacientes a este tipo de procedimientos con agentes de radiocontraste acerca de la fisiopatología, la presentación clínica y la identificación de grupos de riesgo, a fin de implementar simples medidas preventivas o terapéuticas.