Optimal effectiveness of heart failure management - an umbrella review of meta-analyses examining the effectiveness of interventions to reduce (re)hospitalizations in heart failure.

Heart failure (HF) is a major health concern, which accounts for 1-2% of all hospital admissions. Nevertheless, there remains a knowledge gap concerning which interventions contribute to effective prevention of HF (re)hospitalization. Therefore, this umbrella review aims to systematically review meta-analyses that examined the effectiveness of interventions in reducing HF-related (re)hospitalization in HFrEF patients. An electronic literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Cochrane Reviews, CINAHL, and Medline to identify eligible studies published in the English language in the past 10 years. Primarily, to synthesize the meta-analyzed data, a best-evidence synthesis was used in which meta-analyses were classified based on level of validity. Secondarily, all unique RCTS were extracted from the meta-analyses and examined. A total of 44 meta-analyses were included which encompassed 186 unique RCTs. Strong or moderate evidence suggested that catheter ablation, cardiac resynchronization therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, telemonitoring, and RAAS inhibitors could reduce (re)hospitalization. Additionally, limited evidence suggested that multidisciplinary clinic or self-management promotion programs, beta-blockers, statins, and mitral valve therapy could reduce HF hospitalization. No, or conflicting evidence was found for the effects of cell therapy or anticoagulation. This umbrella review highlights different levels of evidence regarding the effectiveness of several interventions in reducing HF-related (re)hospitalization in HFrEF patients. It could guide future guideline development in optimizing care pathways for heart failure patients.

Cue reactivity and its relation to craving and relapse in alcohol dependence: a combined laboratory and field study.

The present study investigated the nature of physiological cue reactivity and craving in response to alcohol cues among alcohol-dependent patients (N = 80) who were enrolled in detoxification treatment. Further, the predictive value with regard to future drinking of both the magnitude of the physiological and craving response to alcohol cues while in treatment and the degree of alcohol-cue exposure in patients' natural environment was assessed. Physiological reactivity and craving in response to experimental exposure to alcohol and soft drink advertisements were measured during detoxification treatment using heart rate variability and subjective rating of craving. Following discharge, patients monitored exposure to alcohol advertisements for five consecutive weeks with a diary and were followed up with an assessment of relapse at 5 weeks and 3 months post-discharge. The results indicated that the presence of alcohol cues such as the portrayal of the drug and drinking behaviour induced physiological cue reactivity and craving. Additionally, cue reactivity and craving were positively correlated, and cue reactivity was larger for patients with shorter histories of alcohol dependence. Further, patients reported a substantial daily exposure to alcohol cues. The magnitude of cue reactivity and the craving response to alcohol cues at baseline and degree of exposure to alcohol cues in patients' natural environment did not predict relapse. It is concluded that the presence of alcohol cues such as portrayal of alcoholic beverages and drinking behaviour induces cue reactivity and craving in alcohol dependence through a conditioned appetitive response.

Value of magnetic resonance imaging, angiography, and fractional flow reserve to evaluate the left main coronary artery after direct surgical angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: Direct surgical angioplasty of the left main coronary artery is aimed to restore a more physiologic blood flow through the left main coronary artery compared with conventional bypass surgery and allows subsequent percutaneous coronary interventions of more distal coronary lesions. Some data on anatomic evaluation with coronary angiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are known, and we conducted a study to report the physiologic evaluation. METHODS: Coronary angiography, MRI, and fractional flow reserve measurements were performed in 18 patients 8 years after direct surgical angioplasty of the left main coronary artery. RESULTS: At coronary angiography and MRI, a dilated funnel-shaped left main coronary artery was seen in all 18 patients, but both methods failed to demonstrate a flow-limiting lesion in the distal left main coronary artery in 1 patient. The functional severity was shown by fractional flow reserve measurement, and subsequently, this patient underwent repeated bypass grafting surgery. CONCLUSIONS: After long-term follow-up, 17 of 18 patients had an excellent result of direct surgical angioplasty of the left main coronary artery. MRI is a safe and noninvasive way to visualize the left main coronary artery after direct surgical angioplasty, but quantitative assessment of a lesion is not reliable. Fractional flow reserve measurements are mandatory to evaluate the hemodynamic properties of the left main coronary artery after direct surgical angioplasty.