Khalid F. AlHabib

Design and preliminary results of the Heart Function Assessment Registry Trial in Saudi Arabia (HEARTS) in patients with acute and chronic heart failure

The heart function assessment registry trial in Saudi Arabia (HEARTS) is the first multicentre national quality improvement initiative in the Arab population to study the clinical features, management, and outcomes of inpatients admitted with acute heart failure (AHF) and outpatients with high‐risk chronic heart failure (HCHF).

Baseline characteristics, management practices, and in-hospital outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes: Results of the Saudi project for assessment of coronary events (SPACE) registry

OBJECTIVESnThe Saudi Project for Assessment of Coronary Events (SPACE) registry is the first in Saudi Arabia to study the clinical features, management, and in-hospital outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.nnnMETHODSnWe conducted a prospective registry study in 17 hospitals in Saudi Arabia between December 2005 and December 2007. ACS patients included those with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and unstable angina; both were reported collectively as NSTEACS (non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome).nnnRESULTSn5055 patients were enrolled with mean agexa0±xa0SD of 58xa0±xa012.9xa0years; 77.4% men, 82.4% Saudi nationals; 41.5% had STEMI, and 5.1% arrived at the hospital by ambulance. History of diabetes mellitus was present in 58.1%, hypertension in 55.3%, hyperlipidemia in 41.1%, and 32.8% were current smokers; all these were more common in NSTEACS patients, except for smoking (all Pxa0<xa00.0001). In-hospital medications were: aspirin (97.7%), clopidogrel (83.7%), beta-blockers (81.6%), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (75.1%), and statins (93.3%). Median time from symptom onset to hospital arrival for STEMI patients was 150xa0min (IQR: 223), 17.5% had primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), 69.1% had thrombolytic therapy, and 14.8% received it at less than 30xa0min of hospital arrival. In-hospital outcomes included recurrent myocardial infarction (1.5%), recurrent ischemia (12.6%), cardiogenic shock (4.3%), stroke (0.9%), major bleeding (1.3%). In-hospital mortality was 3.0%.nnnCONCLUSIONnACS patients in Saudi Arabia present at a younger age, have much higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, less access to ambulance use, delayed treatment by thrombolytic therapy, and less primary PCI compared with patients in the developed countries. This is the first national ACS registry in our country and it demonstrated knowledge-care gaps that require further improvements.

Rationale, Design, Methodology and Hospital Characteristics of the First Gulf Acute Heart Failure Registry (Gulf CARE).

Background: There is paucity of data on heart failure (HF) in the Gulf Middle East. The present paper describes the rationale, design, methodology and hospital characteristics of the first Gulf acute heart failure registry (Gulf CARE). Materials and Methods: Gulf CARE is a prospective, multicenter, multinational registry of patients >18 year of age admitted with diagnosis of acute HF (AHF). The data collected included demographics, clinical characteristics, etiology, precipitating factors, management and outcomes of patients admitted with AHF. In addition, data about hospital readmission rates, procedures and mortality at 3 months and 1-year follow-up were recorded. Hospital characteristics and care provider details were collected. Data were entered in a dedicated website using an electronic case record form. Results: A total of 5005 consecutive patients were enrolled from February 14, 2012 to November 13, 2012. Forty-seven hospitals in 7 Gulf States (Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, United Gulf Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain) participated in the project. The majority of hospitals were community hospitals (46%; 22/47) followed by non-University teaching (32%; 15/47 and University hospitals (17%). Most of the hospitals had intensive or coronary care unit facilities (93%; 44/47) with 59% (28/47) having catheterization laboratory facilities. However, only 29% (14/47) had a dedicated HF clinic facility. Most patients (71%) were cared for by a cardiologist. Conclusions: Gulf CARE is the first prospective registry of AHF in the Middle East, intending to provide a unique insight into the demographics, etiology, management and outcomes of AHF in the Middle East. HF management in the Middle East is predominantly provided by cardiologists. The data obtained from this registry will help the local clinicians to identify the deficiencies in HF management as well as provide a platform to implement evidence based preventive and treatment strategies to reduce the burden of HF in this region.

Glomerular filtration rate estimated by the CKD-EPI formula is a powerful predictor of in-hospital adverse clinical outcomes after an acute coronary syndrome.

The prognostic value of admission estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated by the new Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula for cardiovascular adverse outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was explored. Baseline eGFR was classified as no renal dysfunction (>90 mL/min per 1.73 m2), borderline (90-60.1 mL/min per 1.73 m2), moderate (60-30.1 mL/min per 1.73 m2), or severe (≤30 mL/min per 1.73 m2) renal dysfunction. Of the 5034 patients, 3415 (67.8%) had eGFR <90. Compared to patients with an eGFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, patients with <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 were less likely to be treated with β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or statins, or to undergo percutaneous coronary interventions. Lower eGFR showed a stepwise association with significantly worse adverse in-hospital outcomes. The adjusted odds ratio of in-hospital death with an eGFR <30 mL/min per 1.73 m2 was 3.1 (95% confidence interval 1.1-8.4, P = .0324), compared with an eGFR >90 mL/min per 1.73 m2. Estimated glomerular filtration rate calculated by the new CKD-EPI is an independent predictor of major adverse cardiac outcomes in patients with ACS.

The prognostic impact of in-hospital worsening of renal function in patients with acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUNDnRenal impairment is strongly linked to adverse cardiovascular (CV) events. Baseline renal dysfunction is a strong predictor of CV mortality and morbidity in patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the prognostic importance of worsening renal function (WRF) in these patients is not well characterized.nnnMETHODSnACS patients enrolled in the SPACE (Saudi Project for Assessment of Coronary Events) registry who had baseline and pre-discharge serum creatinine data available were eligible for this study. WRF was defined as a 25% reduction from admission estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) within 7 days of hospitalization. Baseline demographics, clinical presentation, therapies, and in-hospital outcomes were compared.nnnRESULTSnOf the 3583 ACS patients, WRF occurred in 225 patients (6.3%), who were older, had more cardiovascular risk factors, were more likely to be female, have past vascular disease, and presented with more non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction than patients without WRF (39.5% vs. 32.8%; p=0.042). WRF was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and stroke. After adjusting for potential confounders, WRF was an independent predictor of in-hospital death (adjusted odd ratio 28.02, 95% CI 13.2-60.28, p<0.0001). WRF was more predictive of mortality than baseline eGFR.nnnCONCLUSIONnThese results indicate that WRF is a powerful predictor for in-hospital mortality and CV complications in ACS patients.

Characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome and prior coronary artery bypass surgery: findings from the second Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events☆

OBJECTIVESnTo evaluate the baseline demographic/clinical characteristics, in-hospital treatment and outcomes among patients with or without prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) presenting as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from six Middle East countries.nnnMETHODSnData was derived from a prospective, multinational, multicenter registry of 7881 consecutive patients hospitalized with ACS in six Middle East countries. Data were analyzed according to their history of prior CABG.nnnRESULTSnOf 7881 ACS patients, 336 (4.2%) had a history of CABG. Patients with prior CABG were older (mean 63 ± 10.8 vs. 56 ± 12.6 years; P = 0.001) and more frequently to be men (76%) with significantly more prior angina, infarction and percutaneous revascularization. They were more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, prior congestive heart failure, stroke, renal failure, peripheral arterial disease and had higher prevalence of previous treatment with evidence-based medications. They were more likely to present with unstable angina (45.5% vs. 23.4%), followed by non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (43.8% vs. 29.5%), STEMI (10.7% vs. 47.1%) (All P = 0.001) with less prominent peak values of cardiac biomarkers than patients without prior CABG. Patients with prior CABG were more likely to present with significantly worse Killip class (≥ 2), higher Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score, multivessel disease, severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (LV ejection fraction ≤ 30%) and developed significantly higher cardiogenic shock and major bleeding. In patients with prior CABG, no significant difference was observed in in-hospital mortality (4.2% vs. 4.6%, P=0.735) or mortality at one month (6.5% vs. 8.2%, P=0.277) or after one year (15% vs. 12.4%, P=0.204) when compared to patients without prior CABG.nnnCONCLUSIONSnACS patients from Middle East countries with prior CABG have adverse baseline characteristics, reported higher GRACE risk score, multivessel disease, more severe LV dysfunction, cardiogenic shock, in-hospital major bleeding, but with less incidence of STEMI with less prominent surge of cardiac biomarkers. However, there was no significant difference in mortality during hospitalization, at 30 days and at one year between ACS patients with and without prior CABG. The reasons for this risk-mortality paradox need to be further evaluated.

Clinical Profile and Mortality of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Receiving Thrombolytic Therapy in the Middle East.

Objective: Little is known about thrombolytic therapy patterns in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the Middle East. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical profile and mortality of STEMI patients who arrived in hospital within 12 hours from pain onset and received thrombolytic therapy. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, multinational, multi-centre, observational survey of consecutive acute coronary syndrome patients admitted to 65 hospitals in six Middle Eastern countries during the period between October 2008 and June 2009, as part of Gulf RACE-II (Registry of Acute Coronary Events). Analyses were performed using univariate statistics. Results: Out of 2,465 STEMI patients, 66% (n = 1,586) were thrombolysed with namely: streptokinase (43%), reteplase (44%), tenecteplase (10%), and alteplase (3%). 22.7% received no reperfusion. Median age of the study cohort was 50 (45-59) years with majority being males (91%). The overall median symptom onset-to-presentation and door-to-needle times were 165 (95- 272) minutes and 38 (24-60) minutes, respectively. Generally, patients presenting with higher GRACE risk scores were treated with newer thrombolytic agents (reteplase and tenecteplase) (P < 0.001). The use of newer thrombolytic agents was associated with a significantly lower mortality at both 1-month (0.8% vs. 1.7% vs. 4.2%; P = 0.014) and 1-year (0% vs. 1.7% vs. 3.4%; P = 0.044) compared to streptokinase use. Conclusions: Majority of STEMI patients from the Middle East were thrombolysed with streptokinase and reteplase in equal numbers. Nearly one-fifth of patients did not receive any reperfusion therapy. There was inappropriately long symptom-onset to hospital presentation as well as door-to-needle times. Use of newer thrombolytic agents in high risk patients was appropriate. Newer thrombolytic agents were associated with significantly lower mortality at 1-month and 1-year compared to the older agent, streptokinase.

Initial heart rate and cardiovascular outcomes in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome.

Abstract Objectives: To assess the impact of on-admission heart rate (HR) in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from the second Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events. Patients were divided according to their initial HR into: (I: < 60, II: 60–69, III: 70–79, IV: 80–89 and V: ≥ 90 bpm). Patients’ characteristics and hospital and one- and 12-month outcomes were analyzed and compared. Results: Among 7939 consecutive ACS patients, groups I to V represented 7%, 13%, 20%, 23.5%, and 37%, respectively. Mean age was higher in groups I and V. Group V were more likely males, diabetic and hypertensive. ST-elevation myocardial infarction was the main presentation in groups I and V. Reperfusion therapies were less likely given to group V. Beta blockers were more frequently prescribed to group III in comparison to groups with higher HR. Groups I and V were associated with worse hospital outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed initial tachycardia as an independent predictor for heart failure (OR 2.2; 95%CI: 1.39–3.32), while bradycardia was independently associated with higher one-month mortality (OR 2.0; 95%CI: 1.04–3.85) Conclusion: The majority of ACS patients present with tachycardia. However, low or high HR is a marker of high risk that needs more attention and management.

Age and its relationship to acute coronary syndromes in the Saudi Project for Assessment of Coronary Events (SPACE) registry: The SPACE age study.

OBJECTIVEnTo characterize risk profile of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in different age groups and compare management provided to in-hospital outcome.nnnDESIGNnProspective multi-hospital registry.nnnSETTINGnSeventeen secondary and tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia.nnnPATIENTSnFive thousand and fifty-five patients with ACS. They were divided into four groups: ⩽40xa0years, 41-55xa0years, 56-70xa0years and ⩾70xa0years.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnprevalence, utilization and mortality.nnnRESULTSnNinety-four percent of patients <40xa0years compared to 68% of patients >70xa0years were men. Diabetes was present in 70% of patients aged 56-70xa0years. Smoking was present in 66% of those <40xa0years compared to 7% of patients >70xa0years. Fifty-three percent of the patients >70xa0years and 25% of those <40xa0years had history of ischemic heart disease. Sixty percent of patients <40xa0years presented with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) while non-ST elevation myocardial infarction was the presentation in 49% of patients >70xa0years. Thirty-four percent of patients >70xa0years compared to 10% of patients <40xa0years presented >12xa0h from symptom onset with STEMI. Fifty-four percent of patients >70 compared to 64-71% of those <70xa0years had coronary angiography. Twenty-four percent of patients >70 compared to 34-40% of those <70xa0years had percutaneous coronary intervention. Reperfusion shortfall for STEMI was 16-18% in patients >56xa0years compared to 11% in patients <40xa0years. Mortality was 7% in patients >70xa0years compared to 1.6-3% in patients <70xa0years. For all comparisons (pxa0<xa00.001).nnnCONCLUSIONSnYoung and old ACS patients have unique risk factors and present differently. Older patients have higher in-hospital mortality as they are treated less aggressively. There is an urgent need for a national prevention program as well as a systematic improvement in the care for patients with ACS including a system of care for STEMI patients. For older patients there is a need to identify medical as well as social factors that influence the therapeutic management plans.

Attitude of the Saudi community towards heart donation, transplantation, and artificial hearts.

Objectives: To understand the attitudes of the Saudi population towards heart donation and transplantation. Methods: A survey using a questionnaire addressing attitudes towards organ transplantation and donation was conducted across 18 cities in Saudi Arabia between September 2015 and March 2016. Results: A total of 1250 respondents participated in the survey. Of these, approximately 91% agree with the concept of organ transplantation but approximately 17% do not agree with the concept of heart transplantation; 42.4% of whom reject heart transplants for religious reasons. Only 43.6% of respondents expressed a willingness to donate their heart and approximately 58% would consent to the donation of a relative’s organ after death. A total of 59.7% of respondents believe that organ donation is regulated and 31.8% fear that the doctors will not try hard enough to save their lives if they consent to organ donation. Approximately 77% believe the heart is removed while the donor is alive; although, the same proportion of respondents thought they knew what brain death meant. Conclusion: In general, the Saudi population seem to accept the concept of transplantation and are willing to donate, but still hold some reservations towards heart donation.