European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jun 2020
The impact of COVID-19 on heart failure hospitalization and management: report from a Heart Failure Unit in London during the peak of the pandemic.
To examine the impact of COVID-19 on acute heart failure (AHF) hospitalization rates, clinical characteristics and management of patients admitted to a tertiary Heart Failure Unit in London during the peak of the pandemic. ⋯ Incident AHF hospitalization significantly declined in our centre during the COVID-19 pandemic, but hospitalized patients had more severe symptoms at admission. Further studies are needed to investigate whether the incidence of AHF declined or patients did not present to hospital while the national lockdown and social distancing restrictions were in place. From a public health perspective, it is imperative to ascertain whether this will be associated with worse long-term outcomes.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · May 2020
Case ReportsMyocardial localization of coronavirus in COVID-19 cardiogenic shock.
We describe the first case of acute cardiac injury directly linked to myocardial localization of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a 69-year-old patient with flu-like symptoms rapidly degenerating into respiratory distress, hypotension, and cardiogenic shock. The patient was successfully treated with venous-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and mechanical ventilation. Cardiac function fully recovered in 5 days and ECMO was removed. Endomyocardial biopsy demonstrated low-grade myocardial inflammation and viral particles in the myocardium suggesting either a viraemic phase or, alternatively, infected macrophage migration from the lung.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Apr 2020
Trends in cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction.
Few studies describe recent changes in the prevalence, management, and outcomes of cardiogenic shock (CS) patients complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the era of widespread use of invasive strategies. The aim of the present study was to analyse trends observed in CS complicating AMI over the past 10 years, focusing on the timing of CS occurrence (i.e. primary CS, CS on admission vs. secondary CS, CS developed subsequently during hospitalization). ⋯ Cardiogenic shock complicating AMI has become less frequent but, if present, CS, and particularly secondary CS, carries a very high mortality, which has not substantially improved over the past 10 years, in spite of the more frequent use of invasive strategies.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Apr 2020
Clinical value of pre-discharge bio-adrenomedullin as a marker of residual congestion and high risk of heart failure hospital readmission.
Recently, bio-adrenomedullin (bio-ADM) was proposed as a congestion marker in heart failure (HF). In the present study, we aimed to study whether bio-ADM levels at discharge from a hospital admission for worsening HF could provide additional information on (residual) congestion status, diuretic dose titration and clinical outcomes. ⋯ In hospitalised HF patients, elevated pre-discharge bio-ADM levels were associated with higher discharge loop diuretic doses and reflected residual congestion. Patients with combined higher bio-ADM levels and higher loop diuretic use at discharge had an increased risk of rehospitalisation. Assessment of discharge bio-ADM levels may be a readily applicable marker to identify patients with residual congestion at higher risk of early hospital readmission.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Feb 2020
Meta AnalysisTroponins and brain natriuretic peptides for the prediction of cardiotoxicity in cancer patients: a meta-analysis.
Cardiac biomarkers are a mainstay in diagnosis of cardiovascular disease but their role in cardio-oncology has not yet been systematically evaluated. This meta-analysis aims to determine whether cardiac troponins and (N-terminal pro) brain natriuretic peptide (BNP/NT-proBNP) predict cancer therapy-related left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. ⋯ Elevated troponin levels predict LV dysfunction in patients receiving cancer therapy. Assessment of troponin levels may qualify as a screening test to identify patients who require referral to cardio-oncology units and benefit from preventive strategies. Further evidence is required for both biomarkers.