No abstract

Patients with symptomatic heart failure (HF) frequently have preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fractions (LVEFs). Although anemia is a common finding in this patient population, its prognostic role has not been well studied. This study's aim was to assess if the LVEF interferes in the association between anemia and in-hospital mortality in patients with severe HF. Consecutive patients admitted to an intensive care unit with decompensated chronic HF were prospectively enrolled. The diagnosis of HF was based on clinical criteria. Patients with LVEFs > or =45% (on echocardiography) were diagnosed as having preserved LVEFs. Multivariate analysis was performed to test the independent association between anemia and in-hospital mortality and to evaluate an interaction between anemia and systolic function. In all, 303 patients were recruited (mean age 69 +/- 13 years; 45.5% women). Preserved LVEFs were present in 34% of the population. The prevalence of anemia in this group was 58%, compared with 43% in the group with systolic dysfunction (p = 0.01). Dilated left ventricles, left bundle branch blocks, and valvular dysfunction were significantly more frequent in patients with systolic heart failure. In-hospital mortality was similar in the groups with preserved LVEFs and systolic dysfunction (p = 0.71). On multivariate analysis, anemia was independently associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.43 to 5.04, p = 0.002). There was no interaction between anemia and systolic function (p = 0.08 for interaction). In conclusion, anemia was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in symptomatic patients with severe HF, regardless of whether the patients had preserved or impaired LV systolic function.

Acute PE commonly complicates the hospital course of patients with severe CHF, increasing the length of hospital stay and the chance of death or rehospitalization at 3 months.

BackgroundA significant variation in pulmonary embolism (PE) mortality trends have been documented around the world. We investigated the trends in mortality rate from PE in Brazil over a period of 21 years and its regional and gender differences.MethodsUsing a nationwide database of death certificate information we searched for all cases with PE as the underlying cause of death between 1989 and 2010. Population data were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). We calculated age-, gender- and region-specific mortality rates for each year, using the 2000 Brazilian population for direct standardization.ResultsOver 21 years the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) fell 31% from 3.04/100,000 to 2.09/100,000. In every year between 1989 and 2010, the ASMR was higher in women than in men, but both showed a significant declining trend, from 3.10/100,000 to 2.36/100,000 and from 2.94/100,000 to 1.80/100,000, respectively. Although all country regions showed a decline in their ASMR, the largest fall in death rates was concentrated in the highest income regions of the South and Southeast Brazil. The North and Northeast regions, the lowest income areas, showed a less marked fall in death rates and no distinct change in the PE mortality rate in women.ConclusionsOur study showed a reduction in the PE mortality rate over two decades in Brazil. However, significant variation in this trend was observed amongst the five country regions and between genders, pointing to possible disparities in health care access and quality in these groups.

BACKGROUNDThe cardiovascular effect of liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue, when added to standard care in patients with type 2 diabetes, remains unknown. METHODSIn this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk to receive liraglutide or placebo. The primary composite outcome in the time-to-event analysis was the first occurrence of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. The primary hypothesis was that liraglutide would be noninferior to placebo with regard to the primary outcome, with a margin of 1.30 for the upper boundary of the 95% confidence interval of the hazard ratio. No adjustments for multiplicity were performed for the prespecified exploratory outcomes. RESULTSA total of 9340 patients underwent randomization. The median follow-up was 3.8 years. ) (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.97; P = 0.02). The rates of nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and hospitalization for heart failure were nonsignificantly lower in the liraglutide group than in the placebo group. The most common adverse events leading to the discontinuation of liraglutide were gastrointestinal events. The incidence of pancreatitis was nonsignificantly lower in the liraglutide group than in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONSIn the time-to-event analysis, the rate of the first occurrence of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was lower with liraglutide than with placebo. (Funded by Novo Nordisk and the National Institutes of Health; LEADER ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01179048.) a bs tr ac t

OBJECTIVEDescribe the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of patients with heart failure (HF) secondary to chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy and evaluate if these characteristics are different from those found in other etiologies. METHODS RESULTSThree hundred and fi fty six patients diagnosed with HF were included in the study. Chagasic cardiomyopathy was the most common etiology (48% of the cases). Other etiologies included hypertensive cardiomyopathy in 19% of the patients, idiopathic dilated in 11% and ischemic in 9%. Patients with HF secondary to chagasic cardiomyopathy were more frequently from non-white ethnic groups (88 vs. 75%; p = 0.002), had a family history of Chagas disease (57 vs. 21%; p = 0.001), had the disease for a longer length of time (71 vs. 56 months; p = 0.034), had lower levels of education (4.4 ± 4.1 vs. 5.7 ± 4.2 years of study; p = 0.004), had a lower heart rate (69 ± 12 vs. 73 ± 13; p = 0.03) and a lower systolic blood pressure (121 ± 25 vs. 129 ± 28 mmHg; p = 0.006). There was also a higher incidence of the use of amiodarone (22 vs. 13%; p = 0.036) and artifi cial pacemakers (15 vs. 1%; p = 0.001). There was a lower usage of beta-blockers (39 vs. 59%; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONIn this sample of HF outpatients, in a state with a high prevalence of Chagas disease, chagasic cardiomyopathy was the most common etiology and they presented some unique clinical and therapeutic characteristics in comparison to other heart failure patients. KEY WORDSChagasic cardiomyopathy, heart failure, epidemiology.

Patients admitted to an intensive care unit due to decompensated heart failure have high in-hospital lethality. In this study, variables recorded at admission, such as previous stroke, atrial fibrillation, hyponatremia, renal failure, and age > 70 years were predictors of in-hospital lethality.

40 anos, de maior risco para IC. Após o ajuste por idade (população padrão de 1979), observa-se que as reduções relativas nas taxas foram ainda maiores. CONCLUSÃO: A mortalidade por IC, em Salvador-Bahia, declinou de 1979 a 1992, estabilizando-se a partir de então até 1995.]]>