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Aims: The criteria for patients with heart failure (HF) and improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) are a baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤40%, a ≥10‐point increase from baseline LVEF, and a second LVEF measurement >40%. We aimed to (i) assess patients with HF and reduced LVEF (HFrEF) at baseline and compare quality of life (QoL) changes between those that fulfilled and those that did not fulfil the HFimpEF criteria 1 year later and (ii) assess the prognostic role of QoL in patients with HFimpEF. Methods: We reviewed data from a prospective registry of real‐world outpatients with HF that were assessed for LVEF and QoL at a first visit to the HF clinic and 1 year later. QoL was evaluated with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ). The primary prognostic endpoint was the composite of all‐cause death or HF hospitalization. Results: Baseline and 1‐year LVEF and MLWFQ scores were available for 1040 patients with an initial LVEF ≤40% (mean age, 65.2 ± 11.7 years; 75.9% men). The main aetiology was ischaemic heart disease (52.9%), and patients were mostly in New York heart Association Classes II (71.1%) and III (21.6%). At baseline, the mean LVEF was 28.5% ± 7.3, and the mean MLWHFQ score was 30.2 ± 19.5. After 1 year, the mean LVEF increased to 38.0% ± 12.2, and the MLWHFQ scores improved to 17.4 ± 16.0. In 361 patients that fulfilled the HFimpEF criteria (34.7%), significant improvements were observed in both LVEF (from 28.7% ± 6.6 to 50.9% ± 7.6, P < 0.001) and QoL (from 32.9 ± 20.6 to 16.9 ± 16.0, P < 0.001). Patients that did not fulfil the HFimpEF criteria also showed significant improvements in LVEF (from 28.4% ± 7.6 to 31.1% ± 7.9, P < 0.001) and QoL (from 28.7 ± 18.8 to 17.6 ± 15.9, P < 0.001). However, the QoL improvement was significantly higher in the HFimpEF group (−16.0 ± 23.8 vs. −11.1 ± 20.3, P = 0.001), despite the worse mean baseline MLWHFQ score, compared with the non‐HFimpEF group (P = 0.001). The 1‐year QoL was similar between groups (P = 0.50). The 1‐year MLWHFQ score was independently associated with outcomes; the hazard ratio for the composite endpoint was 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01–1.03, P = 0.006). In contrast, the QoL improvement (with a cut‐off ≥5 points) was not independently associated with the composite outcome. Conclusions: Patients with HFrEF showed improved QoL after 1 year, regardless of whether they met the HFimpEF criteria. The similar 1‐year QoL perception between groups suggested that factors other than LVEF influenced QoL perception. The 1‐year QoL was superior to the QoL change from baseline for predicting prognosis in patients with HFimpEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a relatively rare type of dilated cardiomyopathy that presents in late pregnancy or the early postpartum period. Although the condition is prevalent worldwide, women with black genealogy seem to have greater risk. Possible other risk factors are elderly maternal age, hypertension, multiparity, multifetal pregnancy, etc. Although the pathophysiology of PPCM is still obscure, recent studies suggest the important role of vasculo-hormonal pathway along with several other possible factors, for example., myocarditis, abnormal immune response to pregnancy, abnormal response to increased hemodynamic burden, malnutrition, inflammation, and apoptosis. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the objective is to find out the prevalence, risk factors, and pregnancy outcome of PPCM. Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight patients of PPCM admitted in G&O department of R. G. KAR Medical college were taken. Clinical evaluations, Hematological evaluation, biochemical study, ECG, and Echocardiographywere done. Patient outcome was also compared between two groups of patients having Left Ventricular ejection fraction less than 35% and more than 35%. Results: Prevalence of PPCM was 0.09%, maternal mortality was 87/1000 live births and perinatal mortality was 43/1000 live births. Patients with lower ejection fraction showed poorer outcome. Conclusion: Patients with higher NYHA functional class, lower ejection fraction and larger left ventricular cavity showed worse maternal and perinatal outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has become the first choice for primary mitral regurgitation (MR) in recent years, clinical evidence in this field is yet limited. The main focus of this study was the analysis of preoperative (Pre), postoperative (Post), and 1‐year follow‐up (Fu) data in our series of MIMVS to identify factors that have an impact on the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) evolution after MIMVS. Methods: We reviewed the perioperative and 1‐year follow‐up data from 436 patients with primary MR (338 isolated MIMVS und 98 MIMVS combined with tricuspid valve repair) to analyze patients' baseline characteristics, the change of LV size, the postoperative evolution of LVEF and its factors, and the clinical outcomes. Results: The overall mean value of ejection fraction (EF) slightly decreased at 1‐year follow‐up (mean change of LVEF: −2.63 ± 9.00%). A significant correlation was observed for preoperative EF (PreEF) und EF evolution, the higher PreEF the more pronounced decreased EF evolution (in all 436 patients; r = −.54, p <.001, in isolated MIMVS; r = −.54, p <.001, in combined MIMVS; r = −.53, p <.001). Statistically significant differences for negative EF evolution were evident in patients with mild or greater tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) (in all patients; p <.05, odds ratio [OR] = 1.64, in isolated MIMVS; p <.01, OR = 1.93, respectively). Overall clinical outcome in New York Heart Association classification at 1 year was remarkably improved. Conclusions: Our results suggest an excellent clinical outcome at 1 year, although mean LVEF slightly declined over time. TR could be a predictor of worsened follow‐up LVEF in patients undergoing MIMVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Place and Duration of Study: Adult cardiology department of AFIC/NIHD, Rawalpindi, from Sept to Dec 2019. Methodology: Eighty Four patients of Heart Failure with reduced LVEF after satisfying inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited in this study through non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Data was collected from ER and OPD patients through complete history based on demographics (i.e. age and gender), co-morbidities (i.e. diabetes, hypertension, CAD and smoking history), previous EF record measured on 2D-echo, functional improvement of the patients using NYHA dyspnea class and guideline recommended medication history with compliance. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: A total of 84 patients of Heart Failure with LVEF = 31.61 ± 7.61% were enrolled out of whom 62 (73.8%) were male and 22 (26.2%) female patients. The mean age of patients was 62.26 ± 9.879 years. About 30 (35.7%) patients were diabetic, 44 (52.4%) were hypertensive, 19 (22.6%) were current smokers, 16 (19%) were ex-smokers and 49 (58.2%) were nonsmokers. Those with history of CAD were (SVCAD=8 (9.5%), DVCAD=14 (16.7%), TVCAD 15 (17.9%). Compliance of patients to treatment was 74 (88.1%) good. Patients presenting with NYHA Class I/II 3 (3.6%)/20 (23.6%) showed significant improvement after medical therapy 34 (40.5%)/30 (35.7%), whereas those with class III/IV did not show significant improvement in functional status. Conclusion: This survey shows that patient's compliance is relatively goods but patients with NYHA III/IV were receiving suboptimal treatment. Secondly patients presenting with NYHAI/II after medical therapy showed significant improvement in functional status as compared to those with NYHA III/IV. Thereby further actions are needed for improving quality of life and standard of care among HF patients by optimization of treatment according to guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) improves symptoms and exercise tolerance and reduces heart failure (HF) hospitalizations over 6-month follow-up in patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV symptoms, QRS < 130 ms and 25% ≤ left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% (FIX-HF-5C study). The current prospective registry study (CCM-REG) aimed to assess the longer-term impact of CCM on hospitalizations and mortality in real-world experience in this same population.Methods and Results: A total of 140 patients with 25% ≤ LVEF ≤ 45% receiving CCM therapy (CCM-REG25-45 ) for clinical indications were included. Cardiovascular and HF hospitalizations, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and NYHA class were assessed over 2 years. Mortality was tracked through 3 years and compared with predictions by the Seattle Heart Failure Model (SHFM). A separate analysis was performed on patients with 35% ≤ LVEF ≤ 45% (CCM-REG35-45 ) and 25% ≤ LVEF < 35% (CCM-REG25-34 ). Hospitalizations decreased by 75% (from 1.2/patient-year the year before, to 0.35/patient-year during the 2 years following CCM, P < 0.0001) in CCM-REG25-45 and by a similar amount in CCM-REG35-45 (P < 0.0001) and CCM-REG25-34 . MLHFQ and NYHA class improved in all three cohorts, with progressive improvements over time (P < 0.002). Three-year survival in CCM-REG25-45 (82.8%) and CCM-REG24-34 (79.4%) were similar to those predicted by SHFM (76.7%, P = 0.16; 78.0%, P = 0.81, respectively) and was better than predicted in CCM-REG35-45 (88.0% vs. 74.7%, P = 0.046).Conclusion: In real-world experience, CCM produces results similar to those of previous studies in subjects with 25% ≤ LVEF ≤ 45% and QRS < 130 ms; cardiovascular and HF hospitalizations are reduced and MLHFQ and NYHA class are improved. Overall mortality was comparable to that predicted by the SHFM but was lower than predicted in patients with 35% ≤ LVEF ≤ 45%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: ObjectivesThis study sought to determine whether echocardiography before mitral valve repair (MVR) for mitral regurgitation (MR) was predictive of postoperative left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and useful for deciding the optimal timing of repair.: BackgroundSome reports have shown that the preoperative echocardiographic data of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVDs) were good predictors of postoperative LV dysfunction. However, few reports were based on long-term follow-up data of large numbers of patients who underwent MVR in the last decade.: MethodsA total of 274 patients with moderate or severe MR underwent MVR between October 1, 1991, and September 30, 2000. Among them, 171 patients who had both an operation for isolated MR due to degenerative pathology and a postoperative echocardiogram were studied. Postoperative echocardiograms were performed 3.9 ± 2.4 years after the operation.: ResultsThe LVEF decreased from 66 ± 10% before surgery to 63 ± 11% after surgery (p < 0.0001). On univariate analysis, preoperative LVEF and LVDs correlated with postoperative LVEF (r = 0.41 and r = −0.39, respectively). Overall, postoperative LV dysfunction (defined as LVEF <50%) was not frequent (12%). However, the incidence of postoperative LV dysfunction was high in patients with preoperative LVEF <55% (38%) or LVDs ≥40 mm (23%).: ConclusionsIn patients with MR, the echocardiographic data of LVEF and LVDs were good predictors of postoperative LV dysfunction. When a decrease in LVEF or an increase in LVDs is detected, MVR should be considered to preserve postoperative LV function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) could improve survival in functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), but it is necessary to consider the influence of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Therefore, we compare the outcomes after TMVR with Mitraclip® between two groups according to LVEF. Methods: In an observational registry study, we compared the outcomes in patients with FMR who underwent TMVR with and without LVEF <30%. The primary endpoint was the combined one-year all-cause mortality and unplanned hospital readmissions due to HF. The secondary end-points were New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and mitral regurgitation (MR) severity. Propensity-score matching was used to create two groups with the same baseline characteristics, except for baseline LVEF. Results: Among 535 FMR eligible patients, 144 patients with LVEF <30% (group 1) and 144 with LVEF >30% (group 2) had similar propensity scores and were included in the analyses. The primary study endpoint was significantlly higher in group 1 (33.3% vs. 9.4%, p = 0.002). There was a maintained improvement in secondary endpoints without significant differences among groups. Conclusion: FMR patients with LVEF <30% treated with MitraClip® had higher mortality and readmissions than patients with LVEF ≥30% treated with the same device. However, both groups improved the NYHA functional class and MR severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]