Multimorbidity in Incident Heart Failure: Characterisation and Impact on 1-Year Outcomes.

: Heart failure (HF) is usually accompanied by other comorbidities, which, altogether, have a major impact on patients and healthcare systems. Our aim was to analyse the demographic and clinical characteristics of incident HF patients and the effect of comorbidities on one-year health outcomes. : This was an observational, retrospective, population-based study of incident HF patients between 2014 and 2018 in the EpiChron Cohort, Spain.

Prognostic Impact of Induced Natriuresis in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and Its Association with Intraabdominal Pressure and Other Congestion Markers: A Multimodal Approach to Congestion Assessment.

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.

Clinical characteristics of heart failure patients with mid-range ejection fraction.

Background: We aimed to characterise and compare the clinical profile of heart failure (HF) with mid-range (HFmrEF), reduced (HFrEF) and preserved (HFpEF) left-ventricular ejection fraction.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive, observational study in 267 HF patients admitted to the Internal Medicine department of a tertiary hospital during 2010-2016. The study population was divided into three groups according to the ejection fraction rate: HFrEF (<40%), HFmrEF (40-49%), and HFpEF (≥50%).

Multiple Approaches at Admission Based on Lung Ultrasound and Biomarkers Improves Risk Identification in COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Risk stratification of COVID-19 patients is fundamental to improving prognosis and selecting the right treatment. We hypothesized that a combination of lung ultrasound (LUZ-score), biomarkers (sST2), and clinical models (PANDEMYC score) could be useful to improve risk stratification.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study designed to analyze the prognostic value of lung ultrasound, sST2, and PANDEMYC score in COVID-19 patients.

Point-of-care lung ultrasound assessment for risk stratification and therapy guiding in COVID-19 patients: a prospective noninterventional study.

Background: Lung ultrasound is feasible for assessing lung injury caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the prognostic meaning and time-line changes of lung injury assessed by lung ultrasound in COVID-19 hospitalised patients are unknown.

Methods: Prospective cohort study designed to analyse prognostic value of lung ultrasound in COVID-19 patients by using a quantitative scale (lung ultrasound Zaragoza (LUZ)-score) during the first 72 h after admission.

Sex Differences in Comorbidity, Therapy, and Health Services' Use of Heart Failure in Spain: Evidence from Real-World Data.

Heart failure (HF) is becoming increasingly prevalent and affects both men and women. However, women have traditionally been underrepresented in HF clinical trials. In this study, we aimed to analyze sex differences in the comorbidity, therapy, and health services' use of HF patients.

Multimorbidity patterns in patients with heart failure: an observational Spanish study based on electronic health records.

Objectives: To characterise the comorbidities of heart failure (HF) in men and women, to explore their clustering into multimorbidity patterns, and to measure the impact of such patterns on the risk of hospitalisation and mortality.

Design: Observational retrospective population study based on electronic health records.

Setting: EpiChron Cohort (Aragón, Spain).

[Utility intervention programs in the evolutional control of patients with heart failure].

Acute heart failure (HF) is a prevalent disease with important socio-economic repercussions. Due to the aging of population, these values will increase in the coming years, so it may be useful to the implementation of intervention programs in these patients to decrease morbidity and mortality. A quasi-experimental prospective study (n = 262) of patients admitted at the Internal Medicine Department of the Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, in Zaragoza, Spain, diagnosed of HF between November 2013 and October 2014 (both dates inclusive) (n = 108) followed up for 1 year was performed.

Influence of blood pressure at the beginning of decompensations in the prognosis of patients with heart failure.

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.

Precipitating factors of heart failure admission: Differences related to age and left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aim: To evaluate precipitating factors (PF) of exacerbation in heart failure (HF) and their relationship with age, preserved vs. reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and short-term prognosis.

Methods: We included and followed 2962 patients admitted with acute HF to Internal Medicine Units.

[Vasoactive and inotropic drugs in acute heart failure].

Vasoactive and inotropic drugs provide effective symptomatic and hemodynamic relief in the short term but can increase mortality in the long-term. Consequently, their use should be restricted to the indications described in clinical practice guidelines. The present article reviews the main drugs and the available evidence on their use.

Basal functional status predicts three-month mortality after a heart failure hospitalization in elderly patients - the prospective RICA study.

Background: Many elderly heart failure (HF) patients show some degree of functional impairment. The study aim was to evaluate the functional status of oldest-old cohort of patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of decompensated (HF), and to analyze whether preadmission functional status predicts risk of 3-month mortality.

Methods: We analyzed 1431 elderly (≥ 75 years) patients prospectively included in the Spanish National Registry on HF (RICA).

Prognostic utility of NT-proBNP in acute exacerbations of chronic pulmonary diseases.

Background: The prognostic value of NT-proBNP levels in patients admitted to hospital due to acute exacerbations of chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs) is unknown.

Setting: Internal Medicine units at two general hospitals.

Methods: NT-proBNP levels were obtained within 72 h after admission in 192 consecutive patients with acute exacerbations of CPDs and no history of heart failure or diuretic treatment.

[Prognostic value of NT-proBNP in chronic pulmonary disease exacerbation].

Background And Objective: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is produced and released mainly from ventricles. BNP has been shown to be useful in diagnosis and prognosis in heart failure and some pulmonary conditions. The aim of this study is to analyse whether NT-proBNP has a prognostic value in chronic pulmonary patients without overt heart failure.

Propeptide of procollagen type I (PIP) and outcomes in decompensated heart failure.

Background: Changes in extracellular matrix are recognized as a contributing factor in the cardiac remodeling process. Several studies have addressed the value of turnover markers of collagen as predictors of death or new heart failure episodes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between peripheral serum concentration of propeptide of procollagen type I (PIP) and outcomes in patients with decompensated heart failure.

[Cardiac injury after indirect lightning strike].

Lightning strike is one of the most frequent causes of death due to natural phenomena. In such cases, cardiac injury is the main cause of death, with type of lesion varying by type of impact. We report the case of a 29-year-old woman who was struck indirectly by lightning.