During intensive therapy of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with marked fluid retention using high doses of i.v. furosemide the additional effect of agents which might exert osmotic attraction of interstitial fluids has been proposed. They are thought to impede the impairment of renal blood supply and glomerular filtration rate, which may be caused by a combined action of cardiac preload acute reduction, hypotension and neurohormonal activation.We therefore assessed in CHF patients with NYHA class III and BNP values from 900 to 1500 pg/ml, who were treated with i.v. furosemide, the predictors of iatrogenic short term creatinine impairment by means of a case-control observational study from two centers. Patients with CHF had been treated for 6-8 days with intravenous loop diuretics alone or with an additional i.v. administration of other agents (plasma expanders, albumin, mannitol, inotropic support etc.). A rise in serum creatinine ≥ 25% of the basal value was considered as renal impairment.A total of 15 cases and 38 controls were enrolled. At univariate analysis, serum creatinine basal value ≥ 2.2 mg/dl, absence of hypertonic saline solution (HSS) in the therapeutic protocol, hyposodic diet and refractory oligoanuria were associated with an increased risk of worsening renal function precipitated by i.v. diuretic therapy. At multivariate analysis as a predictor of loop diuretic-related renal function impairment, we found a serum creatinine ≥ 2.2 mg/dl at baseline (OR: 63.33, 95% CI: 3.68-1088.73, p=0.0043) and the absence of HSS in the therapeutic regimen (OR: 25.0461, 95% CI: 2.07-302.53, p=0.0113). Moreover, in multivariate analysis ascites had some predictive value of renal deterioration (OR: 13.28, 95% CI: 1.0055-175.41, p=0,0495).

A well established part of therapeutic approaches applying to cases of chronic heart failure (CHF) with extreme fluid retention is represented by intensive intravenous (i.v.) therapy with loop diuretics. This kind of therapy, if appropriately modulated according to the individual clinical picture and biohumoral pattern, is able to decrease the abnormally high ventricular filling pressures, thereby relieving the breathlessness while being able to retrieve a suitable urine output, so as to propitiate regression or disappearance of edema without unfavorable influences on renal clearance of nitrogenous compounds. Nevertheless, the intensive i.v. diuretic therapy should be tailored on the basis of a close assessment of baseline hemodynamic data and hemodynamic response to the medications, in addition to the careful diuretic dose titration and cautious evaluation of risk/benefit ratio. Actually, by using this kind of therapy, there is a risk that a tubular or glomerular injury can be generated and that a frequently preexisting renal dysfunction can be aggravated, especially when excessive doses of loop diuretics are being erroneously administered, so as to cause hypotension, hypoperfusion and/or relative dehydration in patients with decompensated CHF who could have expressly benefitted from intensive unloading therapy. Recently, the genesis of CHF-related progressive renal deterioration has been highlighted by affirming that a major role may be played rather by neurovegetative disorders, that is, by increase in sympathetic tone and abnormalities in kidney's vasomotility than by cardiac inotropism deficiency. The measures, thought to be able to prevent renal arterial constriction and to impede deterioration of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) due to the ischemic-necrotic tubular injury, as occurring in the set of intensive unloading therapy with i.v. furosemide or other loop diuretic, are represented by application of inotropic and renal vasodilator support by dopamine i.v. infusion at low doses or by other inotropic agents provided with recognized renal vasodilator properties and/or by addition to i.v. furosemide of osmotic agents able to expand the hematic volume, so counteracting or minimizing the reflex renal vasoconstriction induced by furosemide-related reduction in intravascular circulating volume: i.v. infusion of small volumes of hypertonic saline solution, as well as administration of albumin, mannitol and/or plasma expanders. Because renal impairment, as developing in the setting of CHF, has proven to represent a very important indicator of adverse outcome, every effort should be addressed to prevent any significant (>25% of basal value) rise in serum creatinine consequent to diuretic unloading therapy or to other procedures (paracentesis of tense ascites, ultrafiltration) aimed at rapid fluid removal in edematous or ascitic CHF or cardiogenetic anasarca. Ultrafiltration, even though a promising technique highly valued for its acknowledged property to obtain a more rapid fluid and weight loss in CHF patients ...

Ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) is a non-invasive marker of atherosclerosis, helpful to identify subjects at high-risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) among large populations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. The diagnostic role of ABPI has been also recognized in patients with diabetes. In the present study, the role of an ABPI score < 0.90 in predicting CHD has been evaluated in a large series of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and compared to other known CVD risk factors. Nine hundred and sixty-nine (mean age was 66.1 yr) consecutive patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were evaluated. The patients were followed-up for 18.3+/-5.2 months (range 12- 24) and all events of CHD, defined as myocardial infarction, unstable and resting angina or coronary atherosclerosis at the instrumental investigation (at the coronary angiography and/or perfusion stress testing) were recorded. A rate of 17.5% of CHD events were recorded in diabetic population during the follow-up period. The relative risk of CHD was significantly increased for male patients [odds ratio (OR): 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-2.2], patients with age > or = 66 yr (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.3-2.5), body mass index (BMI) > 30 (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1), waist circumference > 88 cm for females and 102 cm for males (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0-2.1), proteinuria > or = 30 microg per min (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1-2.3), LDL-cholesterol > or = 100 mg/dl (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.5-3.0), glycated hemoglobin > 7% (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1-2.3), insulin therapy (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.9), and ABPI < 0.90 (OR: 3.7; 95% CI: 2.2- 6.2). BMI was higher in patients with ABPI < 0.90 than in those with ABPI > or = 0.90 (p<0.05). At the multivariate analysis, ABPI < 0.90 was the best factor independently associated with CHD (p<0.001). APBI < 0.90 is strongly associated to CHD in Type 2 diabetic patients. We recommend to use ABPI in diabetic patients and to carefully monitor diabetic subjects with an ABPI lower than 0.90.

Significant benefit of statin therapy in retarding hemodynamic deterioration was identified by favorable effects concerning annualized changes in peak aortic valve jet velocity and peak aortic valve pressure gradient; on the contrary, in statin-treated patients with aortic stenosis, no significant improvement was found for annualized changes in mean aortic valve pressure gradient and AVA and clinical outcomes.

Ultrasound evaluation of the inferior vena cava collapsibility index in congestive heart failure patients treated with intravenous diuretics: new insights about its relationship with renal function: An observational study ABSTRACTObjective: In chronic heart failure (CHF), collapsibility index of the inferior vena cava (IVCCI) is used for noninvasive ultrasonographic appraisal of central venous pressure, but it also may be related both to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and renal outcome. Methods: On the basis of retrospective observational cohort study, we analyzed 49 patients with right or biventricular CHF in III NYHA class, who had undergone intravenous intensive treatment with furosemide. Aggravated renal dysfunction (ARD) was defined by serum creatinine (Cr) increase of ≥0.3 mg/dL from baseline. IVCCI was categorized in three layers (IVCCI ≤15%, IVCCI 16-40% and IVCCI >40%). The predictors of ARD were searched for as well as any relation between basal IVCCI and both eGFR at admission and occurrence of ARD. Results: Overall, 15 cases and 34 controls were compared. Multivariate predictors of ARD were a lower basal eGFR (HR: 0.82 CI: 0.72-0.94 p=0.0045) and intravenous furosemide daily mean dose >80 mg (HR: 48.62 CI: 1.62-3841.5 p=0.0430). A very significant positive correlation was found between IVCCI at admission ≤ 15% and basal eGFR (r=0.96 p<0.0001), while a negative correlation with eGFR was detected in the IVCCI highest (>40%) range (r=-0.696 p=0.0013). Furthermore, the category with basal IVCCI >40% showed a higher rate of ARD compared to that with basal IVCCI 16-40% (p<0.05). Conclusion:On the basis of the demonstrated u-shaped relationship between IVCCI and eGFR both the stratum with the highest (>40%) and the one with the lowest (≤15%) basal IVCCI may be associated with increased risk of ARD. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2012; 12: 391-400) Key words: Heart failure, ultrasound monitoring, inferior vena cava, diuretics, acute kidney injury, regression analysis

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Background: In chronic heart failure patients (CHF), ultrasound measurement of inferior vena cava collapsibility index (IVCCI) has been proposed to yield careful assessment and grading of the hemodynamic congestion.

Background: Renoprotective effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitors has been questioned in case of decreased effective circulating volume, like in right or biventricular chronic heart failure.