Hyperuricemia treatment in acute heart failure patients does not improve their long-term prognosis: A propensity score matched analysis from the AHEAD registry.

Background: Hyperuricemia is associated with a poorer prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. Benefits of hyperuricemia treatment with allopurinol have not yet been confirmed in clinical practice. The aim of our work was to assess the benefit of allopurinol treatment in a large cohort of HF patients.

Worse prognosis of real-world patients with acute heart failure from the Czech AHEAD registry in comparison to patients from the RELAX-AHF trial.

Aims: The randomized clinical trial RELAX-AHF demonstrated a positive effect of vasodilator therapy with serelaxin in the treatment of AHF patients. The aim of our study was to compare clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients from the AHEAD registry who met criteria of the RELAX-AHF trial (relax-comparable group) with the same characteristics and outcomes of patients from the AHEAD registry who did not meet those criteria (relax-non-comparable group), and finally with characteristics and outcomes of patients from the RELAX-AHF trial.

Methods And Results: A total of 5856 patients from the AHEAD registry (Czech registry of AHF) were divided into two groups according to RELAX-AHF criteria: relax-comparable ( = 1361) and relax-non-comparable ( = 4495).

AHEAD score--Long-term risk classification in acute heart failure.

Background: The role of co-morbidities in the prognosis of patients hospitalized for AHF was examined using the AHEAD (A--atrial fibrillation, H--haemoglobin<130 g/l for men and 120 g/l for women (anaemia), E--elderly (age>70years), A--abnormal renal parameters (creatinine>130 μmol/l), D--diabetes mellitus) scoring system.

Methods: AHEAD--multicentre prospective Czech registry of AHF patients; GREAT registry--international cohort of AHF patients. Data from 5846 consecutive patients hospitalized for AHF (AHEAD registry; derivation cohort) were analysed to build the AHEAD score.

Positive influence of being overweight/obese on long term survival in patients hospitalised due to acute heart failure.

Background: Obesity is clearly associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. However, in patients with acute heart failure (AHF), an increased BMI could represent a protective marker. Studies evaluating the "obesity paradox" on a large cohort with long-term follow-up are lacking.

Prevalence and clinical significance of liver function abnormalities in patients with acute heart failure.

Aims: Liver pathology caused by cardiac dysfunction is relatively well recognized, however, its clinical importance has not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of liver function tests (LFTs) abnormalities and to identify associated factors mediating hepatic impairment in patients with acute heart failure (AHF).

Methods: The AHEAD (Acute Heart Failure Database) registry is a database conducted in 9 university hospitals and 5 regional health care facilities in the Czech Republic.