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Aims: Increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is now considered a potential contributor to organ damage and disease progression in acute heart failure (AHF). In this work, we aimed to determine if antigen carbohydrate 125 (CA125) is associated with IAP and to identify a cutpoint of CA125 useful for ruling out intra-abdominal hypertension (defined as IAP ≥ 12 mmHg)., Methods and Results: We prospectively evaluated a cohort of 53 patients admitted with AHF in which IAP was measured within the first 24-h of admission. The mean age was 80 ± 8 years, 31 (58.5%) were female, and 31 (58.5%) had left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%. The median plasma levels of NT-proBNP and CA125 were 3830 pg/mL (2417-8929) and 45.8 U/mL (29.8-114.0), respectively. The median of IAP was 15 mmHg (11-17), and 39 (73%) patients had an IAP ≥ 12 mmHg. The diagnostic performance of CA125 for identifying an IAP ≥ 12 mmHg was tested using the receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The cut-off for CA125 of 17.1 U/mL showed a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 50%, and an area under the ROC curve of 0.71. After multivariate adjustment, CA125 remained non-linearly and positively associated with higher IAP (P-value = 0.003), explaining almost 28% of the model's variability (R2: 27.6%)., Conclusions: Patients with AHF and intra-abdominal hypertension had higher CA125 plasma levels. A baseline concentration of CA125 below 17.1 U/mL will increase the odds of identifying a subset of patients with normal IAP., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Malnutrition is frequent in patients with heart failure (HF) and contributes to increased systemic congestion, but also hinders its correct assessment, especially during decompensations. Estimating the degree of malnutrition and its relationship with systemic congestion is important to optimize treatment during decompensations., Material and Methods: Retrospective cohort study in patients with acute HF. The population was stratified according to CONUT (Controlling Nutritional Status) and PNI (Prognostic Nutritional Index) nutrition indices in order to analyse their relationship with objective parameters of congestion and the prognostic value of malnutrition., Results: 309 patients were included. More than half presented some degree of malnutrition upon admission. The degree of congestion was significantly higher in malnourished patients, with a higher proportion of «comet tail artifacts» and a higher relative plasma volume. NT-proBNP concentrations, both on admission and at discharge, were also significantly higher in malnourished patients, regardless of the scale used. The univariate analysis identified the CONUT and PNI index as factors associated with one-year mortality from any cause (HR 1.62 [1.22-2.14]; p = 0.001) and PNI (HR 65 [0.53-0.80]; p = < 0.001), respectively., Conclusions: A higher degree of malnutrition (determined by means of the CONUT and PNI indices) in patients with acute HF was associated with a higher presence of objective parameters of congestion and a higher one-year all-cause mortality., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: There is great interest in better characterizing patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF). The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence, progression over time and to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with HF-PEF., Methods: From the National Registry of Heart Failure (RICA, prospective multicentre cohort study) we analysed patients consecutively admitted for HF in Internal Medicine wards over a period of 11 years (2008-2018)., Results: 4752 patients were included, 2957 (62.2%) with preserved ejection fraction. This prevalence remained constant from 2008 to 2019. Compared to patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF) patients with HF-PEF are older, more are female, there is a higher prevalence of hypertensive and valvular aetiology, they have a profile of different comorbidities and worse functional status. A high proportion of patients receive disease-modifying treatment for IC-REF (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and beta-blockers). The overall mortality after one-year follow-up was 24% and 30% in the HF-PEF and the HF-REF, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the risk of death was higher in patients with HF-REF compared to HF-PEF (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: [1.43-2.36]). The length of hospital stay was also lower in the HF-PEF patients but there were no differences in re-hospitalizations., Conclusions: Sixty percent of patients in the RICA registry have preserved ejection fraction. These patients have a higher comorbidity burden and a worse functional status, but lower mortality compared with HF-REF patients., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: An inverse relationship has been described between blood pressure and the prognosis in heart failure (HF). The characteristics of this relationship are not well unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if this relationship is maintained in a non-selected cohort of patients with HF and if it can be modified by treatment., Material and Methods: Prospective study of cohorts including patients hospitalized for decompensated HF in Internal Medicine departments and followed as outpatients in a monographic consultation. Patients were classified according to their levels of systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Clinical characteristics, all-cause mortality and readmissions after the first, third and sixth month of follow-up were analysed., Results: Two hundred and twenty-one patients were included after their admission to the hospital for acute HF. Mean patient age was 79.5 years(SD 8.09); 115 patients were male. No significant differences between SBP quartiles and basal characteristics were found. Patients with lower SBP (Q1) had higher mortality rates (20%, P<.05). No significant differences between mortality/readmissions and DBP were found. However, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed higher all-cause mortality rates for the group of patients with lower SBP and DBP (log-rank=0.011 and 0.041, respectively). The pharmacological treatment did not differ significantly between both study groups., Conclusion: For non-selected patients suffering HF, higher SBP upon the admission is associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality rates during follow-up. Pharmacological treatment of HF does not seem to influence this inverse relationship between SBP at admission and patient mortality., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays a role in the improvement of cardiac function and remodeling. Their serum levels are strongly related with mortality in chronic systolic heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to study prognostic value of HGF in acute HF, interaction with ejection fraction, renal function, and natriuretic peptides. We included 373 patients (age 76 ± 10 years, left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 46 ± 14%, 48% men) consecutively admitted for acute HF. Blood samples were obtained at admission. All patients were followed up until death or close of study (>1 year, median 371 days). HGF concentrations were determined using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (human HGF immunoassay). The predictive power of HGF was estimated by Cox regression with calculation of Harrell C-statistic. HGF had a median of 1,942 pg/ml (interquartile rank 1,354). According to HGF quartiles, mortality rates (per 1,000 patients/year) were 98, 183, 375, and 393, respectively (p <0.001). In Cox regression analysis, HGF (hazard ratio1SD = 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.1, p = 0.002) and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP; hazard ratio1SD = 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.6, p = 0.002) were independent predictors of mortality. Interaction between HGF and LVEF, origin, and renal function was nonsignificant. The addition of HGF improved the predictive ability of the models (C-statistic 0.768 vs 0.741, p = 0.016). HGF showed a complementary value over NT-proBNP (p = 0.001): mortality rate was 490 with both above the median versus 72 with both below. In conclusion, in patients with acute HF, serum HGF concentrations are elevated and identify patients at higher risk of mortality, regardless of LVEF, ischemic origin, or renal function. HGF had independent and additive information over NT-proBNP., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Heart failure is a complex syndrome that affects almost all organs and systems of the body. Signs and symptoms of organ dysfunction, in particular kidney dysfunction, may be accentuated or become evident for the first time during acute decompensation of heart failure. Cardiorenal syndrome has been defined as the simultaneous dysfunction of both the heart and the kidney, regardless of which of the two organs may have suffered the initial damage and regardless also of their previous functional status. Research into the mechanisms regulating the complex relationship between the two organs is prompting the search for new biomarkers to help physicians detect renal damage in subclinical stages. Hence, a preventive approach to renal dysfunction may be adopted in the clinical setting in the near future. This article provides a general overview of cardiorenal syndrome and an update of the physiopathological mechanisms involved. Special emphasis is placed on the role of visceral congestion as an emergent mechanism in this syndrome., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Aims: This study was conducted to determine whether galectin-3 (Gal3), a β-galactoside-binding lectin, has usefulness to predict outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)., Methods and Results: We measured Gal3, urea, creatinine and natriuretic peptides on admission in 419 selected patients with HF and LVEF over 45%. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality and/or readmission at one-year follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were generated for Gal3 and classical risk factors. We also evaluated the reclassification of patients on the basis of the different score category after adding Gal3 levels. A total of 219 patients had combined adverse events, and 129 patients died during the follow-up. Kaplan-Meir survival curve showed significantly increased primary endpoint and all-cause mortality according to quartiles of Gal3 (log rank, P<0.001). Serum Gal3 levels above median (13.8 ng/ml) was a significant predictor of primary endpoint risk after adjustment for age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, anemia, diabetes, serum sodium, brain natriuretic peptide levels, NYHA class and urea, respectively (hazard ratio 1.43, 95% CI 1.07-1.91 P=0.015). The reclassification index increased significantly after addition of Gal3 (9.5%, P<0.001) and the integrated discrimination index was 0.022, (P=0.001). The clinical prediction model with Gal3 increased the c-statistic from 0.711 to 0.731 (difference of 0.020, P=0.001)., Conclusions: Serum Gal3 is a strong and independent predictor of unfavorable outcomes in patients with HF and preserved LVEF. We also demonstrated the improvement of adding the new biomarker to the model., (© 2013.)

Background: Renal dysfunction is common in patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with high mortality. This relationship is well established in HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFREF), however, it is not fully understood in HF and preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of renal dysfunction on all-cause mortality in HFPEF patients and to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients that deteriorate renal function in the first year of follow-up., Methods: We evaluated the patients with HFPEF included in the RICA registry. This is a multi-center and prospective cohort study that includes patients admitted for decompensated HF. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and plasma creatinine concentrations were used for renal function assessment at admission and after one year of follow up., Results: A total of 455 patients (mean age 78±8.1years; 62% women) were included, of whom 265 (58.2%) had eGFR<60mL/min/1.73m(2). After adjustment for covariates, only lower admission eGFR remained significantly predictive of all-cause mortality (HR 2.97; 95% CI 1.59-5.53). After one year of follow-up 16.6% of patients deteriorated at least 25% of eGFR. These patients were more likely to be diabetic (54.5% vs 42.6%; p=0.039) and had a higher rate of prescription of mineralcorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) agents (47% vs 23.3%; p<0.001)., Conclusion: Renal dysfunction is frequently associated with HFPEF. eGFR below normal is strongly associated with mortality. Further decline of renal function is frequent especially among diabetic and patients treated with MRA agents., (Copyright © 2013 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cystatin C (CysC) is a good prognostic marker in heart failure. However, there is not much information of CysC combined with other biomarkers in acute heart failure (AHF)., Aim: To assess prognostic value of CysC and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients hospitalized for AHF with no apparent deterioration of renal function., Design: Prospective, multicenter, observational study., Methods: CysC and NTpro-BNP were measured in patients consecutively admitted with a diagnosis of AHF. Patients with, NTpro-BNP concentration above 900 pg/mL and serum creatinine below 1.3mg/dL, were included for statistical analysis. End-point of the study was all-cause mortality during a 12-month follow-up., Results: 526 patients with AHF and NTpro-BNP concentration above 900 pg/mL were included in the study. From this group, 367 patients (69.8%) had serum creatinine below 1.3mg/dL. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the best cut-off value for CysC. Patients with a concentration of CsyC above 1.25mg/dL had a 37.8% mortality rate, vs. 13.6% for those below cut-off (p<0.001). After Cox proportional hazard model, age, CysC, low total cholesterol and HF with preserved ejection fraction remained significantly associated with all-cause mortality during one-year follow-up., Conclusions: In AHF and normal or slightly impaired renal function, performance of CysC may be superior to NT-proBNP. Hence, CysC may be the preferred biomarker in the assessment of patients with AHF and slightly impaired renal function., (Copyright © 2012 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cystatin C (CysC) is an antiprotease useful for measuring kidney function. Beyond such property, it carries significant prognostic information in several fields of cardiovascular diseases. We review data that support CysC as a prognostic factor in cardiovascular diseases among healthy elderly, hypertensive and heart failure patients. In addition, it has been speculated that CysC may be an early marker of ventricular remodelling, primarily involved in its pathogenesis, as a local antiprotease. Its role in physiopathology and clinical issues of cardiovascular pathology is yet to be elucidated., (Copyright © 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Background: Congestion is an essential issue in patients with heart failure (HF). Standard treatments do not usually achieve decongestion, and various strategies have been proposed to guide treatment, such as determination of natriuresis. After starting treatment with loop diuretics, we postulate that initial natriuresis might help treatment titration, decongestion, and improve prognosis. Methods: It was a prospective and observational study. Patients admitted with the diagnosis of HF decompensation were eligible. An assessment of congestion was performed during the first 48 h. Results: A total of 113 patients were included. A poor diuretic response was observed in 39.8%. After the first 48 h, patients with a greater diuretic response on admission (NaU > 80 mmol/L) showed fewer pulmonary b lines (12 vs. 15; p = 0.084), a lower IVC diameter (18 mm vs. 22 mm; p = 0.009), and lower IAP figures (11 mmHg vs. 13 mmHg; p = 0.041). Survival analysis tests demonstrated significant differences showing a higher proportion of all-cause mortality (ACM) and HF rehospitalization in the poor-diuretic-response group (log-rank test = 0.020). Conclusions: Up to 40% of the patients presented a poorer diuretic response at baseline, translating into worse outcomes. Patients with an optimal diuretic response showed significantly higher abdominal decongestion at 48 h and a better prognosis regarding ACM and/or HF rehospitalizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]