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.

The Association Between Intra-abdominal Pressure and Diuretic Response in Heart Failure.

Purpose Of The Review: An efficient diuretic response is vital during cardiac decompensation in heart failure (HF) patients. The increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) could be one of the keys for understanding cardiorenal syndrome and guiding diuretic treatment during hospitalization. In this review, we analyze the relationship between IAP and diuretic response in HF patients.

Prognostic value of early reassessment of reduced ejection fraction in acute heart failure.

Background And Objectives: An improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with heart failure (HF) is associated with a better prognosis. Identifying these subjects early after an episode of decompensation, the necessary threshold of LVEF improvement, and its predictive factors are of great interest.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and ten patients hospitalized for HF were prospectively reassessed at an early outpatient visit (mean of 38 days).

Comparative analysis of chest radiography and lung ultrasound to predict intra-hospital prognosis of patients admitted for acute SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (COVID-19).

Background: Point of care lung ultrasound (POCUS) has been recently used to assess prognosis in COVID-19 patients. However, there are no data comparing POCUS and chest-X ray, a technique widely used.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective analysis in stable COVID-19 patients.

Elevated urinary kidney injury molecule 1 at discharge strongly predicts early mortality following an episode of acute decompensated heart failure.

Introduction: Hospitalization for acute decompensation of heart failure (ADHF) is a frequent event associated with long‑term adverse effects. Prognosis is even worse if acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs during hospitalization.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine whether kidney damage biomarkers neutrophil gelatinase‑associatedlipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM‑1), and interleukin18 (IL‑18) might predict AKI and have prognostic value in ADHF.

Utility of plasma CA125 as a proxy of intra-abdominal pressure in patients with acute heart failure.

Aims: Increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is now considered a potential contributor to organ damage and disease progression in acute heart failure (AHF). In this work, we aimed to determine if antigen carbohydrate 125 (CA125) is associated with IAP and to identify a cutpoint of CA125 useful for ruling out intra-abdominal hypertension (defined as IAP ≥ 12 mmHg).

Methods And Results: We prospectively evaluated a cohort of 53 patients admitted with AHF in which IAP was measured within the first 24-h of admission.

Comparative analysis of chest radiography and lung ultrasound to predict intra-hospital prognosis of patients admitted for acute SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (COVID-19).

Background: Point of care lung ultrasound (POCUS) has been recently used to assess prognosis in COVID-19 patients. However, there are no data comparing POCUS and chest-X ray, a technique widely used.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective analysis in stable COVID-19 patients.

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.

Early Measurement of Blood sST2 Is a Good Predictor of Death and Poor Outcomes in Patients Admitted for COVID-19 Infection.

Although several biomarkers have shown correlation to prognosis in COVID-19 patients, their clinical value is limited because of lack of specificity, suboptimal sensibility or poor dynamic behavior. We hypothesized that circulating soluble ST2 (sST2) could be associated to a worse outcome in COVID-19. In total, 152 patients admitted for confirmed COVID-19 were included in a prospective non-interventional, observational study.

Variation in intraabdominal pressure in patients with acute heart failure according to left ventricular ejection fraction. Results of an intraabdominal pressure study.

Background: The increase in intraabdominal pressure (IAP) has been correlated with increased creatinine levels in patients with heart failure with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, IAP has not been examined in more stable patients or those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Patients And Method: We conducted an observational, prospective descriptive study that measured the IAP of patients hospitalised for decompensated heart failure (HF).

Prognostic value of multimodal assessment of congestion in acute heart failure.

Background: A physical examination has limited performance in estimating systemic venous congestion and predicting mortality in patients with heart failure. We have evaluated the usefulness of the N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), lung ultrasound findings, relative plasma volume (rPV) estimation, and the urea/creatinine ratio as surrogate parameters of venous congestion and predictors of mortality.

Methods: This work is a retrospective study of 203 patients admitted for acute heart failure in a tertiary hospital's internal medicine department with follow-up in a specialized outpatient clinic between 2013 and 2018.

Consensus on improving the comprehensive care of patients with acute heart failure.

The latest acute heart failure (AHF) consensus document from the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC, for its initials in Spanish), Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), and Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine (SEMES) was published in 2015, which made an update covering the main novelties regarding AHF from the last few years necessary. These include publication of updated European guidelines on HF in 2016, new studies on the pharmacological treatment of patients during hospitalization, and other recent developments regarding AHF such as early treatment, intermittent treatment, advanced HF, and refractory congestion. This consensus document was drafted with the aim of updating all aspects related to AHF and to create a document that comprehensively describes the diagnosis, treatment, and management of this disease.

Consensus on improving the comprehensive care of patients with acute heart failure.

The latest acute heart failure consensus document from the Spanish Society of Cardiology, Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, and Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine was published in 2015, which made an update covering the main novelties regarding acute heart failure from the last few years necessary. These include publication of updated European guidelines on heart failure in 2016, new studies on the pharmacological treatment of patients during hospitalization, and other recent developments regarding acute heart failure such as early treatment, intermittent treatment, advanced heart failure, and refractory congestion. This consensus document was drafted with the aim of updating all aspects related to acute heart failure and to create a document that comprehensively describes the diagnosis, treatment, and management of this disease.

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.

The influenza virus NS1A binding protein gene modulates macrophages response to cytokines and phagocytic potential in inflammation.

Macrophages show remarkable phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental signals. Although it is generally less considered, cytoskeletal changes in macrophages influence their phenotype, including phagocytosis and secretion of soluble cytokines. Influenza virus NS1A-binding protein (Ivns1abp) belongs to the Kelch family of proteins that play a central role in actin cytoskeleton dynamics by directly associating with F-actin and by protecting against actin derangement.

Epidemiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Results from the RICA Registry.

Introduction And Objectives: There is great interest in better characterizing patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF). The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence, progression over time and to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with HF-PEF.

Methods: From the National Registry of Heart Failure (RICA, prospective multicentre cohort study) we analysed patients consecutively admitted for HF in Internal Medicine wards over a period of 11 years (2008-2018).

Variation in intraabdominal pressure in patients with acute heart failure according to left ventricular ejection fraction. Results of an intraabdominal pressure study.

Background: The increase in intraabdominal pressure (IAP) has been correlated with increased creatinine levels in patients with heart failure with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, IAP has not been examined in more stable patients or those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Patients And Method: We conducted an observational, prospective descriptive study that measured the IAP of patients hospitalised for decompensated heart failure (HF).

Intra-abdominal pressure and its relationship with markers of congestion in patients admitted for acute decompensated heart failure.

Systemic congestion is one of the mechanisms involved in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), elicited by abdominal congestion, has been related to acute kidney injury and prognosis. Nonetheless, the link between diuretic response, surrogate markers of congestion and renal function remains poorly understood.

Prognostic value of multimodal assessment of congestion in acute heart failure.

Background: A physical examination has limited performance in estimating systemic venous congestion and predicting mortality in patients with heart failure. We have evaluated the usefulness of the N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), lung ultrasound findings, relative plasma volume (rPV) estimation, and the urea/creatinine ratio as surrogate parameters of venous congestion and predictors of mortality.

Methods: This work is a retrospective study of 203 patients admitted for acute heart failure in a tertiary hospital's internal medicine department with follow-up in a specialized outpatient clinic between 2013 and 2018.