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Abstract Aims Although left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation improves prognosis of advanced heart failure patients still suffer from impaired exercise capacity and quality of life (QoL). Exercise training may improve both; however, the available evidence about exercise training effects in LVAD patients remains inconclusive due to small and monocentric randomized controlled trials. This study aims to aggregate the individual participant data (IPD) to perform meta‐analysis on the safety and efficacy of exercise training on exercise capacity and QoL over standard care in LVAD patients. Methods Randomized controlled trials comparing exercise training and standard care (no supervised training) will be identified through database searching. Corresponding authors of eligible randomized controlled trials will be invited to share IPD. All IPD will be checked, recalculated to validate findings in initial reports, merged in a single dataset and stored in a secured encrypted database server. The merged IPD will be screened for quality, risk of bias, and heterogeneity of the included trials. Random effects meta‐analyses will be conducted using one‐stage and two‐stage approaches, in particular with a view to subgroup analyses. Results Based on findings of the individual randomized trials, we expected to obtain superior effects of exercise training on submaximal exercise capacity and QoL and similar effects on maximal aerobic capacity when compared with standard care. Conclusions Our study will be the first to harmonize IPD in meta‐analysis to demonstrate the effects of exercise training on exercise performance and QoL over standard care in LVAD patients. PROSPERO registration number CRD42023480119

Abstract Aims Central sleep apnoea (CSA) is present in 20–40% of heart failure (HF) patients and is associated with poor clinical outcomes and health status. Transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation (TPNS) is an available treatment for CSA in HF patients. The impact on HF outcomes is incompletely understood. The win ratio (WR) allows inclusion of multiple endpoint components, considers the relative severity of each component, and permits assessment of recurrent events in evaluation of clinical benefit. Methods and results A WR hierarchy was pre‐defined for analysis of the HF subgroup of the remedē® System Pivotal Trial. The analysis used three hierarchical components to compare all treated to all control subjects: longest survival, lowest HF hospitalization rate, and ≥2‐category difference in Patient Global Assessment at 6 months. Sensitivity analyses were performed substituting Epworth Sleepiness Scale and 4% oxygen desaturation index for the third component, and a 4‐component WR hierarchy was also evaluated. Ninety‐one HF subjects, 43 receiving TPNS and 48 in the control group, provided 2064 pairwise comparisons. More patients treated with TPNS experienced clinical benefit compared with control (WR 4.92, 95% confidence interval 2.27–10.63, P

ABSTRACT Background Cachexia is a frequent companion of chronic diseases and a well‐established predictor of poor patient performance and outcome. Since cachexia as a discharge diagnosis is not much investigated, we aimed to investigate prevalence of cachexia in hospitalised patients and their outcome. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the National Hospital Health Care Statistics Database using the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases codes. During period 2004–2019, patients with cachexia were identified, as well as patients with cancer, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic kidney disease. The primary endpoint was the discharge code of cachexia; secondary endpoints were length of hospital stay, in‐hospital and post discharge all‐cause mortality. Results In period 2004–2019, 5 484 103 hospitalisations were screened; cachexia was coded 19 348 times (0.35%) in 14 089 patients (67 ± 13 years, 42% women). From 2004 to 2019, prevalence of cachexia increased steadily from 1.2% to 1.9%, which was most prominent for cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. At one year post discharge, 49% patients with cachexia were dead as compared to 26% in patients without cachexia. In Cox multivariate analysis, cachexia predicted post‐discharge death in any of chronic diseases (hazard ratio of 1.28 in heart failure to 1.47 in chronic kidney disease). Conclusions In our report from a National Hospital Health Care Statistics Database, we found that cachexia was underreported as ICD‐10 coded discharge diagnosis in patients with chronic diseases. When diagnosed, it was associated with higher hazard of post discharge mortality.

Abstract Despite improvements over recent years, morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure (HF) are higher in countries in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region than in Western Europe. With the goal of improving the standard of HF care and patient outcomes in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region, this review aimed to identify the main barriers to optimal HF care and potential areas for improvement. This information was used to suggest methods to improve HF management and decrease the burden of HF in the region that can be implemented at the national and regional levels. We performed a literature search to collect information about HF epidemiology in 11 countries in the region (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia). The prevalence of HF in the region was 1.6–4.7%, and incidence was 3.1–6.0 per 1000 person‐years. Owing to the scarcity of published data on HF management in these countries, we also collected insights on local HF care and management practices via two surveys of 11 HF experts representing the 11 countries. Based on the combined results of the literature review and surveys, we created national HF care and management profiles for each country and developed a common patient pathway for HF for the region. We identified five main barriers to optimal HF care: (i) lack of epidemiological data, (ii) low awareness of HF, (iii) lack of national HF strategies, (iv) infrastructure and system gaps, and (v) poor access to novel HF treatments. To overcome these barriers, we propose the following routes to improvement: (i) establish regional and national prospective HF registries for the systematic collection of epidemiological data; (ii) establish education campaigns for the public, patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals; (iii) establish formal HF strategies to set clear and measurable policy goals and support budget planning; (iv) improve access to quality‐of‐care centres, multidisciplinary care teams, diagnostic tests, and telemedicine/telemonitoring; and (v) establish national treatment monitoring programmes to develop policies that ensure that adequate proportions of healthcare budgets are reserved for novel therapies. These routes to improvement represent a first step towards improving outcomes in patients with HF in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region by decreasing disparities in HF care within the region and between the region and Western Europe.

BackgroundThis study aimed to quantitatively assess stress, anxiety and obsessive thinking related to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and qualitatively appraise perceptions in patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing cardiac rehabilitation (CR) during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe used mixed-methods design in patients referred for CR in 2 centres which delivered uninterrupted service during COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS), COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and in-person interviews (combination of a priori questions and probing) were used to evaluate patient experience and perceptions with COVID-19 and the healthcare services during pandemic.ResultsIn total, 109 patients (mean age 59 ± 10, 20% women) were included in quantitative part and in 30 of them we conducted the in-person interviews. About a quarter of patients met HADS threshold for anxiety and depression while CAS and OCS results demonstrated extremely low possibility of coronavirus related dysfunctional thinking (3%) and anxiety (2%). The CSS indicated the most prevalent concerns were related to COVID-19 vaccines safety (60%) and fear of getting infected (60%). During interviews, patients perceived the CR as well as health care providers as safe, trustworthy and with enough support to avoid or manage COVID-19 related health risks.ConclusionsOverall, patients reported AMI affected their lives more than the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 related stress and anxiety were relatively low and mostly related to general views of infectious disease. CR was perceived safe and trustworthy in terms of primary disease and COVID-19.Lay summaryThis mixed-method study included 109 patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent cardiac rehabilitation during the COVID-19 and focused on their experience and perceptions with COVID-19 and the healthcare services during pandemic.-Patients reported acute myocardial infarction affected their lives more than the COVID-19 pandemic.-The COVID-19 related concerns were mostly related to general views of infectious disease (vaccine safety, fear of getting infected) whilst cardiac rehabilitation was perceived safe and trustworthy environment during COVID-19.

Little is known either about either physical activity patterns, or other lifestyle-related prevention measures in heart transplantation (HTx) recipients. The history of HTx started more than 50 years ago but there are still no guidelines or position papers highlighting the features of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx. The aims of this scientific statement are (i) to explain the importance of prevention and rehabilitation after HTx, and (ii) to promote the factors (modifiable/non-modifiable) that should be addressed after HTx to improve patients’ physical capacity, quality of life and survival. All HTx team members have their role to play in the care of these patients and multidisciplinary prevention and rehabilitation programmes designed for transplant recipients. HTx recipients are clearly not healthy disease-free subjects yet they also significantly differ from heart failure patients or those who are supported with mechanical circulatory support. Therefore, prevention and rehabilitation after HTx both need to be specifically tailored to this patient population and be multidisciplinary in nature. Prevention and rehabilitation programmes should be initiated early after HTx and continued during the entire post-transplant journey. This clinical consensus statement focuses on the importance and the characteristics of prevention and rehabilitation designed for HTx recipients.

Abstract Background The effect of resistance training (RT) in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on insulin resistance remains elusive. We examined whether the addition of high-load (HL) or low loads (LL) RT has any effect on the levels of insulin resistance and lipids versus aerobic training (AT) alone in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Seventy-nine CAD patients were randomised to HL-RT [70–80% of one repetition maximum (1-RM)] and AT, LL-RT (35–40% of 1-RM) and AT or AT (50–80% of maximal power output), and 59 patients [75% males, 15% diabetics, age: 61 (8) years, left ventricular ejection fraction: 53 (9) %] completed the study. Plasma levels of glucose, insulin, blood lipids [total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)] cholesterol and body composition were measured at baseline and post-training (36 training sessions). Results Training intervention had only time effect on lean mass (p = 0.002), total and LDL cholesterol levels (both p

Abstract The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused unprecedented research activity all around the world but publications from Central-Eastern European countries remain scarce. Therefore, our aim was to characterise the features of the pandemic in the intensive care units (ICUs) among members of the SepsEast (Central-Eastern European Sepsis Forum) initiative. We conducted a retrospective, international, multicentre study between March 2020 and February 2021. All adult patients admitted to the ICU with pneumonia caused by COVID-19 were enrolled. Data on baseline and treatment characteristics, organ support and mortality were collected. Eleven centres from six countries provided data from 2139 patients. Patient characteristics were: median 68, [IQR 60–75] years of age; males: 67%; body mass index: 30.1 [27.0–34.7]; and 88% comorbidities. Overall mortality was 55%, which increased from 2020 to 2021 (p = 0.004). The major causes of death were respiratory (37%), cardiovascular (26%) and sepsis with multiorgan failure (21%). 1061 patients received invasive mechanical ventilation (mortality: 66%) without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n = 54). The rest of the patients received non-invasive ventilation (n = 129), high flow nasal oxygen (n = 317), conventional oxygen therapy (n = 122), as the highest level of ventilatory support, with mortality of 50%, 39% and 22%, respectively. This is the largest COVID-19 dataset from Central-Eastern European ICUs to date. The high mortality observed especially in those receiving invasive mechanical ventilation renders the need of establishing national–international ICU registries and audits in the region that could provide high quality, transparent data, not only during the pandemic, but also on a regular basis.

Abstract In heart failure (HF), acute decompensation can occur quickly and unexpectedly because of worsening of chronic HF or to new‐onset HF diagnosed for the first time (‘de novo’). Patients presenting with acute HF (AHF) have a poor prognosis comparable with those with acute myocardial infarction, and any delay of treatment initiation is associated with worse outcomes. Recent HF guidelines and recommendations have highlighted the importance of a timely diagnosis and immediate treatment for patients presenting with AHF to decrease disease progression and improve prognosis. However, based on the available data, there is still uncertainty regarding the optimal ‘time‐to‐treatment’ effect in AHF. Furthermore, the immediate post‐worsening HF period plays an important role in clinical outcomes in HF patients after hospitalization and is known as the ‘vulnerable phase’ characterized by high risk of readmission and early death. Early and intensive treatment for HF patients in the ‘vulnerable phase’ might be associated with lower rates of early readmission and mortality. Additionally, in the chronic stable HF outpatient, treatments are often delayed or not initiated when symptoms are stable, ignoring the risk for adverse outcomes such as sudden death. Consequently, there is a dire need to better identify HF patients during hospitalization and after discharge and treating them adequately to improve their prognosis. HF is an urgent clinical scenario along all its stages and disease conditions. Therefore, time plays a significant role throughout the entire patient's journey. Therapy should be optimized as soon as possible, because this is beneficial regardless of severity or duration of HF. Time lavished before treatment initiation is recognized as important modifiable risk factor in HF.

Abstract The number of patients receiving sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), especially those with heart failure, is increasing worldwide. SGLT2is control glycaemia by triggering glycosuria with simultaneous facilitation of a more ketogenic metabolic profile. Patients therefore are more prone to develop euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis (euDKA), an entity largely unknown beyond diabetes care professionals. We present a heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patient with known Type 2 diabetes. He was treated with dapagliflozin and presented acutely with dyspnoea, hyperglycaemia, and ketoacidosis. After standard treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycaemia was corrected, while metabolic ketoacidosis persisted, and thus, euDKA was suspected. With adequate therapy, the patient recovered completely and was discharged without any sequelae. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the first to describe SGLT2i‐induced euDKA in HFpEF patients. Regarding no previous reports of euDKA in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, our report is highly relevant for ongoing SGLT2i trials in HFpEF and clinical practice in general.

Abstract Iron deficiency is a major heart failure co‐morbidity present in about 50% of patients with stable heart failure irrespective of the left ventricular function. Along with compromise of daily activities, it also increases patient morbidity and mortality, which is independent of anaemia. Several trials have established parenteral iron supplementation as an important complimentary therapy to improve patient well‐being and physical performance. Intravenous iron preparations, in the first‐line ferric carboxymaltose, demonstrated in previous clinical trials superior clinical effect in comparison with oral iron preparations, improving New York Heart Association functional class, 6 min walk test distance, peak oxygen consumption, and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure. Beneficial effect of iron deficiency treatment on morbidity and mortality of heart failure patients is waiting for conformation in ongoing trials. Although the current guidelines for treatment of chronic and acute heart failure acknowledge importance of iron deficiency correction and recommend intravenous iron supplementation for its treatment, iron deficiency remains frequently undertreated and insufficiently diagnosed in setting of the chronic heart failure. This paper highlights the current state of the art in the pathophysiology of iron deficiency, associations with heart failure trajectory and outcome, and an overview of current guideline‐suggested treatment options.

Abstract Background and objective Self‐care strategies in heart failure (HF) are effective for disease management, yet adherence in many patients is inadequate. Reasons are presumably multifactorial but remain insufficiently investigated; thus, we aimed to analyse self‐care adherence and associated factors in outpatients with HF. Methods and results To measure self‐care levels and explore barriers and facilitators to self‐care adherence in patients with HF, quantitative study using the European Self‐Care Behaviour Scale (EHFScBS‐9) (n = 80; NYHA II–III, mean age 72 ± 10 years, 58% male) and qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews (n = 32; NYHA II–III, mean age 73 ± 11, 63% male) were conducted. We detected lowest adherence to regular exercise (39%) and contacts with healthcare provider in case of worsening symptoms (47%), whereas adherence was highest for regular medication taking (94%). Using the EHFScBS‐9 standardized cut‐off score ≤ 70, 51% of patients reported inadequate self‐care. Binary logistic regression analysis showed significant influence of education (OR = 0.314, 95% CI: 0.103–0.959) and perceived control (OR = 1.236, 95% CI: 1.043–1.465) on self‐care adequacy. According to the situation‐specific theory of HF self‐care, most commonly reported factors affecting the process of self‐care were knowledge about HF self‐care behaviours (84%), experience with healthcare professionals (84%), beliefs about their expertise (69%) and habits related to medication taking (72%). Among values, working responsibilities (53%) and maintenance of traditions (31%) appeared as the most prevalent socially based values affecting motivation for self‐care. Situational characteristics related to the person (self‐confidence, 53%; adaptive coping strategies, 88%), problem (burdensome breathing difficulties, 56%; co‐morbidities, 81%) and environment (practical support from family/caregivers, 59%; financial difficulties, 50%) were also commonly reported. Conclusions Various factors, including health‐related beliefs, habits and socially based values, need to be taken into account when planning self‐care interventions in patients with HF. A patient tailored approach should be based on adequate patient evaluation, taking into consideration the particular personal and social context.

BackgroundThe efficacy of combined resistance training (RT) and aerobic training (AT) compared with AT alone is well established in cardiac rehabilitation (CR); however, it remains to be elucidated whether RT load (high load [HL] vs. low load [LL]) modifies the outcomes. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of HL-RT and LL-RT combined with AT in comparison to AT alone on body composition and physical performance in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) enrolled in phase II CR.MethodsWe randomized 79 patients with a stable CAD to 12 weeks of lower limb LL-RT + AT (35–40% of one repetition maximum [1-RM]; n = 28), HL-RT + AT (70–80% of 1-RM; n = 26), or AT (n = 25). Fifty-nine patients (75% men) with mean (standard deviation) age 61 (8) years and left ventricular ejection fraction 53 (9)% completed LL-RT (n = 19), HL-RT (n = 21) and AT (n = 19). Body composition and physical performance (upper and lower submaximal muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and mobility) were measured at baseline and post-training.ResultsTraining intervention had no significant impact on time × group interaction in the body composition measures. There was a significant time × group interaction for the gait speed test, chair sit-and-reach test, arm curl test, Stork balance test, up and go test, STS-5, and 6-min walk distance (p-values ≤ 0.001–0.04) following the training intervention. After the training intervention, HL-RT improved gait speed (+12%, p = 0.044), arm curl (+13%, p = 0.037), and time of Up and Go test (+9%, p < 0.001) to a greater extent compared with AT group, while there was a greater improvement in time of Up and Go test (+18%, p < 0.001) and time of five sit-to-stand tests (+14%, p = 0.016) following LL-RT when compared with AT. There were no differences between HL-RT and LL-RT in post-training improvement in any of the physical performance measures.ConclusionThe combination of AT with HL-RT or LL-RT promoted similar improvements in physical performance, which were superior to AT. Therefore, both types of combined AT and RT can be applied to patients with CAD.Clinical trial registration[https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04638764] Identifier [NCT04638764].

Abstract Aims In hospitalized patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), the aims of this study were (i) to assess the proportion meeting the 2016 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) HFpEF criteria and (ii) to compare patients with restrictive/pseudonormal mitral inflow pattern (MIP) vs. patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal. Methods and results We included hospitalized participants of the ESC‐Heart Failure Association (HFA) EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) HF Long‐Term Registry who had echocardiogram with ejection fraction (EF) ≥ 50% during index hospitalization. As no data on e', E/e' and left ventricular (LV) mass index were gathered in the registry, the 2016 ESC HFpEF definition was modified as follows: elevated B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (≥100 pg/mL for acute HF) and/or N‐terminal pro‐BNP (≥300 pg/mL) and at least one of the echocardiographic criteria: (i) presence of LV hypertrophy (yes/no), (ii) left atrial volume index (LAVI) of >34 mL/m2), or (iii) restrictive/pseudonormal MIP. Next, all patients were divided into four groups: (i) patients with restrictive/pseudonormal MIP on echocardiography [i.e. with presumably elevated left atrial (LA) pressure], (ii) patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal (i.e. with presumably normal LA pressure), (iii) atrial fibrillation (AF) group, and (iv) ‘grey area’ (no consistent description of MIP despite no report of AF). Of 6365 hospitalized patients, 1848 (29%) had EF ≥ 50%. Natriuretic peptides were assessed in 28%, LV hypertrophy in 92%, LAVI in 13%, and MIP in 67%. The 2016 ESC HFpEF criteria could be assessed in 27% of the 1848 patients and, if assessed, were met in 52%. Of the 1848 patients, 19% had restrictive/pseudonormal MIP, 43% had MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal, 18% had AF and 20% were grey area. There were no differences in long‐term all‐cause or cardiovascular mortality, or all‐cause hospitalizations or HF rehospitalizations between the four groups. Despite fewer non‐cardiac comorbidities reported at baseline, patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal (i.e. with presumably normal LA pressure) had more non‐cardiovascular (14.0 vs. 6.7 per 100 patient‐years, P

Abstract Background Skeletal muscle wasting is an extremely common feature in patients with heart failure, affecting approximately 20% of ambulatory patients with even higher values during acute decompensation. Its occurrence is associated with reduced exercise capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life. We sought to investigate if the presence of muscle wasting carries prognostic information. Methods Two hundred sixty‐eight ambulatory patients with heart failure (age 67.1 ± 10.9 years, New York Heart Association class 2.3 ± 0.6, left ventricular ejection fraction 39 ± 13.3%, and 21% female) were prospectively enrolled as part of the Studies Investigating Co‐morbidities Aggravating Heart Failure. Muscle wasting as assessed using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry was present in 47 patients (17.5%). Results During a mean follow‐up of 67.2 ± 28.02 months, 95 patients (35.4%) died from any cause. After adjusting for age, New York Heart Association class, left ventricular ejection fraction, creatinine, N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide, and iron deficiency, muscle wasting remained an independent predictor of death (hazard ratio 1.80, 95% confidence interval 1.01–3.19, P = 0.04). This effect was more pronounced in patients with heart failure with reduced than in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Conclusions Muscle wasting is an independent predictor of death in ambulatory patients with heart failure. Clinical trials are needed to identify treatment approaches to this co‐morbidity.

Abstract The “Heart failure specialists of Tomorrow” (HoT) group gathers young researchers, physicians, basic scientists, nurses and many other professions under the auspices of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology. After its foundation in 2014, it has quickly grown to a large group of currently 925 members. Membership in this growing community offers many advantages during, before, and after the ‘Heart Failure and World Congress on Acute Heart Failure’. These include: eligibility to receive travel grants, participation in moderated poster sessions and young researcher and clinical case sessions, the HoT walk, the career café, access to the networking opportunities, and interaction with a large and cohesive international community that constantly seeks multinational collaborations.

Abstract There is an increasing interest in osteoporosis and reduced bone mineral density affecting not only post‐menopausal women but also men, particularly with coexisting chronic diseases. Bone status in patients with stable chronic heart failure (HF) has been rarely studied so far. HF and osteoporosis are highly prevalent aging‐related syndromes that exact a huge impact on society. Both disorders are common causes of loss of function and independence, and of prolonged hospitalizations, presenting a heavy burden on the health care system. The most devastating complication of osteoporosis is hip fracture, which is associated with high mortality risk and among those who survive, leads to a loss of function and independence often necessitating admission to long‐term care. Current HF guidelines do not suggest screening methods or patient education in terms of osteoporosis or osteoporotic fracture. This review may serve as a solid base to discuss the need for bone health evaluation in HF patients.

Abstract Background More and more family physicians (FPs) are using point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) in Europe. Still, there is no general consensus about the specific knowledge and skills that a FP should acquire in order to effectively perform POCUS. The objective of this study was to identify indications for the use of POCUS among FPs, explore the barriers of its use and provide an expert opinion of FPs on knowledge and skills required to effectively implement POCUS in family practice. Methods A modified two-round Delphi study was carried out among FPs using POCUS in Slovenia. Results 21 FPs were invited to participate in the study. A total of 13 FPs (62%) responded the round-one questionnaire and 10 (48%) completed the round-two questionnaire. Results show a large variability of indications for the use of POCUS in family practice, the most common being acute abdominal conditions, lung ultrasonography and eyeballing echocardiography. In contrast, the results show little variability in barriers for the use of POCUS, the most common being lack of time, inaccessibility of specific training programmes and financial issues. There is a strong consensus on the knowledge and skills needed to perform POCUS. Panellists agreed on a learning medical knowledge, technical skills and expressed a need for individual consultations and tutorship options. Conclusion This study proves that although POCUS is used in family practice for a wide variety of indications with a significant number of barriers, there is a strong consensus on what a FP needs to know to effectively perform POCUS.

Abstract Aims Epidemiological heart failure (HF) data in the era of natriuretic peptides and echocardiography are scarce. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the HF prevalence in the general population. We will also investigate natriuretic peptide cut‐off for diagnosis of HF. Finally, we will be able to identify left ventricular function phenotypes and study relations between cardiac function, clinical presentation, and health‐related quality of life. Methods and results Screening Of adult urBan pOpulation To diAgnose Heart Failure (SOBOTA‐HF) is a cross‐sectional prevalence study in a representative sample of Murska Sobota residents aged 55 years or more. Individuals will be invited to attend screening visit with point‐of‐care N‐terminal pro‐b‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) testing. All subjects with NT‐proBNP ≥ 125 pg/mL will be invited for a diagnostic visit that will include history and physical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, blood and urine sampling, ankle brachial index, pulmonary function tests, body composition measurement, physical performance tests, and questionnaires. To validate the screening procedure, a control group (NT‐proBNP < 125 pg/mL) will undergo the same diagnostic evaluation. An external centre will validate echocardiography results, and the HF diagnosis will be adjudicated within an international HF expert panel. Overall and age‐specific HF prevalence will be calculated in individuals ≥ 55 years and extrapolated to the whole population. Conclusions The SOBOTA‐HF study will test the latest HF guideline diagnostic criteria in the general population sample. Next to HF prevalence, it will provide insight into left ventricular function and general patient phenotype; we will also extend current understanding of natriuretic peptides for HF screening.

Abstract Aims Heart failure (HF) burden is displaying significant inter‐regional differences within Europe and within countries. Due to limited data focusing on regional differences, our aim was to evaluate HF hospitalizations, readmissions, and mortality burden in Slovenian statistical regions. Methods and results The Slovenian National Hospitalization Discharge Registry was searched for HF hospitalizations in patients 20 years or over in the period 2004–12. Annual sex and age‐standardized HF hospitalizations, mortality, and HF readmissions rates were calculated for Slovenia and for each Slovenian statistical region. Trends were evaluated using ANOVA. Multiple mixed effect logistic regression models, which included statistical region, admission year, sex, age, intensive care unit treatment, and co‐morbidities as a fixed effect and hospital identifier as a random effect, were calculated for mortality and readmissions. Overall, 156 859 HF hospitalizations (55 522 where HF was coded as a main diagnosis and 43 606 as first HF hospitalizations) were recorded. Annual standardized rates varied considerably between statistical regions for main (220–511) and first HF hospitalization (392–721), 30 day (12.6–27.1) and 1 year mortality (66–117), and 30 day (31–80.8) and 1 year readmission (99–24) (per 100 000 patient years in 2012). Yearly decline in HF hospitalization rates was seen for national main (3.6; 0.001) and first (8.4; 0.083) HF hospitalizations, while individual regional main and first HF hospitalization trends mostly did not reach statistical significance. No relevant differences in mortality and readmission endpoints for statistical regions were seen when adjusted for patient demographics and specific co‐morbidities. Conclusions Significant regional differences in standardized HF hospitalization, mortality, and readmissions between the regions were seen. There were no differences in mortality and readmissions between statistical regions for individual similar patients.

Abstract The term sarcopenia was introduced in 1988. The original definition was a “muscle loss” of the appendicular muscle mass in the older people as measured by dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). In 2010, the definition was altered to be low muscle mass together with low muscle function and this was agreed upon as reported in a number of consensus papers. The Society of Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders supports the recommendations of more recent consensus conferences, i.e. that rapid screening, such as with the SARC‐F questionnaire, should be utilized with a formal diagnosis being made by measuring grip strength or chair stand together with DXA estimation of appendicular muscle mass (indexed for height2). Assessments of the utility of ultrasound and creatine dilution techniques are ongoing. Use of ultrasound may not be easily reproducible. Primary sarcopenia is aging associated (mediated) loss of muscle mass. Secondary sarcopenia (or disease‐related sarcopenia) has predominantly focused on loss of muscle mass without the emphasis on muscle function. Diseases that can cause muscle wasting (i.e. secondary sarcopenia) include malignant cancer, COPD, heart failure, and renal failure and others. Management of sarcopenia should consist of resistance exercise in combination with a protein intake of 1 to 1.5 g/kg/day. There is insufficient evidence that vitamin D and anabolic steroids are beneficial. These recommendations apply to both primary (age‐related) sarcopenia and secondary (disease related) sarcopenia. Secondary sarcopenia also needs appropriate treatment of the underlying disease. It is important that primary care health professionals become aware of and make the diagnosis of age‐related and disease‐related sarcopenia. It is important to address the risk factors for sarcopenia, particularly low physical activity and sedentary behavior in the general population, using a life‐long approach. There is a need for more clinical research into the appropriate measurement for muscle mass and the management of sarcopenia. Accordingly, this position statement provides recommendations on the management of sarcopenia and how to progress the knowledge and recognition of sarcopenia.

Abstract Background Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cornerstone in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), targeting skeletal muscle to improve functional performance. However, there is substantial inter‐individual variability in the effect of PR on functional performance, which cannot be fully accounted for by generic phenotypic factors. We performed an unbiased integrative analysis of the skeletal muscle molecular responses to PR in COPD patients and comprehensively characterized their baseline pulmonary and physical function, body composition, blood profile, comorbidities, and medication use. Methods Musculus vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained from 51 COPD patients (age 64 ± 1 years, sex 73% men, FEV1, 34 (26–41) %pred.) before and after 4 weeks high‐intensity supervised in‐patient PR. Muscle molecular markers were grouped by network‐constrained clustering, and their relative changes in expression values—assessed by qPCR and western blot—were reduced to process scores by principal component analysis. Patients were subsequently clustered based on these process scores. Pre‐PR and post‐PR functional performance was assessed by incremental cycle ergometry and 6 min walking test (6MWT). Results Eight molecular processes were discerned by network‐constrained hierarchical clustering of the skeletal muscle molecular rehabilitation responses. Based on the resulting process scores, four clusters of patients were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis. Two major patient clusters differed in PR‐induced autophagy (P

Introduction Resistance training (RT) combined with aerobic training (AT) enhances the effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it remains to be investigated which type of RT (high loads (HLs) vs low loads (LLs)) is more efficacious in improving exercise performance, cardio-metabolic health and quality of life.Methods and analysis A randomised, controlled, clinical trial will enrol 20 patients with CAD into each of three study arms (total 60 patients): HL-RT (70%–80% of one repetition maximum (1-RM)) combined with AT; LL-RT (30%–40% of 1-RM) combined with AT and AT alone as standard care. Primary outcomes (maximal aerobic capacity, maximal leg isometric strength) will be assessed at baseline and after 36 training sessions. Other outcomes will include acute haemodynamic responses to LL-RT and HL-RT, body composition, physical performance, blood biomarkers (lipids, glucose metabolism, inflammation, growth factors), physical activity and quality of life. The intention-to-treat principle will be used to analyse the data.Ethics and dissemination The study design and protocol have been approved by the National Medical Ethics Committee of Slovenia (registration number: 0120-573/2019/15). The study will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The results of the study will be published as peer-reviewed manuscripts and congress presentations, communicated with patients and the clinical community, and shared through posts on social media. The findings of the study will be disseminated among the national CR clinical community (CR centres, Slovenian association of coronary clubs) with active participation of the patients enrolled in the study. This study will expand our knowledge of RT in combination with AT in CR. We expect to find different effects of HL-RT versus LL-RT, with implications for RT strategies in rehabilitation of patients with CAD.Trial registration number NCT04638764.

Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) levels in healthy adults are predominately based on self-reporting measures, which generally overestimate PA but underestimate SB. Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) eligible for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) follow an individualized program; thus, objective assessment of physical performance and regular daily activity is required. This study aimed to compare self-reported and objectively measured PA and SB in patients with CAD prior to out-patient CR. We included 91 patients with CAD and assessed their PA with an accelerometer for 8 days prior to CR, along with the short form of the international physical activity questionnaire. We found that most patients were sedentary (61%, ~8 h/day), and on average performed 63 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). Males performed less daily light-intensity physical activity (−5%, p = 0.011) and performed more MVPA (+2%, p = 0.002) compared to females. Maximal aerobic capacity was significantly associated with MVPA (Spearman rho = 0.483, p < 0.001) and MVPA > 10 min bouts (Spearman rho = 0.391, p < 0.001). Self-reported measures overestimated MVPA (total MVPA, +108 min/day, p < 0.001; MVPA > 10 min bouts, +152 min, p < 0.001) and underestimated SB (−174 min/day, p < 0.001) compared to objective measures. There was no significant correlation between methods in MVPA (Spearman rho = 0.147, p = 0.165)), MVPA > 10 min bouts (Spearman rho = −0.059, p = 576), and SB (Spearman rho = 0.139, p = 0.187). Quantitative analysis demonstrated the huge proportional bias for MVPA, MVPA > 10 min bouts, and SB. Our findings demonstrate that self-reported physical activity provides inaccurate estimates of MVPA and SB in patients with CAD entering the ambulatory CR. This strongly supports the more objective assessments of daily PA, preferably using an accelerometer.

In chronic diseases, hypoxia and physical inactivity are associated with atherosclerosis progression. In contrast, a lower mortality from coronary artery disease and stroke is observed in healthy humans residing at high altitude in hypoxic environments. Eleven young, male volunteers completed the following 10-day campaigns in a randomized order: hypoxic ambulatory, hypoxic bed rest and normoxic bed rest. Before intervention, subjects were evaluated in normoxic ambulatory condition. Normobaric hypoxia was achieved in a hypoxic facility simulating 4000 m of altitude. Following hypoxia, either in bed rest or ambulatory condition, markers of cardiometabolic risk shifted toward a more atherogenic pattern consisting of: (a) lower levels of total HDL cholesterol and HDL2 sub-fraction and decreased hepatic lipase; (b) activation of systemic inflammation, as determined by C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A; (c) increased plasma homocysteine; (d) decreased delta-5 desaturase index in cell membrane fatty acids, a marker of insulin sensitivity. Bed rest and hypoxia additively decreased total HDL and delta-5 desaturase index. In parallel to the pro-atherogenic effects, hypoxia activated selected anti-atherogenic pathways, consisting of increased circulating TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a protective factor against atherosclerosis, membrane omega-3 index and erythrocyte glutathione availability. Hypoxia mediated changes in TRAIL concentrations and redox glutathione capacity (i.e., GSH/GSSG ratio) were greater in ambulatory conditions (+34 ± 6% and +87 ± 31%, respectively) than in bed rest (+17 ± 7% and +2 ± 27% respectively). Hypoxia-induced cardiometabolic risk is blunted by moderate level of physical activity as compared to bed rest. TRAIL and glutathione redox capacity may contribute to the positive interaction between physical activity and hypoxia.Highlights:– Hypoxia and bed rest activate metabolic and inflammatory markers of atherogenesis.– Hypoxia and physical activity activate selected anti-atherogenic pathways.– Hypoxia and physical activity positive interaction involves TRAIL and glutathione.