Utilidad pronóstica de las cifras ambulatorias de presión arterial en pacientes de edad avanzada con insuficiencia cardíaca. Resultados del estudio DICUMAP / Prognostic value of ambulatory blood pressure values in elderly patients with heart failure. Results of the DICUMAP study

Introducción La monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial (MAPA) ha demostrado la utilidad en la evaluación pronóstica de los pacientes hipertensos con insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) con o sin otras enfermedades cardiovasculares. El objetivo de este estudio consistió en determinar si la MAPA puede identificar a pacientes con IC con un peor pronóstico. Métodos y resultados Estudio multicéntrico prospectivo en el que se incluyeron pacientes ambulatorios y clínicamente estables con IC. Todos los pacientes se sometieron a una MAPA. Se incluyó un total de 154 pacientes de 17 centros. La edad media fue de 76,8 años (±8,3) y el 55,2% eran mujeres. En total, el 23,7% presentaba IC con fracción de eyección reducida (IC-FEr), el 68,2% se encontraba en la clase funcional II de la NYHA y el 19,5%, en la clase funcional III de la NYHA. Al cabo de un año de seguimiento se produjeron 13 (8,4%) muertes, 10 de ellas atribuidas a la IC. En 19 de los 29 pacientes que precisaron hospitalización, esta se debió a la IC. La presencia de un patrón no dipper de PA se asoció a un mayor riesgo de reingreso o muerte al año de seguimiento (25% frente al 5%; p=0,024). Según un análisis de regresión de Cox, una clase funcional más avanzada de la NYHA (razón de riesgos instantáneos, 3,51; IC del 95%, 1,70-7,26; p=0,001; comparación entre las clases III y II de la NYHA) y una mayor reducción nocturna proporcional de la PA diastólica (razón de riesgos instantáneos, 0,961; IC del 95%, 0,926-0,997; p=0,032 por cada reducción del 1% de la PA diastólica) se asociaron a muerte o reingreso al cabo de un año de manera independiente. Conclusiones En los pacientes de edad avanzada con IC crónica, un patrón no dipper de PA determinado mediante MAPA se asoció a un mayor riesgo de hospitalización y muerte por IC (AU)

Introduction Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has demonstrated value in the prognostic assessment of hypertensive patients with heart failure (HF) with or without other cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether ABPM can identify subjects with HF with a worse prognosis. Methods and results Prospective multicenter study that included clinically stable outpatients with HF. All patients underwent ABPM. A total of 154 patients from 17 centers were included. Their mean age was 76.8 years (±8.3) and 55.2% were female. In total, 23.7% had HF with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 68.2% were in NYHA functional class II, and 19.5% were in NYHA functional class III. At one year of follow up, there were 13 (8.4%) deaths, of which 10 were attributed to HF. Twenty-nine patients required hospitalization, of which 19 were due to HF. The presence of a non-dipper BP pattern was associated with an increased risk for readmission or death at one year of follow-up (25% vs. 5%; p=.024). According to a Cox regression analysis, more advanced NYHA functional class (hazard ratio 3.51; 95%CI 1.70-7.26; p=.001; for NYHA class III vs. II) and a higher proportional nocturnal reduction in diastolic BP (hazard ratio 0.961; 95%CI 0.926-0.997; p=.032 per 1% diastolic BP reduction) were independently associated with death or readmission at one year. Conclusion In older patients with chronic HF, a non-dipper BP pattern measured by ABPM was associated with a higher risk of hospitalization and death due to HF (AU)

Prognostic value of ambulatory blood pressure values in elderly patients with heart failure. Results of the DICUMAP study.

INTRODUCTION: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has demonstrated value in the prognostic assessment of hypertensive patients with heart failure (HF) with or without other cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether ABPM can identify subjects with HF with a worse prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Prospective multicenter study that included clinically stable outpatients with HF. All patients underwent ABPM. A total of 154 patients from 17 centers were included. Their mean age was 76.8 years (± 8.3) and 55.2% were female. In total, 23.7% had HF with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 68.2% were in NYHA functional class II, and 19.5% were in NYHA functional class III. At one year of follow up, there were 13 (8.4%) deaths, of which 10 were attributed to HF. Twenty-nine patients required hospitalization, of which 19 were due to HF. The presence of a non-dipper BP pattern was associated with an increased risk for readmission or death at one year of follow-up (25% vs. 5%; p=.024). According to a Cox regression analysis, more advanced NYHA functional class (hazard ratio 3.51; 95% CI 1.70-7.26; p=.001; for NYHA class III vs. II) and a higher proportional nocturnal reduction in diastolic BP (hazard ratio 0.961; 95%CI 0.926-0.997; p=.032 per 1% diastolic BP reduction) were independently associated with death or readmission at one year. CONCLUSION: In older patients with chronic HF, a non-dipper BP pattern measured by ABPM was associated with a higher risk of hospitalization and death due to HF.

Hiponatremia e insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva refractaria a tratamiento diurético. Utilidad del tolvaptán / Hyponatraemia and congestive heart failure refractory to diuretic treatment. Utility of tolvaptan

La insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) constituye actualmente uno de los problemas sociosanitarios más importantes en nuestro país, con una prevalencia en continuo crecimiento. Los avances en el conocimiento de las distintas respuestas biológicas que favorecen el remodelado cardiaco y de la congestión venopulmonar constituyen la base del tratamiento actual. En este artículo elaborado por miembros de los grupos de IC de las sociedades españolas de Cardiología y Medicina Interna se comentan las estrategias terapéuticas actuales para el paciente congestivo refractario a tratamiento diurético, introduciendo nuestra experiencia clínica con el uso de tolvaptán como tratamiento adicional en la congestión asociada a hiponatremia. Para ello se propone un algoritmo sobre el uso de tolvaptán en pacientes con IC congestiva, natremia inferior a 130mEq/l y mala respuesta al tratamiento diurético convencional (AU)

Heart failure (HF) is currently one of the most significant healthcare problems in Spain and has a continuously increasing prevalence. Advances in our understanding of the various biological responses that promote cardiac remodelling and pulmonary venous congestion constitute the basis of current treatment. This article, prepared by members of the HF groups of the Spanish Society of Cardiology and the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, discusses the current therapeutic strategies for patients with congestion refractory to diuretic treatment. The article includes our clinical experience with the use of tolvaptan as an additional treatment for congestion associated with hyponatraemia. To this end, we propose an algorithm for the use of tolvaptan in patients with congestive HF, natraemia <130mEq/l and poor response to conventional diuretic treatment (AU)

Hyponatraemia and congestive heart failure refractory to diuretic treatment. Utility of tolvaptan. / Hiponatremia e insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva refractaria a tratamiento diurético. Utilidad del tolvaptán.

Heart failure (HF) is currently one of the most significant healthcare problems in Spain and has a continuously increasing prevalence. Advances in our understanding of the various biological responses that promote cardiac remodelling and pulmonary venous congestion constitute the basis of current treatment. This article, prepared by members of the HF groups of the Spanish Society of Cardiology and the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, discusses the current therapeutic strategies for patients with congestion refractory to diuretic treatment. The article includes our clinical experience with the use of tolvaptan as an additional treatment for congestion associated with hyponatraemia. To this end, we propose an algorithm for the use of tolvaptan in patients with congestive HF, natraemia <130mEq/l and poor response to conventional diuretic treatment.

[Spinal cord infarctions as a complication of coronary angiography]. / Infarto medular como complicación de coronariografía.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord infarction is the commonest vascular disorder of the spinal cord, but its incidence is low and difficulty in diagnosis means that often it is not recognized. Although cases of spinal cord infarction have been reported as complicating angiographic procedures, it rarely occurs nowadays. CLINICAL CASE: We describe a case of spinal cord infarction following coronariography. The patient was a 61 year-old man with ischemic cardiopathy who was admitted to our hospital for coronariographic study. Immediately after the study had been done, the patient complained of acute, intense lumbar pain with paraesthesia and progressive weakness of his legs, developing paraparesia and sphincter disorders. Magnetic resonance of the spine was done and in the spinal cord an oval lesion was seen in the medullar cone which was compatible with infarction. Six months later this finding was unchanged. CONCLUSION: A spinal infarction as a complication of invasive vascular studies, such as angiographies, is exceptional nowadays, but should be remembered as a possible adverse effect. It may be suspected in cases of acute lumbar pain with motor and sensory defects of the legs and may be confirmed on magnetic resonance studies of the spinal cord.

Infarto medular como complicación de coronariografía / Spinal cord infarction as a complication of coronariography

Introducción. El infarto medular es la enfermedad vascular más frecuente de la médula espinal, pero su incidencia es baja y su dificultad diagnóstica provoca que, a veces, no sea reconocida. Aunque se han descrito casos de infarto medular como complicación de procedimientos angiográficos, actualmente su presentación es bastante rara. Caso clínico. Describimos un caso de infarto medular tras la realización de una coronariografía. Se trata de un varón de 61 años afecto de una cardiopatía isquémica que ingresó en nuestro hospital para someterse a un estudio coronariográfico. Inmediatamente tras la realización del estudio, el paciente presentó un cuadro de dolor agudo e intenso a nivel lumbar, con parestesias y debilidad progresiva en los miembros inferiores, desarrollando una paraparesia y apareciendo trastornos esfinterianos. Se realizó una resonancia magnética de columna y médula espinal que demostró una lesión ovalada en el cono medular compatible con un infarto. Dicha imagen persiste a los seis meses sin cambios. Conclusiones. El infarto medular como complicación de estudios invasivos vasculares, como las angiografías, es en la actualidad excepcional, pero debe tenerse en cuenta como evento adverso posible; se sospechará ante un cuadro de dolor lumbar agudo con déficit motores y sensitivos de los miembros inferiores, y la realización de una resonancia magnética de la médula espinal lo confirmará (AU)

Syncope and long QT syndrome with an initially normal QT interval.

We present two patients who were admitted to our Hospital because of repetitive syncopal attacks. The study previous to their admission included electrocardiograms in which the QT interval was normal. During their admission, an striking lengthening of the QT interval, in addition to other criteria of the long QT syndrome, was observed in both patients. We suggest that one normal measurement of the QT interval should not rule out this diagnosis.