Effectiveness of a patient education programme in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Results from the ODIN cohort study using propensity score matching.

BACKGROUND: Patient education programmes (PEP) are recommended for patients with heart failure but have not been specifically assessed in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). AIM: To assess the effectiveness of a structured PEP in reducing all-cause mortality in patients with HFpEF. METHODS: Patients with HFpEF were selected from the ODIN cohort, designed to assess PEP effectiveness in patients with HF whatever their ejection fraction, included from 2007 to 2010, and followed up until 2013. Baseline sociodemographic, clinical, biological and therapeutic characteristics were collected. At inclusion, patients were invited to participate in the PEP, which consisted of educational diagnosis, education sessions and final evaluation. Education focused on HF pathophysiology and medication, symptoms of worsening HF, dietary recommendations and management of exercise. Propensity score matching and Cox models were performed. RESULTS: Of 849 patients with HFpEF, 572 (67.4%) participated in the PEP and 277 (32.6%) did not. Patients who participated in the PEP were younger (67.0±13.1 vs 76.1±13.2 years; standardized difference [StDiff] =-54.6%), less often women (39.7% vs 48.4%; StDiff =-17.6%) and presented more often with hypercholesterolaemia (55.2% vs 35.2%; StDiff 41.2%), smoking (35.1% vs 28.7%; StDiff 13.8%), alcohol abuse (14.1% vs 8.9%; StDiff 16.5%) and ischaemic HF (38.7% vs 29.2%; StDiff 20.0%) than those who did not; they also presented with better clinical cardiovascular variables. After propensity score matching, baseline characteristics were balanced, except hypertension (postmatch StDiff 19.1%). The PEP was associated with lower all-cause mortality (pooled hazard ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.49-0.99; P=0.042). This association remained significant after adjustment for hypertension (adjusted pooled hazard ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.48-0.97; P=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: In this investigation, a structured PEP was associated with lower all-cause mortality. Patient education might be considered an effective treatment in patients with HFpEF.

Socioeconomic factors and mortality in diastolic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Mortality in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) has remained stable over recent decades. Few studies have explored prognostic characteristics specifically in HFPEF, and none of them has assessed the potential impact of socioeconomic factors. We aimed to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic factors on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in HFPEF patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the French ODIN cohort. All patients with heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 45%, included in ODIN between July 2007 and July 2010, were eligible here. Socioeconomic, demographic, clinical, biological and therapeutic data were collected at inclusion. The endpoints were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality between inclusion and 30 September 2011. The impact of patient socioeconomic characteristics on mortality was assessed using Cox regression models. RESULTS: Of 575 HFPEF patients considered, 58·6% were male; their mean age was 71·1 ± 13·5 years, and their mean LVEF was 58·1 ± 8·5%. After adjustment for confounders, living alone and limitations on activities of daily living were associated with all-cause mortality [HR = 1·77, 95%CI(1·11-2·81) and 2·61(1·35-5·03), respectively] and cardiovascular mortality [2·26 (1·24-4·10) and 3·16 (1·33-7·54), respectively]. Having a professional occupation was associated with a lower cardiovascular mortality only [0·37(0·15-0·94)]. CONCLUSIONS: Poor social conditions impair survival in patients with HFPEF. These findings may shed new light on how best to detect HFPEF patients with high health-care needs.

Prescription of cardiovascular drugs in the French ODIN cohort of heart failure patients according to age and type of chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a frequent severe disease. Disease-management programmes, which contain a therapeutic patient education component, will play a central role in improving delivery of care and reducing mortality and hospitalizations for CHF. AIMS: In order to have an up-to-date overview of medical treatment of CHF in France implemented by hospital and clinic cardiologists especially interested in CHF and therapeutic patient education, we described the prescription of cardiovascular drugs in the large ODIN cohort of CHF patients, according to age and type of CHF. METHODS: From 2007 to 2010 (median follow-up 27.2 months), CHF patients were prospectively enrolled in a multicentre 'real-world' French cohort by centres previously trained in therapeutic patient education. Patients were grouped according to age (< 60 years, 60 to<70 years, 70 to<80 years and ≥ 80 years) and type of CHF (characterized by level of LVEF: reduced, borderline or preserved). Medical prescription was described and mortality was assessed at long-term follow-up. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 3237 patients (67.6 years; 69.4% men). The oldest age group had the highest LVEF. Blockers of the angiotensin-aldosterone system were prescribed progressively and significantly less frequently as the population advanced in age or as LVEF was more preserved. The mean dosages of the main prescribed CHF drugs remained ≥ 50% lower than those recommended for most drugs in all age and LVEF groups. Drug prescriptions were related to aetiology of reduced or preserved CHF. A global decrease in CHF drug prescription was observed for all medication classes except calcium blockers, according to maintenance of relatively or totally preserved LVEF. Survival was related to age but not to type of CHF. CONCLUSION: In CHF, and despite management by cardiologists particularly interested in CHF and specifically trained to deliver therapeutic patient education, medical prescription differed substantially from guidelines. Age and type of CHF (reduced versus preserved) appeared to be important factors in lack of adherence to guidelines. However, only age influenced mortality; the type of CHF did not affect survival.