High Plasma Docosahexaenoic Acid Associated to Better Prognoses of Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

The clinical relevance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in heart failure remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between PUFA levels and the prognosis of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This retrospective study included 140 hospitalized patients with acute decompensated HFpEF (median age 84.0 years, 42.9% men). The patients' nutritional status was assessed, using the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), and their plasma levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) were measured before discharge. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. During a median follow-up of 23.3 months, the primary outcome occurred in 37 patients (26.4%). A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that lower DHA and DGLA levels, but not EPA or AA levels, were significantly associated with an increase in all-cause death (log-rank; p < 0.001 and p = 0.040, respectively). A multivariate Cox regression analysis also revealed that DHA levels were significantly associated with the incidence of all-cause death (HR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.06-0.44, p = 0.001), independent of the GNRI. Our results suggest that low plasma DHA levels may be a useful predictor of all-cause mortality and potential therapeutic target in patients with acute decompensated HFpEF

Usefulness of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator combined with catheter ablation for ventricular tachyarrhythmia storms after a myocardial infarction: A case report

We report a case of a 60-year-old man with recurrent poly- and monomorphic ventricular tachycardia related to a recent myocardial infarction. Due to drug-refractory ventricular tachycardia despite complete revascularization, he underwent catheter ablation. Afterwards, he was fitted with a wearable cardioverter defibrillator. Three months later, no ventricular tachycardia had been recorded and an electrophysiologic study failed to induce an episode. Thus, wearable cardioverter defibrillators are useful bridging devices pending a final decision to implant a cardioverter defibrillator

Successful radiofrequency catheter ablation assisted by the CartoSound® system for outflow tract origin nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in a patient with a severely deformed thorax

We report the case of a 72-year-old man with a nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and a history of palpitations. He had a severely deformed thorax since childhood due to spinal caries. An integrated computed tomography image of the outflow tract region from the CartoSound® system revealed the detailed anatomical information around the origin of the tachycardia and that the left anterior descending coronary artery was very close (<10 mm) to the target site. We carefully ablated that site with a 3.5-mm cooled-tip catheter while confirming it in the sound view, and succeeded without any complications

Genetic Background of Japanese Patients with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Summary. The pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is not understood well. Therefore, it is necessary to examine genetic influences on NASH pathogenesis. Two functional polymorphisms were studied: the -493 G/T polymorphism in the promoter of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) and the 1183 T/C polymorphism in the mitochondrial targeting sequence of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). The G allele in the MTP promoter leads to decreased MTP transcription, less export of triglyceride from hepatocytes, and greater intracellular triglyceride accumulation. In addition, glucose intolerance with hyperinsulinemia, which may be responsible for down-regulating MTP mRNA expression, is frequent among NASH patients, as observed in caucasians. The T allele in the MnSOD mitochondrial targeting sequence leads to less transport of MnSOD to the mitochondria. Blood samples from patients with biopsy-proven NASH and healthy controls were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Functional polymorphisms in MTP and MnSOD were revealed to be involved in determining susceptibility to NASH in Japanese

Innovative clinical pathway shortened the length of hospital stay and prevented readmission in patients with acute decompensated heart failure

Background: With the rapidly aging population in Japan, the number of patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is increasing. Mitoyo General Hospital created an innovative clinical pathway (CP) for promoting early discharge in patients with ADHF. Major points of the CP were as follows: using tolvaptan as a standard therapy, completing the acute therapies within three days, and starting cardiac rehabilitation from the second day after admission. Methods: We collected data for patients with ADHF who were admitted to our hospital before introduction of the CP (non-CP group) (April 2014-July 2015) and after introduction of the CP (CP group) (August 2015-July 2019). We investigated the impact of the CP on the length of hospital stay (LOHS) and readmission after discharge. Results: After screening, 593 patients were enrolled in this study. After performing propensity score matching, 129 patients in the non-CP group and 129 patients in the CP group were analyzed. LOHS of patients in the CP group was significantly shorter than that of patients in the non-CP group [20 (14-28) days vs 12 (8-21) days] (p < 0.001) without an increase in mortality during hospitalization or an increase in the rate of readmission due to ADHF within 30 days. Use of the CP was an independent negative factor contributing to LOHS for patients with ADHF, even after adjustment of other factors including the use of tolvaptan (p < 0.001). The CP significantly decreased the proportion of patients readmitted to hospitals due to ADHF within 6 months [n = 32 (27%) vs n = 18 ( 15%), p = 0.026] and 1 year [n = 40 (34%) vs n = 23 ( 19%), p = 0.009] after discharge compared to the proportion in the non-CP group. Conclusions: The CP significantly reduced the LOHS of patients without increasing the in-hospital mortality and it also reduced the risk of readmission in the mid-term and long-term. (c) 2021 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved