Admission and discharge sodium: Chloride ratio in acute heart failure - The importance of electrolytes.

Background: Chloride has prognostic implications in heart failure (HF). The sodium:chloride (Na:Cl) ratio gathers information of both ions.

Objectives: To study the prognostic impact of Na:Cl ratio in acute HF.

Elevated Cystatin C Predicts Higher Mortality in Chronic Heart Failure Independently of Renal Function.

Introduction: Cystatin C (CysC) is a known prognostic marker in cardiovascular diseases and its role in acute heart failure (HF) has been documented.

Methods: We prospectively recruited HF patients followed in a HF clinic. Inclusion criteria: HF diagnosed ≥6 months, optimized evidence-based therapy, and ejection fraction <40% (Heart Failure with reduced ejection fraction).

Prognostic association of circulating relaxin-2 in acute heart failure.

Background: Despite the increasing interest in the study of the endogenous relaxin system in heart failure (HF), its role as a prognostic marker in acute HF remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association of relaxin-2 circulating levels with 6 months' mortality in acute HF.

Methods: We evaluated relaxin-2 serum levels at admission in a cohort of patients with acute HF (n = 202) using an enzyme immunoassay.

Quality of nutritional uptake of community-dwelling, care-dependent older adults in Zurich.

Objective: This study evaluated the quality of nutritional uptake of the care-dependent, community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Community-dwelling care-dependent elders were recruited in this study. The food items along with their nutritional content were extracted from the participants' refrigerators and categorized according to the NOVA classification (G1: unprocessed/minimally processed; G2: processed culinary ingredients; G3: processed; G4: ultra-processed).

Even a low comorbidity burden predicts poor outcome in chronic heart failure.

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) often have multiple cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and comorbidities (CMB). We evaluated the impact of additive CMB and CVRF in HF prognosis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed ambulatory patients with systolic dysfunction between January 2012 and May 2018.

Prognostic impact of red blood cell distribution width in chronic heart failure patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Aims: Red blood cell (RBC) distribution width (RDW) measures RBC variations in size. Higher RDW values have been associated with poor outcome in acute heart failure (HF). We aimed to assess the prognostic impact of the RDW in chronic HF.

Predictors of cancer in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) can occur as a manifestation of an underlying cancer and be of paraneoplastic aetiology. A previously unknown cancer is sometimes diagnosed after the acute PE diagnosis. The identification of a group of patients with elevated probability of having an occult cancer underlying PE was never performed.

Influence of weight variation on long-term mortality of patients with heart failure.

Background: In heart failure, weight loss predicts dismal prognosis. Weight variations have not been addressed in obese patients with heart failure.

Aim: To study the impact of weight variation on heart failure mortality according to body mass index strata.

Benzodiazepine use and mortality in chronic heart failure.

Introduction: The prognostic implications of using benzodiazepines (BZD) in heart failure (HF) patients are still unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the association of BZD use with all‑cause death in ambulatory, chronic HF patients.

Patients And Methods: We investigated a retrospective cohort of ambulatory HF patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD).

Cushing's Syndrome Behind Hypokalemia and Severe Infection: A Case Report.

Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare condition associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Complications derive from hypercortisolism and are mainly cardiovascular, infectious and thrombotic. Most manifestations are unspecific, and the diagnosis is frequently delayed and made only in the setting of complications.

Low stress hyperglycemia ratio predicts worse prognosis in diabetic acute heart failure patients.

Introduction: Acute blood glucose but not glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) predicts poor outcome in acute heart failure (HF). The stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) has been proposed as a prognostic predictor in various clinical settings.

Objectives: We assessed the prognostic implications of the SHR in acute HF patients with and without diabetes.

Prognostic impact of neurohormonal modulation in very old patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: A gap in evidence exists concerning the survival-benefit of neurohormonal blockade in older patients with chronic heart failure (HF). The purpose of our study was to investigate the neurohormonal modulation therapy in older HF patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data on chronic HF patients with systolic dysfunction from January 2012 to May 2018 at a central tertiary academic hospital in Porto, Portugal.

Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Dialysis in McArdle Disease: A Case Report of a Rarely Seen Presentation.

McArdle disease is a genetic disorder that leads to impaired glycogenolysis in the muscle, resulting in exercise intolerance, fatigue, myalgias, and basal elevation of creatine kinase (CK). We report a case of a young woman with McArdle disease who had an episode of acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring temporary hemodialysis (HD), with subsequent complete recovery of renal function. We aim to report a rare clinical presentation of an already rare disease and discuss the possible causes involved; therefore, contributing to a better knowledge of the disease.

Bradycardia, Renal Failure, Atrioventricular Nodal Blockade, Shock, and Hyperkalemia Syndrome due to Amlodipine: A Case Report of an Underdiagnosed Medical Condition.

We report the case of an 89-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency department with BRASH syndrome, an acronym that stands for bradycardia, renal failure, atrioventricular nodal blockade, shock, and hyperkalemia, which is an underdiagnosed and recently described clinical entity. Contrary to either hyperkalemia or atrioventricular nodal blockade alone, this syndrome represents the synergistic combination of both together, creating a vicious cycle. Conservative treatment of each component, avoiding invasive measures like dialysis or pacing, usually leads to complete resolution.

CA-125 variation in acute heart failure: a single-centre analysis.

Aims: A decrease in carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) predicts survival advantage in chronic heart failure (HF); the impact of its variation in acute HF is unknown. We studied the association of CA-125 decrease with prognosis in acute HF.

Methods And Results: We studied acute hospitalized HF patients.

The ratio of furosemide dosage to urinary sodium concentration predicts mortality in patients with chronic stable heart failure.

Introduction: The urinary sodium (UNa) concentration is associated with outcomes in patients with acute heart failure (HF). Its impact in individuals with chronic HF is unknown.

Objectives: This study examined the combined effect of diuretic dosage and UNa concentration in chronic HF.

The prognostic impact of uric acid in acute heart failure according to coexistence of diabetes mellitus.

Background And Aims: Increased uric acid levels predict higher mortality in heart failure (HF) patients. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) appear to have increased xanthine oxidase activity. We aimed to study if the association between uric acid and mortality in acute HF was different according to the coexistence of DM.

Acute on chronic heart failure-Which variations on B-type natriuretic peptide levels?

Objective: Natriuretic peptides are useful diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute shortness of breath. However, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level represents a single snapshot in time, while changes relative to a patient's baseline may be useful in risk stratification. We aimed to define the variation of BNP levels between chronic stable and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) that is associated with significant clinical outcomes.

Dynamics of growth differentiation factor 15 in acute heart failure.

Aims: Risk stratification in acute heart failure (HF) patients can help to decide therapies and time for discharge. The potential of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) in HF has been previously shown. We aimed to study the importance of GDF-15-level variations in acute HF patients.

Glucose variability predicts 6-month mortality in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure.

In diabetes mellitus (DM), glycaemic fluctuations associate with higher oxidative stress than sustained chronic hyperglycaemia and glucose variability increases the risk of chronic diabetic complications. Our hypothesis was that higher glucose variability would associate with mortality after an acute heart failure (HF) episode. We retrospectively analysed patients with DM hospitalized with acute HF between 2009 and 2010.

The Influence of Gender in The Prognostic Impact of Diabetes mellitus in acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) predicts ominous outcomes in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). The influence of gender on the prognostic impact of DM in PE is unknown. We did a retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients hospitalized with PE between 2006 and 2013.

Asymptomatic Hyperinsulinaemic Hypoglycaemia.

Unlabelled: Hypoglycaemia is rare in apparently well patients without drug-treated diabetes mellitus and warrants evaluation and management when Whipple's triad is present. Even in the absence of Whipple's triad, when repeatedly low values of plasma glucose are documented, the presence of endogenous hyperinsulinism should be investigated. The authors describe a case of endogenous hypoglycaemic hyperinsulinism, its diagnosis and treatment and the challenges of determining its aetiology.