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Rationale & objectiveHeart failure treatment relies on loop diuretics to induce natriuresis and decongestion, but the therapy is often limited by diuretic resistance. We explored the association of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation with diuretic response.Study designObservational cohort.Setting & populationEuvolemic ambulatory adults with chronic heart failure were administered torsemide in a monitored environment.PredictorsPlasma total renin, active renin, angiotensinogen, and aldosterone levels. Urine total renin and angiotensinogen levels.OutcomesSodium output per doubling of diuretic dose and fractional excretion of sodium per doubling of diuretic dose.Analytical approachRobust linear regression models estimated the associations of each RAAS intermediate with outcomes.ResultsThe analysis included 56 participants, and the median age was 65 years; 50% were women, and 41% were Black. The median home diuretic dose was 80-mg furosemide equivalents. In unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted models, higher levels of RAAS measures were generally associated with lower diuretic efficiency. Higher plasma total renin remained significantly associated with lower sodium output per doubling of diuretic dose (β = -0.41 [-0.76, -0.059] per SD change) with adjustment; higher plasma total and active renin were significantly associated with lower fractional excretion of sodium per doubling of diuretic dose (β = -0.48 [-0.83, -0.14] and β = -0.51 [-0.95, -0.08], respectively) in adjusted models. Stratification by RAAS inhibitor use did not substantially alter these associations.LimitationsSmall sample size; highly selected participants; associations may not be causal.ConclusionsAmong multiple measures of RAAS activation, higher plasma total and active renin levels were consistently associated with lower diuretic response. These findings highlight the potential drivers of diuretic resistance and underscore the need for high-quality trials of decongestive therapy enhanced by RAAS blockade.

Hemoconcentration during the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure is a surrogate for plasma volume reduction and is associated with improved survival, but most definitions only allow for hemoconcentration to be determined retrospectively. An increase in serum creatinine can also be a marker of aggressive decongestion, but in isolation is not specific. Our objective was to determine if combined hemoconcentration and worsening creatinine could better identify patients that were aggressively treated and, as such, may have improved postdischarge outcomes. A total of 4,181 patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure were evaluated. Those who experienced both hemoconcentration and worsening creatinine at any point had a profile consistent with aggressive in-hospital treatment and longer length of stay (p

Introduction: Fluid overload is a frequent and serious complication in hemodialysis patients. The combination of multiple point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) measurements can identify significant venous congestion, but its usefulness to determine ultrafiltration (UF) requirements and dry weight is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated prospectively patients in maintenance hemodialysis to establish the correlations between changes in venous congestion parameters and fluid removal. Methods: This was a prospective, single-center, observational study. POCUS venous congestion measurements were performed in 22 patients during 32 online post-dilutional hemodiafiltration sessions, and findings were correlated with UF volume, central venous pressure, and body water composition determined by multifrequency bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). Results: The pre-dialysis weight was on average 1.9 kg above the BIA estimated dry weight, the average initial inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter was <2 cm. An initial abnormal hepatic vein (HV) waveform was present in 26% (8) of the measurements. The average UF volume was 2,084 ± 655 mL and correlated with changes in IVC diameter (R = 0.34, 95% CI: [0.18, 0.56], p < 0.05) but not with any other POCUS venous congestion parameters. Normalization of the IVC diameter and HV waveform was observed during the first UF hour in all initially altered measurements. Diameter reduction in the IVC correlated with total body water volume reduction estimated with BIA when measured immediately after fluid removal (R = 0.34, 95% CI: [0.08, 0.56], p < 0.05). Conclusion: Reduction in IVC diameter had a modest but significant correlation with UF volume in our patients on maintenance hemodiafiltration. POCUS may be used to monitor patients during UF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ATHENA-HF clinical trial did not find additional decongestive benefit of spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours in acute heart failure. • We performed a post hoc analysis of whether this spironolactone dosage had any pharmacodynamic effects. • We found that increased spironolactone dosing limited potassium losses in acute heart failure treatment and reduced the need for potassium replacement. • However, patients with acute heart failure and lower serum potassium levels did not experience greater decongestion with this intervention. The ATHENA-HF (Aldosterone Targeted Neurohormonal Combined with Natriuresis Therapy in Heart Failure) clinical trial found no improvements in natriuretic peptide levels or clinical congestion when spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours was used in addition to usual treatment for acute heart failure. We performed a post hoc analysis of ATHENA-HF to determine whether spironolactone treatment induced any detectable pharmacodynamic effects and whether patients with potentially greater aldosterone activity experienced additional decongestion. Trial subjects previously treated with spironolactone were excluded. We first examined for changes in renal potassium handling. Using the baseline serum potassium level as a surrogate marker of spironolactone activity, we then divided each treatment arm into tertiles of baseline serum potassium and explored for differences in laboratory and clinical congestion outcomes. Among spironolactone-naïve patients, the change in serum potassium did not differ after 24 hours or 48 hours but was significantly greater with spironolactone treatment compared to placebo at 72 hours (0.23 ± 0.55 vs 0.03 ± 0.60 mEq/L; P = 0.042) and 96 hours (0.32 ± 0.51 vs 0.13 ± 0.72 mEq/L; P = 0.046). Potassium supplementation was similar at treatment start and at 24 hours, but spironolactone-treated patients required substantially less potassium replacement at 48 hours (24% vs 36%; P = 0.048), 72 hours (21% vs 37%; P = 0.013), and 96 hours (11% vs 38%; P < 0.001). When the treatment arms were divided into tertiles of baseline serum potassium, there were no differences in the 96-hour log N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels, net fluid loss, urine output, or dyspnea relief in any of the potassium groups, with no effect modification by treatment exposure. Spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours in patients receiving intravenous loop diuresis for acute heart failure has no clear added decongestive ability but does meaningfully limit potassium wasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document "Mexican statement for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis" offers a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis by various Mexican medical societies. It emphasizes the importance of early detection, challenges in diagnosis, and the use of innovative imaging techniques for accurate diagnosis. The document also discusses the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic tools for cardiac amyloidosis, as well as recommendations for cardiac rehabilitation, exercise testing, psycho-emotional support, and genetic counseling. Further research and clinical trials are needed to enhance the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients with cardiac amyloidosis, including transthyretin amyloidosis and light chain amyloidosis. [Extracted from the article]

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Aims: Incomplete decongestion due to lack of titration of diuretics to effective doses is a common reason for readmission in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The natriuretic response prediction equation (NRPE) is a novel tool that proved to be rapid and accurate to predict natriuretic response and does not need urine collection. However, the NRPE has not been externally validated. The goal of this study was to externally validate the discrimination capacity of the NRPE in patients with ADHF and fluid overload., Methods and Results: Patients admitted with ADHF who required intravenous loop diuretics were included. A spot urine sample was obtained ~2 h following diuretic administration, and a timed 6-h urine collection by study staff was carried out. Urine sodium and urine creatinine from the spot urine sample were used to predict the 6-h natriuretic response using the NRPE. The primary goal was to validate the NRPE to discriminate poor loop diuretic natriuretic response (sodium output <50 mmol in the 6 h following diuretic administration). The NRPE was compared with urine sodium and measured urine output which are the methods currently recommended by international guidelines to assess diuretic response. Eighty-seven diuretic administrations from 49 patients were analysed. Mean age of patients was 57 ± 17 years and 67% were male. Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was 65 ± 28 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , and ejection fraction was 35 ± 15%. Median dose of intravenous furosemide equivalents administered the day of the study was 80 mg (IQR 40 - 160). Poor natriuretic response occurred in 39% of the visits. The AUC of the NRPE to predict poor natriuretic response during the 6-h urine collection was 0.91 (95% CI 0.85-0.98). Compared with the NRPE, spot urine sodium concentration (AUC 0.75) and urine output during the corresponding nursing shift (AUC 0.74) showed lower discrimination capacity., Conclusions: In this cohort of patients with ADHF, the NRPE outperformed spot urine sodium concentration and all other metrics related to diuretic response to predict poor natriuretic response. Our findings support the use of this equation at other settings to allow rapid and accurate prediction of natriuretic response., (© 2024 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

La amiloidosis es una enfermedad heterogénea, de origen hereditario o adquirido, que se caracteriza por el depósito anormal de proteínas fibrilares en diversos tejidos. Esta enfermedad puede manifestarse de manera localizada o sistémica, lo que genera una amplia variabilidad en su presentación clínica y, frecuentemente, retrasa el diagnóstico. Por ello, es fundamental la identificación temprana de los signos y síntomas para mejorar el pronóstico. El primer posicionamiento mexicano sobre la amiloidosis cardíaca tiene como objetivo resumir las principales características de la enfermedad y sus subtipos, identificando datos de alarma que incrementen la sospecha de su presencia. Además, busca ofrecer un algoritmo diagnóstico que integre los estudios de imagen y de laboratorio disponibles en nuestro país, con el fin de simplificar la toma de decisiones y llegar a un diagnóstico de manera rápida, práctica y actualizada, basado en recomendaciones sustentadas en evidencia científica. Una vez confirmado el diagnóstico, se abordan los distintos retos terapéuticos, tanto farmacológicos como no farmacológicos, ya que los pacientes no responden al tratamiento convencional de insuficiencia cardíaca. Por ello, el tratamiento debe ser individualizado para cada paciente, teniendo en cuenta la presencia de otras comorbilidades. Finalmente, se presentan los principales factores pronósticos que guiarán un tratamiento adecuado, incluyendo los resultados del asesoramiento genético., (Copyright: © 2024 Permanyer.)

Congestion is the primary pathophysiological lesion in most heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. Renal congestion increases renal tubular pressure, reducing glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and diuresis. Because each nephron is a fluid-filled column, renal negative pressure therapy (rNPT) applied to the urinary collecting system should reduce tubular pressure, potentially improving kidney function. We evaluated the renal response to rNPT in congestive HF. Ten anesthetized ∼80-kg pigs underwent instrumentation with bilateral renal pelvic JuxtaFlow catheters. GFR was determined by iothalamate clearance (mGFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) by para-aminohippurate clearance. Each animal served as its own control with randomization of left versus right kidney to -30 mmHg rNPT or no rNPT. mGFR and RPF were measured simultaneously from the rNPT and no rNPT kidney. Congestive HF was induced via cardiac tamponade maintaining central venous pressure at 20-22.5 mmHg throughout the experiment. Before HF induction, rNPT increased natriuresis, diuresis, and mGFR compared with the control kidney ( P < 0.001 for all). Natriuresis, diuresis, and mGFR decreased following HF ( P < 0.001 for all) but were higher in rNPT kidney versus control ( P < 0.001 for all). RPF decreased during HF ( P < 0.001) without significant differences between rNPT treatments. During HF, the rNPT kidney had similar diuresis and natriuresis ( P > 0.5 for both) and higher fractional excretion of sodium ( P = 0.001) compared with the non-rNPT kidney in the no HF period. In conclusion, rNPT resulted in significantly increased diuresis, natriuresis, and mGFR, with or without experimental HF. rNPT improved key renal parameters of the congested cardiorenal phenotype.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with tricuspid annulus (TA) dilation in patients with severe functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR); however, the impact of AF is less clear in patients without severe TR. Our aim was to characterize TA remodelling in patients with AF in the absence of severe TR using 3D transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE)., Methods and Results: Ninety patients underwent clinically indicated transthoracic and TOE: non-structural (NS)-AF (n = 30); AF with left heart disease (LHD) (n = 30), and controls in sinus rhythm (n = 30). Three-dimensional TOE datasets were analysed to measure TA dimensions using novel dedicated tricuspid valve software. The NS-AF group showed biatrial dilatation and normal right ventricular (RV) size with decreased longitudinal function compared to controls, whereas the LHD-AF group showed biatrial dilatation, RV enlargement, decreased biventricular function, and higher systolic pulmonary artery pressure compared with the other groups. Indexed TA area, minimum diameter, maximum diameter, and total perimeter were significantly larger in the NS-AF group than in controls (measurements in end-diastole: 6.4 ± 1.1 vs. 5.0 ± 0.6 cm2/m2, 1.8 ± 0.3 vs. 1.6 ± 0.2 cm/m2, 2.1 ± 0.3 vs. 1.9 ± 0.2 cm/m2, and 6.6 ± 0.9 vs. 5.9 ± 0.7 cm/m2, respectively, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in any indexed TA parameter between AF groups. TA circularity index (ratio between minimum and maximal diameters) and TA fractional area change between end-diastole and end-systole were no different among the three groups., Conclusion: AF is associated with right atrial and tricuspid annular remodelling independent of the presence of LHD in patients with intrinsically normal tricuspid leaflets without severe TR., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2020. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)