Background The Meta‐Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure ( MAGGIC ) mortality risk score, derived from a large sample of patients with heart failure ( HF ) across the spectrum of ejection fraction ( EF ), has not yet been externally validated in a well‐characterized HF with preserved EF cohort with adjudicated morbidity outcomes. Methods and Results We evaluated the MAGGIC risk score (composed of 13 clinical variables) in 407 patients with HF with preserved EF enrolled in a prospective registry and used Cox regression to evaluate its association with morbidity/mortality. We used receiver‐operating characteristic analysis to compare the predictive ability of the MAGGIC risk score with the more complex Seattle Heart Failure Model, and we determined the value of adding B‐type natriuretic peptide to the MAGGIC risk score for risk prediction. During a mean follow‐up time of 3.6±1.8 years, 28% died, 32% were hospitalized for HF , and 55% had a cardiovascular hospitalization and/or death. The MAGGIC score, a mean± SD of 18±7, was significantly associated with mortality ( P <0.0001), HF hospitalizations ( P <0.0001), and the combined end point of cardiovascular‐related hospitalizations or death (hazard ratio, 1.8 [95% confidence interval, 1.6–2.1], per 1‐ SD increase in the MAGGIC score; P <0.0001). Receiver‐operating characteristic analyses showed that MAGGIC and Seattle Heart Failure Model performed similarly in predicting HF with preserved EF outcomes, but the MAGGIC score demonstrated better calibration for hospitalization outcomes. Further analyses showed that B‐type natriuretic peptide was additive to the MAGGIC risk score for predicting outcomes ( P <0.01 by likelihood ratio test). Conclusions The MAGGIC risk score is a simple, yet powerful method of risk stratification for both morbidity and mortality in HF with preserved EF . Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01030991.

Objectives To determine the relationship between albuminuria and cardiac structure/function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Background Albuminuria, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in HFpEF. However, the relationship between albuminuria and cardiac structure/function in HFpEF has not been well studied. Methods We measured urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and performed comprehensive echocardiography, including tissue Doppler imaging and right ventricular (RV) evaluation, in a prospective study of 144 patients with HFpEF. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression was used to determine the association between UACR and echocardiographic parameters. Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to determine the association between UACR and outcomes. Results The mean age was 66±11 years, 62% were female, and 42% were African-American. Higher UACR was associated with greater left ventricular (LV) mass, lower preload-recruitable stroke work, and lower global longitudinal strain. Higher UACR was also significantly associated with RV remodeling (for each doubling of UACR, RV wall thickness was 0.9 mm higher [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05–0.14 mm; P=0.001, adjusted P=0.01]) and worse RV systolic function (for each doubling of UACR, RV fractional area change was 0.56% lower [95% CI 0.14–0.98%; P=0.01, adjusted P=0.03]. The association between UACR and RV parameters persisted after excluding patients with macroalbuminuria (UACR > 300 mg/g). Increased UACR was also independently associated with worse outcomes. Conclusions In HFpEF, increased UACR is a prognostic marker and is associated with increased RV and LV remodeling, and longitudinal systolic dysfunction.

Background: There are limited data examining the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Objective: To compare the incidence of PCa between men with and those without IBD.Design, setting, and participants: This was a retrospective, matched-cohort study involving a single academic medical center and conducted from 1996 to 2017. Male patients with IBD (cases = 1033) were randomly matched 1:9 by age and race to men without IBD (controls = 9306). All patients had undergone at least one prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test.Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models, stratified by age and race, evaluated the relationship between IBD and

Anemia is associated with a poor prognosis in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but the reasons underlying this association are unclear. Previous studies have reported an association between anemia and diastolic dysfunction. However, these studies used volume- and flow-dependent indexes of diastolic dysfunction. We hypothesized that in HFpEF, anemia is more closely associated with volume status and not markers of intrinsic myocardial dysfunction. We prospectively studied 419 outpatients in a systematic HFpEF program, all of whom underwent hemoglobin measurement and comprehensive echocardiography. Longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain were also measured in 311 patients. We defined anemia as hemoglobin <12g/dL in women and <13g/dL in men. Linear and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the association between anemia and echocardiographic/strain variables and adverse outcomes, respectively. Over half (224/419 [53%]) of the HFpEF patients had anemia. Anemia was associated with volume (preload)-dependent markers of diastolic dysfunction including echocardiographic E/A (p = 0.004) and E/e' ratio (p = 0.014) and elevated right heart pressures such as right atrial pressure (p = 0.002) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (p<0.001). Anemia was not associated with markers of intrinsic myocardial dysfunction such as lateral e' (p = 0.16) and septal e' (p = 0.65) velocities or echocardiographic strain parameters (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). Anemia was associated with the combined outcome of cardiovascular hospitalization or death (hazard ratio = 1.50 [95% confidence interval 1.20, 1.88]; p < 0.001). In conclusion, anemia in HFpEF is associated with markers of volume status and not intrinsic markers of myocardial dysfunction.

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