IMPROV-ED study : outcomes after discharge for an episode of acute-decompensated heart failure and comparison between patients discharged from the emergency department and hospital wards

Objective To define the short-and mid-term outcomes of patients discharged after an episode of acute-decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and evaluate the differences between patients discharged directly from the emergency department (ED) and those discharged after hospitalization. Methods We performed a prospective, multicenter, cohort-designed study, including consecutive patients diagnosed with ADHF in 27 Spanish EDs. Thirty-four variables on epidemiology, comorbidity, baseline status, vital signs, signs of congestion, laboratory tests, and treatment were collected in every patient. The primary outcome was a combined endpoint of ED revisit (without hospitalization) or hospitalization due to ADHF, or all-cause death. Secondary outcomes were each of these three events individually. Outcomes were obtained by survival analysis at different timepoints in the entire cohort, and crude and adjusted comparisons were carried out between patients discharged directly from the ED and after hospitalization. Results Of the 3233 patients diagnosed with ADHF during a 2-month period, we analyzed 2986 patients discharged alive: 787 (26.4%) discharged from the ED and 2199 (73.6%) after hospitalization. The cumulative percentages of events for the whole cohort (at 7/30/180 days) for the combined endpoint were 7.8/24.7/57.8; for ED revisit 2.5/9.4/25.5; for hospitalization 4.6/15.3/40.7; and for death 0.9/4.3/16.8. After adjustment for patient profile and center, significant increases were found in the hazard ratios for ED-compared to hospital-discharged patients in the combined endpoint, ED revisit and hospitalization, being higher at short-term [at 7 days, 2.373 (1.678-3.355), 2.069 (1.188-3.602), and 3.071 (1.915-4.922), respectively] than at mid-term [at 180 days, 1.368 (1.160-1.614), 1.642 (1.265-2.132), and 1.302 (1.044-1.623), respectively]. No significant differences were found in death. Conclusions Patients with ADHF discharged from the ED have worse outcomes, especially at short term, than those discharged after hospitalization. The definition and implementation of effective strategies to improve patient selection for direct ED discharge are needed.Peer reviewe

Morphine Use in the ED and Outcomes of Patients With Acute Heart Failure A Propensity Score-Matching Analysis Based on the EAHFE Registry

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the relationship between short-term mortality and intravenous morphine use in ED patients who received a diagnosis of acute heart failure (AHF). METHODS: Consecutive patients with AHF presenting to 34 Spanish EDs from 2011 to 2014 were eligible for inclusion. The subjects were divided into those with (M) or without IV morphine treatment (WOM) groups during ED stay. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes were mortality at different intermediate time points, in-hospital mortality, and length of hospital stay. We generated a propensity score to match the M and WOM groups that were 1:1 according to 46 different epidemiological, baseline, clinical, and therapeutic factors. We investigated independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in patients receiving morphine. RESULTS: We included 6,516 patients (mean age, 81 [SD, 10] years; 56% women): 416 (6.4%) in the M and 6,100 (93.6%) in the WOM group. Overall, 635 (9.7%; M, 26.7%; WOM, 8.6%) died by day 30. After propensity score matching, 275 paired patients constituted each group. Patients receiving morphine had a higher 30-day mortality (55 [20.0%] vs 35 [12.7%] deaths; hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.09-2.54; P=.017). In patients receiving morphine, death was directly related to glycemia (P=.013) and inversely related to the baseline Barthel index and systolic BP (P=.021) at ED arrival (P=.021). Mortality was increased at every intermediate time point, although the greatest risk was at the shortest time (at 3 days: 22 [8.0%] vs 7 [2.5%] deaths; OR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.40-7.93; P=.014). In-hospital mortality did not increase (39 [14.2%] vs 26 [9.1%] deaths; OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.97-2.82; P=.083) and LOS did not differ between groups (median [interquartile range] in M, 8 [7]; WOM, 8 [6]; P=.79). CONCLUSIONS: This propensity score-matched analysis suggests that the use of IV morphine in AHF could be associated with increased 30-day mortality.Peer reviewe

Clinical phenotypes of acute heart failure based on signs and symptoms of perfusion and congestion at emergency department presentation and their relationship with patient management and outcomes

Objective To compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute heart failure (AHF) according to clinical profiles based on congestion and perfusion determined in the emergency department (ED). Methods and results Overall, 11 261 unselected AHF patients from 41 Spanish EDs were classified according to perfusion (normoperfusion = warm; hypoperfusion = cold) and congestion (not = dry; yes = wet). Baseline and decompensation characteristics were recorded as were the main wards to which patients were admitted. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality; secondary outcomes were need for hospitalisation during the index AHF event, in-hospital all-cause mortality, prolonged hospitalisation, 7-day post-discharge ED revisit for AHF and 30-day post-discharge rehospitalisation for AHF. A total of 8558 patients (76.0%) were warm+ wet, 1929 (17.1%) cold+ wet, 675 (6.0%) warm+ dry, and 99 (0.9%) cold+ dry; hypoperfused (cold) patients were more frequently admitted to intensive care units and geriatrics departments, and warm+ wet patients were discharged home without admission. The four phenotypes differed in most of the baseline and decompensation characteristics. The 1-year mortality was 30.8%, and compared to warm+ dry, the adjusted hazard ratios were significantly increased for cold+ wet (1.660; 95% confidence interval 1.400-1.968) and cold+ dry (1.672; 95% confidence interval 1.189-2.351). Hypoperfused (cold) phenotypes also showed higher rates of index episode hospitalisation and in-hospital mortality, while congestive (wet) phenotypes had a higher risk of prolonged hospitalisation but decreased risk of rehospitalisation. No differences were observed among phenotypes in ED revisit risk. Conclusions Bedside clinical evaluation of congestion and perfusion of AHF patients upon ED arrival and classification according to phenotypic profiles proposed by the latest European Society of Cardiology guidelines provide useful complementary information and help to rapidly predict patient outcomes shortly after ED patient arrival