DASC-21 score and the risk of in-hospital death in elderly patients with heart failure.

AIM: We investigated whether the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System-21 Items (DASC-21), a questionnaire that assesses cognitive function, including activities of daily living (ADL), was predictive of in-hospital death and prolonged hospital stay in elderly patients hospitalized for heart failure. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed the DASC-21 score at the time of admission, in-hospital death, length of hospital stay, and change in the Barthel index in 399 patients hospitalized for heart failure between 2016 and 2019. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 85.8 ± 7.7 years (61.3% women). The median DASC-21 score was 38 (64.7% higher than 31). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, a higher DASC-21 score was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death (odds ratio [OR] = 1.045 per 1 point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.010-1.081, P = 0.012), even after adjusting for confounding factors, including atrial fibrillation, ejection fraction, and B-type natriuretic peptide. Difficulties (3 or 4) with the self-management of medication in instrumental ADL inside the home (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: 1.05-10.28, P = 0.042), toileting (OR = 3.66, 95% CI: 1.19-11.29, P = 0.024), grooming (OR = 6.47, 95% CI: 2.00-20.96, P = 0.002), eating (OR = 7.96, 95% CI: 2.49-25.45, P < 0.001), and mobility in physical ADL (OR = 5.99, 95% CI: 1.85-19.35, P = 0.003) were identified as risk factors for in-hospital death. Patients in the highest tertile of the DASC-21 score had a significantly longer hospital stay (P = 0.006) and a greater reduction in the Barthel index (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients hospitalized for heart failure, higher DASC-21 scores were associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death, prolonged hospital stay, and impaired ADL. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 546-553.

Minor ST-T changes on electrocardiograms are associated with reduced constructive myocardial work in hypertensive patients with a preserved ejection fraction.

Minor ST-T changes on electrocardiograms are observed in patients with hypertensive heart disease with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF); however, the relationship between minor ST-T changes and global myocardial work on echocardiograms remains unclear. We evaluated the global longitudinal strain (GLS), global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE) in 186 hypertensive patients with preserved LVEF (>50%) using an offline analysis system (View Pal, GE). Minor ST-T changes as well as major ST-T changes (depression in ST in lead V5 > 1 mV) were also evaluated by electrocardiography. The mean age was 79.4 ± 8.2 years (men 37.6%). Patients with minor and major ST-changes had a smaller absolute GLS (-20.3 ± 3.1, -18.2 ± 3.7, and -15.2 ± 5.0%, P < 0.001) and a smaller constructive workload [GWI (2148 ± 486, 1938 ± 462, and 1685 ± 701 mmHg%, P = 0.002) and GCW (2419 ± 510, 2185 ± 466, and 1865 ± 702 mmHg%, P < 0.001)] than those with no ST-T changes. Additionally, patients with minor and major ST-T changes had increased wasted myocardial work [GWW (87 ± 61, 105 ± 56, and 127 ± 75 mmHg%, P = 0.045)], which resulted in reductions in the myocardial work efficiency [GWE (95 ± 4, 94 ± 3, and 89 ± 12%, P < 0.001)]. Even after adjustments for confounding factors, including EF, diastolic function parameters, LV hypertrophy, history of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, patients with minor ST-T changes had significantly smaller LV global constructive work in comparison to those without [GWI (2260 ± 33 vs. 2025 ± 76 mmHg%, P = 0.007) and GCW (2501 ± 45 vs. 2210 ± 105 mmHg%, P = 0.003)]. In conclusion, in hypertensive patients with preserved LVEF, minor ST-T changes on electrocardiograms were associated with reduced constructive work in the LV.

Prolonged sinus arrest due to the obstruction of a sinus node branch after percutaneous coronary intervention of the right coronary artery.

Myocardial ischemia due to narrowing of the right coronary artery (RCA) may result in sinus arrhythmias, which usually present as transient sinus bradycardia with no hemodynamic instability. We report a rare case of sinus arrest with hemodynamic instability, which lasted for several months, and was caused by the occlusion of the sinus node (SN) artery following the RCA stenting. A 78-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia was referred to our hospital because of chest pain during activity. In her coronary angiogram, severe diffuse stenosis of the RCA was observed and intracoronary imaging using intravascular ultrasound revealed diffuse atherosclerotic plaque lesions with partial calcification and vulnerability. RCA was treated by inserting three zotarolimus-eluting stents. Immediately after these interventions, the SN artery originating from the RCA proximal to the lesion was occluded, which resulted in SN dysfunction. Significant bradycardia was observed on electrocardiogram along with low blood pressure, suggesting sinus arrest. Along with hemodynamic instability, sinus arrest lasted for several months, and permanent pacemaker implantation was needed. The plaque burden should be taken into consideration when choosing the appropriate percutaneous coronary intervention strategy because of the potential complication of sinus arrest after RCA stenting. .

Prevalence and Determinants of Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Patients With Heart Failure　- Pilot Study in a Geriatric Hospital.

Background: Elderly patients admitted to hospital with heart failure (HF) often have cognitive impairment, but the association between these conditions is unclear. Methods and Results: We enrolled 43 patients admitted to a geriatric hospital with HF. We evaluated echocardiography, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio (Inbody S10). Mean age was 85.1±8.0 years (range, 60-99 years) and 44.2% of the patients were men. Mean MMSE score was 20.5±5.4, with 66.7% of the patients showing cognitive impairment (MMSE ≤23). There was a significant negative correlation of MMSE score with age (r=-0.344, P=0.032), regular alcohol drinking (r=0.437, P=0.007), uric acid level (r=0.413, P=0.010), and ECW/TBW ratio (r=-0.437, P=0.007). On stepwise regression analysis including these covariates, MMSE score was significantly associated with the ECW/TBW ratio (ß=0.443, P=0.009). When several echocardiography parameters (i.e., end-diastolic left ventricular volume, r=0.327, P=0.048; left atrial volume index, r=-0.411, P=0.012; and transmitral inflow A wave velocity, r=-0.625, P=0.001) were added to the model, MMSE score was found to be related to the A wave (P=0.001) and to atrial volume index (P=0.015), which are measures of diastolic function. Conclusions: In elderly patients with HF, cognitive function might be influenced by body water distribution and diastolic heart function.