Assessment of the renal angina index in patients hospitalized in a cardiac intensive care unit.

The renal angina index (RAI) is a validated scoring tool for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI). We investigated the efficacy of the RAI in 2436 heterogeneous patients (mean age, 70 years) treated in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs). The RAI was calculated from creatinine and patient condition scores. AKI was diagnosed by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcome criteria. The primary and secondary endpoints were the development of severe AKI and all-cause mortality, respectively. Four hundred thirty-three patients developed AKI, 87 of them severe. In multivariate analyses, the RAI was a significant independent predictor of severe AKI. During the 12-month follow-up period, 210 patients suffered all-cause death. Elevated RAI was independently associated with all-cause mortality, as was NT-proBNP (p < 0.001). The RAI is a potent predictor not only of severe AKI but also of adverse outcomes and substantially improved the 12-month risk stratification of patients hospitalized in CICUs.

Long-term prognostic value of changes in left ventricular global longitudinal strain in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) has emerged as a more sensitive index than LV ejection fraction (LVEF) for detecting subclinical LV dysfunction. We examined whether changes in GLS values are associated with the long-term prognosis of patients with a preserved LVEF and acute decompensated heart failure (HF). METHODS: We studied 100 consecutive patients (mean age: 71 years) who were hospitalized for HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and had a preserved LVEF (≥ 50%) in both the acute and stable phases. We performed two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in the acute (GLS-acute) and stable (GLS-stable) phases at a median of 2 and 347 days after admission, respectively, and calculated the rate of change of the absolute value of GLS-stable with respect to that of GLS-acute. An improved GLS was defined as a rate of change in GLS ≥ 16%, and a non-improved GLS was a rate of change < 16%. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (MACE). RESULTS: During a mean follow-up period of 1218 days, MACE occurred in 26 patients, including 8 all-cause deaths and 18 readmissions for HF. The rate of change in GLS for patients with MACE was lower than compared to those without MACE (10.6% vs 26.0%, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated the rate of change in GLS was an independent predictor of MACE (p < 0.001). A non-improved GLS was correlated with a high risk of MACE. CONCLUSION: Changes in GLS values could be useful for the long-term risk stratification of patients hospitalized for HFpEF and persistently preserved LVEF.

Association of resting left ventricular global longitudinal strain with myocardial perfusion abnormalities evaluated by 13 N-ammonia positron emission tomography in patients with stable angina pectoris and normal left ventricular ejection fraction.

AIMS: Little is known about whether resting left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) impairment is associated with myocardial perfusion abnormalities evaluated using 13 N-ammonia positron emission tomography (13 N-NH3 -PET)-myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between resting GLS and myocardial perfusion parameters in patients with a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We evaluated whether resting GLS can predict myocardial perfusion abnormalities in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We selected 157 patients with suspected stable angina pectoris who underwent both ATP-stress NH3 -PET-MPI and 2-dimentional speckle tracing echocardiography. All subjects had a preserved LVEF and no known history of myocardial infarction. Patients were stratified into Group N (normal perfusion; summed stress score [SSS], 0-3; n = 101), Group M (mildly to moderately abnormal perfusion; SSS, 4-11; n = 41), or Group S (severely abnormal perfusion; SSS, 12+; n = 15). GLS was more impaired as myocardial perfusion abnormality severity increased (-17.9 ± 2.9% for Group N, -16.8 ± 3.1% for Group M, and -14.2 ± 3.5% for Group S; p < .001). GLS was weakly but significantly correlated with SSS (R = .32, p < .001), summed difference score (R = .32, p < .001), and myocardial blood flow during stress (R = -0.27, p < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male sex, diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure, and GLS were independent predictors of myocardial perfusion abnormality defined as Groups M and S. Additionally, the area under the curve for GLS for detecting myocardial perfusion abnormality was .65, and the optimal cutoff value for GLS was -16.5%, with sensitivity and specificity of 59% and 66%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In patients with suspected angina pectoris, resting GLS impairment despite a normal LVEF might aid the detection of hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease.

Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

Concern has been raised about the effectiveness of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in the population of patients with various comorbidities such as heart disease. We investigated the humoral response to the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We measured IgG against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD-IgG) in 85 CVD patients and 179 healthcare workers (HCWs). Blood samples were collected from patients and HCWs three times: (1) before the first dose of vaccination, (2) two weeks after the first dose of vaccination, and (3) two weeks after the second dose of vaccination. Patients with CVD showed a significantly inferior serological response to the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at 14 days after the prime dose compared to HCWs (21% vs. 95%, p < 0.001). Median RBD-IgG titers of patients with CVD at 14 days after the second dose were significantly lower than those of HCWs (137.2 U/mL (80.6-200.4 U/mL) vs. 176.2 U/mL (123.9-260.0 U/mL), p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, CVD is significantly associated with seropositivity after first vaccination and RBD-IgG titers after second vaccination. CVD patients may have a poor humoral response to the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, need to be closely monitored, and require earlier revaccination to ensure stronger immunity and protection against infection.

Combined Assessment of D-Dimer with the Get with the Guidelines-Heart Failure Risk Score and N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure with Preserved and Reduced Ejection Fraction.

The prognostic role of D-dimer in different types of heart failure (HF) is poorly understood. We investigated the prognostic value of D-dimer on admission, both independently and in combination with the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) risk score and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and acute decompensated HF (HFpEF) or reduced LVEF (HFrEF). Baseline D-dimer levels were measured on admission in 1670 patients (mean age: 75 years) who were hospitalized for worsening HF. Of those patients, 586 (35%) were categorized as HFpEF (LVEF ≥ 50%) and 1084 as HFrEF (LVEF < 50%). During the 12-month follow-up period after admission, 360 patients died. Elevated levels (at least the highest tertile value) of D-dimer, GWTG-HF risk score, and NT-proBNP were all independently associated with mortality in all HFpEF and HFrEF patients (all p < 0.05). Adding D-dimer to a baseline model with a GWTG-HF risk score and NT-proBNP improved the net reclassification and integrated discrimination improvement for mortality greater than the baseline model alone in all populations (all p < 0.001). The number of elevations in D-dimer, GWTG-HF risk score, and NT-proBNP were independently associated with a higher risk of mortality in all study populations (HFpEF and HFrEF patients; all p < 0.001). The combination of D-dimer, which is independently predictive of mortality, with the GWTG-HF risk score and NT-proBNP could improve early prediction of 12-month mortality in patients with acute decompensated HF, regardless of the HF phenotype.

Prognostic value of left atrial volume index in patents with first acute myocardial infarction.

AIMS: We evaluated the usefulness of left atrial volume index (LAVI) and the degree of changes in LAVI (delta LAVI) during hospitalization for the prediction of prognosis after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated 205 consecutive patients with first AMI. They underwent echocardiography on admission as well as at discharge. Delta LAVI was calculated by subtracting the value on admission from that at discharge. The primary endpoints were major cardiac events (MACE): cardiac death due to heart failure and heart failure hospitalization. During a mean follow-up of 26 months, MACE occurred in 29 patients. Patients were divided into two groups according to the optimal cut-off values of LAVI (32.0 mL/m(2)) at discharge and delta LAVI (2.5 mL/m(2)) derived from receiver operating characteristic curves, respectively; Group I: LAVI ≤ 32.0 mL/m(2), Group II: LAVI > 32.0 mL/m(2) and Group A: delta LAVI ≤ 2.5 mL/m(2), Group B: delta LAVI > 2.5 mL/m(2). In comparisons of two groups, respectively, the incidence of MACE between the groups showed significant differences [Group I (3.8%) vs. Group II (32.0%): P < 0.001, log-rank, Group A (7.4%) vs. Group B (20.0%): P = 0.0079, log-rank]. In multivariate analysis, LAVI at discharge [risk ratio (RR): 1.077, 95% CI: 1.035-1.124, P = 0.0002] and delta LAVI (RR: 1.056, 95% CI: 1.012-1.108, P = 0.0109) were significant. LAVI > 32.0 mL/m(2) at discharge (sensitivity: 93%, specificity: 69%) and delta LAVI > 2.5 mL/m(2) (sensitivity: 79%, specificity: 50%) were predictors of MACE. CONCLUSION: LAVI at discharge and delta LAVI would be useful predictors for MACE after first AMI.