Heart failure in COVID-19 patients: prevalence, incidence and prognostic implications

Aims: Data on the impact of COVID-19 in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients and its potential to trigger acute heart failure (AHF) are lacking. The aim of this work was to study characteristics, cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection and a prior diagnosis of heart failure (HF). Further aims included the identification of predictors and prognostic implications for AHF decompensation during hospital admission and the determination of a potential correlation between the withdrawal of HF guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and worse outcomes during hospitalization. Methods and results: Data for a total of 3080 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection and follow-up of at least 30 days were analysed. Patients with a previous history of CHF (n = 152, 4.9%) were more prone to the development of AHF (11.2% vs. 2.1%; P < 0.001) and had higher levels of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide. In addition, patients with previous CHF had higher mortality rates (48.7% vs. 19.0%; P < 0.001). In contrast, 77 patients (2.5%) were diagnosed with AHF, which in the vast majority of cases (77.9%) developed in patients without a history of HF. Arrhythmias during hospital admission and CHF were the main predictors of AHF. Patients developing AHF had significantly higher mortality (46.8% vs. 19.7%; P < 0.001). Finally, the withdrawal of beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers was associated with a significant increase in in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 have a significant incidence of AHF, which is associated with very high mortality rates. Moreover, patients with a history of CHF are prone to developing acute decompensation after a COVID-19 diagnosis. The withdrawal of GDMT was associated with higher mortalit

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation

¿Revascularización completa en el infarto de miocardio con elevación del ST?: Sí, no lo dude

Primary angioplasty is now clearly established as the best reperfusion strategy for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but the best strategy for significant stenosis at non-culprit vessels has not been adequately studied. Several randomized trials have been previously performed, but all of them with soft primary endpoints and consequently a low number of patients. The COMPLETE trial, for the first time, provides us with solid scientific evidence about what we should do in patients with STEMI and multi-vessel disease. This study included more than 4000 patients and has shown that complete revascularization reduces significantly the risk of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction.La angioplastia primaria está reconocida como la mejor estrategia de reperfusión en el infarto de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST. No obstante, la mejor estrategia para el tratamiento de las lesiones coronarias significativas en arterias no relacionadas con el infarto no se había estudiado convenientemente. Hasta la fecha se habían realizado varios estudios aleatorizados pero con objetivos de beneficio clínico de gravedad menor o «blandos» y pocos pacientes. Por primera vez, el estudio COMPLETE proporciona evidencia científica sólida sobre la estrategia terapéutica en pacientes con infarto de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST y enfermedad multivaso. Este estudio, que incluyó a más de 4.000 pacientes, ha demostrado que la revascularización completa reduce significativamente el riesgo combinado de mortalidad o infarto de miocardio

Cardiac surgery in octogenarian patients: evaluation of predictive factors of mortality, long-term outcome and quality of life

FUNDAMENTOYOBJETIVO: Debido al aumento de la esperanza de vida en los países occidentales, el número de octogenarios con enfermedades cardíacas susceptibles de tratamiento quirúrgico se ha incrementado considerablemente. El objetivo del presente estudio ha sido identificar los factores predictores de mortalidad y determinar la supervivencia y la calidad de vida a largo plazo de los octogenarios a quienes se realiza cirugía cardíaca. PACIENTESYMÉTODO: En los últimos 26 años se ha intervenido en nuestro centro a un total de 150 pacientes de 80 años o más, con una media (desviación estándar) de edad de 82,7 (2,5) años. Analizamos las variables cínicas y epidemiológicas incluidas en el euroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation), la mortalidad hospitalaria, la supervivencia a largo plazo y la calidad de vida después de la cirugía cardíaca. RESULTADOS: La mortalidad hospitalaria fue del 30,1%, con una estancia media de 16,5 días (intervalo intercuartílico, 13-27). La cirugía emergente, la reparación de una rotura cardíaca, la clase funcional IV de la New York Heart Association, la insuficiencia renal crónica y la presencia de un infarto de miocardio previo fueron predictores independientes de la mortalidad hospitalaria. El seguimiento medio fue de 72,2 (9,9) meses, con tasas de supervivencia del 87,3 y del 57% a 1 y 5 años, respectivamente. La calidad de vida en los 53 que continúan con vida en la actualidad es significativamente mejor que la que presentaban antes de la cirugía, con una mejoría de la clase funcional desde 2,52 a 1,48. La mayoría de los supervivientes (97,7%) se sienten satisfechos con su calidad de vida actual. CONCLUSIONES: La cirugía cardíaca en octogenarios se asocia con un aumento de la mortalidad y de la estancia media hospitalarias. Nuestros resultados apoyan el hecho de que en una población seleccionada de pacientes ancianos la cirugía cardíaca puede llevarse a cabo con aceptables resultados y buena calidad de vida a largo plazo.Background and objective: Increasing life expectancy in Western countries in the last decades has resulted in a significant gradual increasing number of octogenarians referred for cardiac surgery. There is a need for a critical evaluation of the long-term surgical outcome and quality of life in the elderly. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors of mortality in octogenarians undergoing cardiac surgery and to assess the long term survival and quality of life. Patients and method: Data were reviewed on 150 patients aged over 80 years--mean age (standard deviation): 82.7 (2.5) years--who underwent cardiac surgery at our institution in the last 26 years. We analyzed clinical and epidemiological variables included in the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (euroSCORE), in-hospital morbidity and mortality, long term survival and quality of life after cardiac surgery. Results: The 30-day mortality rate was 30.1%, with a mean hospital stay of 16.5 days (13-27). Emergent procedure, reparation of postinfarction ventricular ruptures, New York Heart Association functional class IV, chronic renal failure and previous myocardial infarction were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Mean follow up was 72.2 (9.9) months with survival rates of 87.3% and 57% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Late postoperative quality of life in our 53 long-term survivors was significantly better than prior to surgery. New York Heart Association functional class improved from 2.52 to 1.48. Most survivors (97.7%) were satisfied with present quality of life Conclusions: Cardiac surgery in octogenarians is associated with increased in-hospital mortality rate and longer hospital stay. Our findings support that cardiac surgery can be performed in a selected elderly population with good long-term survival and quality of life.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu