Heart failure and atrial flutter: a systematic review of current knowledge and practices.

While the interplay between heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been extensively studied, little is known regarding HF and atrial flutter (AFL), which may be managed differently. We reviewed the incidence, prevalence, and predictors of HF in AFL and vice versa, and the outcomes of treatment of AFL in HF. A systematic literature review of PubMed/Medline and EMBASE yielded 65 studies for inclusion and qualitative synthesis. No study described the incidence or prevalence of AFL in unselected patients with HF. Most cohorts enrolled patients with AF/AFL as interchangeable diagnoses, or highly selected patients with tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. The prevalence of HF in AFL ranged from 6% to 56%. However, the phenotype of HF was never defined by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). No studies reported the predictors, phenotype, and prognostic implications of AFL in HF. There was significant variation in treatments studied, including the proportion that underwent ablation. When systolic dysfunction was tachycardia-mediated, catheter ablation demonstrated LVEF normalization in up to 88%, as well as reduced cardiovascular mortality. In summary, AFL and HF often coexist but are understudied, with no randomized trial data to inform care. Further research is warranted to define the epidemiology and establish optimal management.

No survival benefit associated with waiting for non-lung donor heart transplants for adult recipients with congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) awaiting heart transplant (HT) have higher mortality and waitlist removal due to clinical deterioration than those without CHD. The selective use of non-lung donors (NLD) to recover donor pulmonary vasculature to assist in graft implantation may be a contributing factor and is supported by consensus statements despite the recent use of pericardium or graft material as an alternative in pulmonary vascular reconstruction. The impact of selecting NLD for CHD recipients on wait time and mortality has not been evaluated. METHODS/RESULTS: In the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Registry, 1271 HT recipients age ≥ 18 with CHD were identified between 1987 and 2016, 68% of which had NLDs. Prior to HT, NLD recipients were significantly less likely to be listed UNOS Status 1A, require mechanical ventilation, or intra-aortic balloon pump support. There was no difference in mean waitlist time (254 vs. 278 days, p = .31), 1-year mortality (82% vs. 80%, p = .81; adjusted odds ratio 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96-1.83, p = .08), or overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1.08, 95% CI 0.86-1.36, p = .48) between recipients from NLD and concomitant lung donors. CONCLUSIONS: Adult CHD patients who are less critically ill or listed at a lower status are more likely to receive HT from NLD. There is no overall mortality benefit associated with this practice. While specific cases may necessitate waiting for NLD, programs need to re-evaluate whether this should remain a more widespread practice among CHD patients.

End-of-life care in patients with advanced heart failure.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: With an aging population with heart failure, there is a growing need for end-of-life care in this population, including a focus on symptom management and quality-of-life considerations. RECENT FINDINGS: Targeted therapies focusing on symptom control and improving quality of life is the cornerstone of providing care in patients with heart failure near the end of life. Such therapies, including the use of inotropes for palliative purposes, have been shown to improve symptoms without an increase in mortality. In addition, recent evidence shows that implementing certain strategies in planning for end of life, including advance care planning and palliative care involvement, can significantly improve symptoms and quality of life, reduce hospitalizations, and ensure care respects patient values and preferences. SUMMARY: Shifting focus from prolonging life to enhancing quality of life in heart failure patients approaching the end of life can be achieved by recognizing and managing end-stage heart failure-related symptoms, advanced care planning, and a multidisciplinary care approach.

Medical therapy doses at hospital discharge in patients with existing and de novo heart failure.

AIMS: Uptitrating angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ACE-I/ARBs), beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to optimal doses in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with improved outcomes and recommended in guidelines. Studies of ambulatory patients found that a minority are prescribed optimal doses. However, dose at hospital discharge has rarely been reported. This information may guide quality improvement initiatives during and following discharge. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assessed 370 consecutive patients with HFrEF hospitalized at two centres in Vancouver, Canada. Of those without contraindications, 86.4%, 93.4%, and 44.7% were prescribed an ACE-I/ARB/sacubitril-valsartan, beta-blocker, or MRA, respectively. The proportion of eligible patients prescribed target dose was respectively 28.6%, 31.7%, and 4.1%. Forty-two of 248 eligible patients (16.9%) were prescribed ≥50% of target dose, and only three patients received target dosing of all three medication classes. In multivariate regression models, cardiologist involvement in care was independently associated with increased dose and prescription of ≥50% of target dose for all medications, whereas a history of HF was only predictive for beta-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: In a single-region experience of hospitalized HFrEF patients, a high proportion of eligible patients were discharged on ACE-I/ARB or beta-blocker. Less than half were prescribed MRAs, and few were prescribed ≥50% or target dosing of all medications. Further exploration into barriers to medication uptitration, and improvement in processes of care, is needed.

Smoking Is Associated with an Increased Risk for Surgery in Diverticulitis: A Case Control Study.

IMPORTANCE: Cigarette smoking increases the risk of surgery in Crohn's disease. However, the effect of smoking on the need for surgery for diverticulitis is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether smoking was a risk factor for surgery among patients admitted to hospital with acute diverticulitis. DESIGN: We conducted a population-based comparative cohort study of patients admitted to hospital for diverticulitis who were treated with medical versus surgical management. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: We used the population-based Discharge Abstract Database to identify 176 adults admitted emergently with a diagnosis of diverticulitis between 2009 and 2010 in Calgary. INTERVENTION & MAIN OUTCOME: We performed a medical chart review to confirm the diagnosis of diverticulitis and to extract clinical data. The primary outcome was a partial colectomy during hospitalization. Logistic regression evaluated the association between smoking and surgery after adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, comorbidity, and disease severity. RESULTS: A partial colectomy was performed on 35.6% of patients with diverticulitis and 1.3% died. Among diverticulitis patients, 26.8% were current smokers, 31.5% were ex-smokers, and 41.6% never smoked. Compared to non-smokers, current smokers (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 9.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.47-32.97) and former smokers (adjusted OR 5.41; 95% CI: 1.54-18.96) had increased odds of surgery. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Smoking is associated with the need for surgical management of diverticulitis.

Hospital volume and other risk factors for in-hospital mortality among diverticulitis patients: A nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found that a higher volume of colorectal surgery was associated with lower mortality rates. While diverticulitis is an increasingly common condition, the effect of hospital volume on outcomes among diverticulitis patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between hospital volume and other factors on in-hospital mortality among patients admitted for diverticulitis. METHODS: Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (years 1993 to 2008) were analyzed to identify 822,865 patients representing 4,108,726 admissions for diverticulitis. Hospitals were divided into quartiles based on the volume of diverticulitis cases admitted over the study period, adjusted for years contributed to the dataset. Mortality according to hospital volume was modelled using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, race, comorbidities, health care insurance, admission type, calendar year, colectomy, disease severity and clustering. Risk estimates were expressed as adjusted ORs with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Patients at high-volume hospitals were more likely to be admitted emergently, undergo surgical treatment and have more severe disease. In-hospital mortality was higher among the lowest quartile of hospital volume compared with the highest volume (OR 1.13 [95% CI 1.05 to 1.21]). In-hospital mortality was increased among patients admitted emergently (OR 2.58 [95% CI 2.40 to 2.78]) as well as those receiving surgical treatment (OR 3.60 [95% CI 3.42 to 3.78]). CONCLUSIONS: Diverticulitis patients admitted to hospitals with a low volume of diverticulitis cases had an increased risk for death compared with those admitted to high-volume centres.

Hemodialysis in a satellite unit: clinical performance target attainment and health-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Canada, patients are increasingly receiving hemodialysis (HD) in satellite units, which are closer to their community but further from tertiary care hospitals and their nephrologists. The process of care is different in the satellites with fewer visits from nephrologists and reliance on remote communication. The objective of this study is to compare clinical performance target attainment and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients receiving HD in satellite versus in-center units. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: The London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario, Canada, has both tertiary care center and satellite HD units. All eligible patients who received dialysis treatment at one of these units as of July 24, 2008, were enrolled into a cross-sectional study (n = 522). Patient attainment of hemoglobin, albumin, calcium-phosphate (Ca-P) product, Kt/V, and vascular access targets were compared. Participants were also administered the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short-Form questionnaire. RESULTS: Satellite patients were more likely to attain clinical performance targets for albumin (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 4.87 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.13 to 11.14]), hemoglobin (OR = 1.59 [95% CI: 1.08 to 2.35]), and Ca-P product (OR = 2.02 [95% CI: 1.14 to 3.60]), as well as for multiple targets (P < 0.05). HRQOL scores were largely similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving HD in a satellite unit were just as likely, or more likely, to demonstrate attainment of clinical performance targets as those dialyzing in-center, while maintaining a similar HRQOL. This supports the increased use of satellite units to provide care closer to the patient's community.

Patient attitudes towards the arteriovenous fistula: a qualitative study on vascular access decision making.

BACKGROUND: The use of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) among hemodialysis (HD) patients has been consistently associated with lower rates of morbidity and mortality; however, up to 30% of eligible patients refuse the creation or cannulation of an AVF. We aimed to understand the attitudes, beliefs, preferences and values of patients who refused creation or use of an AVF. METHODS: With qualitative methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 HD patients (Canada, 2009), who previously refused creation or use of an AVF. Three independent analysts reviewed interview transcripts. RESULTS: We discovered three main themes that impacted the decision to refuse a fistula: (i) poor previous personal or vicarious experiences with the fistula, including cannulation, bleeding, time commitment and appearance; (ii) knowledge transfer and informed decision making. Patients identified information from other patients to be as important as information from health care workers, that information on vascular access (VA) was presented but not understood and that timing of information was crucial with information overload at the start of dialysis and (iii) maintenance of status quo and outlook on life. Some patients stated they live day-to-day without being influenced by the mortality risks with a catheter. CONCLUSIONS: AVF refusal is multifactorial and depends on individual patients. Although nephrologists consider the fistula to be the optimal VA, patients do not think in the same terms of reducing infection rates but focus on the practical day-to-day use of their VA and its influence on their quality of life and future outlook.

A comparison of quality of life and travel-related factors between in-center and satellite-based hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Shorter travel times and distance to dialysis clinics have been associated with improved patient outcomes and a higher health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The objective of this study was to compare HRQOL between prevalent in-center and satellite dialysis patients, as well as compare travel-related factors that contribute to HRQOL between in-center and satellite-based patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASURES: The London Health Sciences Centre is a tertiary care center with in-center and regional satellite hemodialysis units. Patients who consented and completed a questionnaire (n = 202) were enrolled into a cross-sectional, cohort observational study. Patients were administered the Medical Outcomes Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and the Kidney Disease Health Related Quality of Life (KDHRQOL) tool and were asked questions relating to travel to dialysis clinics. RESULTS: Patients who underwent dialysis in the satellites had similar demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory parameters. Patients who underwent dialysis in satellite units reported a significantly superior score on the dialysis stress domain of the KDHRQOL questionnaire. There was no significant difference between in-center and satellite patients on the basis of the SF-36. Satellite patients also reported a significantly decreased cost of transportation, a significantly increased proportion who drive themselves to clinics, and significantly decreased travel time. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent dialysis in satellite units demonstrated similar characteristics, comorbidities, surrogate outcomes, and most aspects of HRQOL. Travel time, cost, and receiving treatment in one's own community are important factors that may contribute to a trend toward higher reported HRQOL by patients in satellite dialysis units.