The Prognostic Role of RDW in Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients with and Without Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure (HF) are interrelated conditions that exacerbate each other through mechanisms like fluid retention, neurohormonal activation, and inflammation. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of red blood cell size variability, has emerged as a potential prognostic marker in HF. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of RDW in HF patients, both with and without CKD, focusing on all-cause mortality and HF rehospitalizations.

Pooled comparative analysis of transcatheter aortic valve replacement versus surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with left ventricular assist device.

A thorough literature search was conducted on patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) and aortic insufficiency undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We identified all original research studies that compared the long-term outcomes of surgical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (SAVR) versus TAVR for patients with LVAD, published between 1990 and 2023. The primary endpoint was the composite of in-hospital mortality, stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction (MI), pacemaker implantation, vascular complications and cardiac tamponade.

Targeting Sodium in Heart Failure.

A dominant event determining the course of heart failure (HF) includes the disruption of the delicate sodium (Na) and water balance leading to (Na) and water retention and edema formation. Although incomplete decongestion adversely affects outcomes, it is unknown whether interventions directly targeting (Na), such as strict dietary (Na) restriction, intravenous hypertonic saline, and diuretics, reverse this effect. As a result, it is imperative to implement (Na)-targeting interventions in selected HF patients with established congestion on top of quadruple therapy with angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor, β-adrenergic receptor blocker, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, and sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, which dramatically improves outcomes.

Neurohormonal Effects of Intravenous Dopamine in Patients with Acute Heart Failure.

: Many clinical trials have shown beneficial effects of low-dose dopamine on renal function, diuresis and symptom relief, or cardiac function in hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure (HF). The aim is to assess the neurohormonal effects and the effects on clinical outcomes of the addition of low-dose dopamine in furosemide treatment in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HF. : A total of 62 patients hospitalized for acute decompensation of HF, were randomly allocated to one of the following three groups: i.