W.F. Peacock

Timing of Immunoreactive B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels and Treatment Delay in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure : An ADHERE (Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry) Analysis

OBJECTIVES We undertook this analysis to determine whether there is a relationship between the time to measurement of immunoreactive B-type natriuretic peptide (iBNP) and early intervention for acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and whether these variables are associated with morbidity and mortality in ADHF patients. BACKGROUND Although natriuretic peptides (NPs) can aid emergency department (ED) physicians in the diagnosis of ADHF, the relationship between the time to measurement of NP levels and time to treatment is not clear. In addition, the impact of time to treatment on clinical outcomes has not been demonstrated. METHODS Patients from ADHERE (Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry) who were admitted to the ED and who received intravenous diuretics were included. Recordings of iBNP levels and the timing of intravenous diuretic therapy were documented. Patients were divided by quartiles of time to treatment and iBNP levels, creating 16 categories. RESULTS In 58,465 ADHF episodes from 209 hospitals, patients with the longest average time to iBNP draw also had the longest time to treatment. Mean ED time increased with increased time-to-treatment quartiles. Rales on initial examination were associated with early recognition of HF and earlier institution of therapy. The later the treatment took place, the fewer patients were asymptomatic at the time of hospital discharge. Within the time-to-treatment quartiles, mortality increased with increasing iBNP. Treatment delay was independently, but modestly, associated with increased in-hospital mortality with a risk-adjusted odds ratio 1.021, 95% confidence interval 1.010 to 1.033, and p < 0.0001, per every 4-h delay. CONCLUSIONS In the ED setting, delayed measurement of iBNP levels and delay in treatment for ADHF were strongly associated. These delays were linked with modestly increased in-hospital mortality, independent of other prognostic variables. The adverse impact of delay was most notable in patients with greater iBNP levels (Registry for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Patients; NCT00366639).

The impact of early standard therapy on dyspnoea in patients with acute heart failure: the URGENT-dyspnoea study

AIMS The vast majority of acute heart failure (AHF) trials to date have targeted dyspnoea. However, they enrolled patients relatively late and did not standardize their methods of dyspnoea measurement. URGENT Dyspnoea was designed to determine changes in dyspnoea in response to initial, standard therapy in patients presenting with AHF using a standardized approach. METHODS AND RESULTS URGENT Dyspnoea was an international, multi-centre, observational cohort study of AHF patients managed conventionally and enrolled within 1 h of first hospital medical evaluation. Patient-assessed dyspnoea was recorded in the sitting position at baseline and at 6 hours by Likert and visual analog scales. Less symptomatic patients were placed supine to determine whether this provoked worsening dyspnoea (orthopnoea). Of the 524 patients with AHF, the mean age was 68 years, 43% were women, and 83% received intravenous diuretics. On a 5-point Likert scale, dyspnoea improvement was reported by 76% of patients after 6 h of standard therapy. Supine positioning (orthopnoea test) led to worse dyspnoea in 47% of patients compared to sitting upright. CONCLUSION When sitting upright, dyspnoea in the sitting position improves rapidly and substantially in patients with AHF after administration of conventional therapy, mainly intra-venous diuretics. However, many patients remain orthopnoeic. Improving the methodology of clinical trials in AHF by standardizing the conditions under which dyspnoea is assessed could enhance their ability to identify effective treatments. Relief of orthopnoea is clinically valuable and may represent a useful goal for clinical trials.

Usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide and cardiac troponin levels to predict in-hospital mortality from ADHERE.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac troponin (Tn) I or T have been demonstrated to provide prognostic information in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Whether admission BNP and Tn levels provide additive prognostic value in acutely decompensated heart failure (HF) has not been well studied. Hospitalizations for HF from April 2003 to December 2004 entered into ADHERE were analyzed. BNP assessment on admission was performed in 48,629 (63%) of 77,467 hospitalization episodes. Tn assessment was performed in 42,636 (88%) of these episodes. In-hospital mortality was assessed using logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, blood urea nitrogen, systolic blood pressure, creatinine, sodium, pulse, and dyspnea at rest. Median BNP was 840 pg/ml (interquartile range 430 to 1,730). Tn was increased in 2,370 (5.6%) of 42,636 HF episodes. BNP above the median and increased Tn were associated with significantly increased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratios [OR] 2.09 and 2.41 respectively, each p value <0.0001). Mortality was 10.2% in patients with BNP >or=840/Tn increased compared with 2.2% with BNP <840/Tn not increased (OR 5.10, p <0.0001). After covariate adjustment, mortality risk remained significantly increased with BNP >or=840/Tn not increased (adjusted OR 1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.40 to 1.79, p <0.0001), BNP <840/Tn increased (adjusted OR 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 2.45, p = 0.006), and BNP >or=840/Tn increased (adjusted OR 3.00, 95% confidence interval 2.47 to 3.66, p <0.0001). Admission BNP and cardiac Tn levels are significant, independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in acutely decompensated HF. Patients with BNP levels >or=840 pg/ml and increased Tn levels are at particularly high risk for mortality. In conclusion, a multimarker strategy for the assessment of patients hospitalized with HF adds incremental prognostic information.

Morphine and outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure: an ADHERE analysis

Objective: Morphine is a long-standing therapy in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), despite few supporting data. A study was undertaken to compare the outcomes of patients who did and did not receive morphine for ADHF. Methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry (ADHERE) which enrols hospitalised patients with treatment for, or a primary discharge diagnosis of, ADHF. Patients were stratified into cohorts based on whether or not they received intravenous morphine. ANOVA, Wilcoxon and χ2 tests were used in univariate analysis, followed by multivariate analysis controlling for parameters previously associated with mortality. Analyses were repeated for ejection fraction subgroups and in patients not on mechanical ventilation. Results: There were 147 362 hospitalisations in ADHERE at December 2004, 20 782 of whom (14.1%) received morphine and 126 580 (85.9%) did not. There were no clinically relevant differences between the groups in the initial age, heart rate, blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, haemoglobin, ejection fraction or atrial fibrillation. A higher prevalence of rest dyspnoea, congestion on chest radiography, rales and raised troponin occurred in the morphine group. Patients on morphine received more inotropes and vasodilators, were more likely to require mechanical ventilation (15.4% vs 2.8%), had a longer median hospitalisation (5.6 vs 4.2 days), more ICU admissions (38.7% vs 14.4%), and had greater mortality (13.0% vs 2.4%) (all p<0.001). Even after risk adjustment and exclusion of ventilated patients, morphine was an independent predictor of mortality (OR 4.84 (95% CI 4.52 to 5.18), p<0.001). Conclusions: Morphine is associated with increased adverse events in ADHF which includes a greater frequency of mechanical ventilation, prolonged hospitalisation, more ICU admissions and higher mortality.

Serial changes in high-sensitive troponin I predict outcome in patients with decompensated heart failure

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic utility of small troponin I (TnI) elevations, serial TnI measurements, and the combination of TnI and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with decompensated heart failure (HF).

A 2-Hour Diagnostic Protocol for Possible Cardiac Chest Pain in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE Patients with chest pain represent a high health care burden, but it may be possible to identify a patient group with a low short-term risk of adverse cardiac events who are suitable for early discharge. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of a rapid diagnostic pathway with a standard-care diagnostic pathway for the assessment of patients with possible cardiac chest pain in a usual clinical practice setting. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A single-center, randomized parallel-group trial with blinded outcome assessments was conducted in an academic general and tertiary hospital. Participants included adults with acute chest pain consistent with acute coronary syndrome for whom the attending physician planned further observation and troponin testing. Patient recruitment occurred from October 11, 2010, to July 4, 2012, with a 30-day follow-up. INTERVENTIONS An experimental pathway using an accelerated diagnostic protocol (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction score, 0; electrocardiography; and 0- and 2-hour troponin tests) or a standard-care pathway (troponin test on arrival at hospital, prolonged observation, and a second troponin test 6-12 hours after onset of pain) serving as the control. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Discharge from the hospital within 6 hours without a major adverse cardiac event occurring within 30 days. RESULTS Fifty-two of 270 patients in the experimental group were successfully discharged within 6 hours compared with 30 of 272 patients in the control group (19.3% vs 11.0%; odds ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.18-3.13; P = .008). It required 20 hours to discharge the same proportion of patients from the control group as achieved in the experimental group within 6 hours. In the experimental group, 35 additional patients (12.9%) were classified as low risk but admitted to an inpatient ward for cardiac investigation. None of the 35 patients received a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome after inpatient evaluation. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Using the accelerated diagnostic protocol in the experimental pathway almost doubled the proportion of patients with chest pain discharged early. Clinicians could discharge approximately 1 of 5 patients with chest pain to outpatient follow-up monitoring in less than 6 hours. This diagnostic strategy could be easily replicated in other centers because no extra resources are required. TRIAL REGISTRATION anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12610000766011.

Early vasoactive drugs improve heart failure outcomes.

Vasoactive therapy is often used to treat acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The authors sought to determine whether clinical outcomes are temporally associated with time to vasoactive therapy (vasoactive time) in ADHF. Using the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHERE) Registry, the authors examined the relationship between vasoactive time and inpatient mortality within 48 hours of hospitalization. Vasoactive agents were used early (defined as <6 hours) in 22,788 (63.8%) patients and late in 12,912 (36.2%). Median vasoactive time was 1.7 and 14.7 hours in the early and late groups, respectively. In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the early group (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.96; P=.006), and the adjusted odds of death increased 6.8% for every 6 hours of treatment delay (95% confidence interval, 4.2-9.6; P<.0001). Early vasoactive initiation is associated with improved outcomes in patients hospitalized for ADHF.

Pre-hospital treatment of STEMI patients. A scientific statement of the working group acute cardiac care of the European society of cardiology

In ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) the pre-hospital phase is the most critical, as the administration of the most appropriate treatment in a timely manner is instrumental for mortality reduction. STEMI systems of care based on networks of medical institutions connected by an efficient emergency medical service are pivotal. The first steps are devoted to minimize the patients delay in seeking care, rapidly dispatch a properly staffed and equipped ambulance to make the diagnosis on scene, deliver initial drug therapy and transport the patient to the most appropriate (not necessarily the closest) cardiac facility. Primary PCI is the treatment of choice, but thrombolysis followed by coronary angiography and possibly PCI is a valid alternative, according to patients baseline risk, time from symptoms onset and primary PCI-related delay. Paramedics and nurses have an important role in pre-hospital STEMI care and their empowerment is essential to increase the effectiveness of the system. Strong cooperation between cardiologists and emergency medicine doctors is mandatory for optimal pre-hospital STEMI care. Scientific societies have an important role in guideline implementation as well as in developing quality indicators and performance measures; health care professionals must overcome existing barriers to optimal care together with political and administrative decision makers.

Do echo-enhanced needles improve time to cannulate in a model of short-axis ultrasound-guided vascular access for a group of mostly inexperienced ultrasound users?

BackgroundVascular access is a critical skill for emergency physicians. However, it can be unpredictably challenging in some patients. While ultrasound-guided vascular access has been encouraged in emergency departments, there have been few studies evaluating echo-enhanced needles and their usefulness in performing vascular access.AimsOur purpose was to determine if the use of an echo-enhanced needle tip results in faster vascular access times, with fewer needle sticks, fewer redirections, and improved needle visualization in ultrasound-guided vascular access with the vessel in the short axis.MethodsThis is a prospective, randomized, observational study of ultrasound-guided vascular access on a vascular phantom comparing an echo-enhanced needle with a standard needle. Each participant viewed a teaching video demonstrating typical ultrasound-guided vascular access and then attempted ultrasound-guided vascular access using both a standard and an echo-enhanced needle with the vessel in the short axis. The numbers of needle sticks, redirections, and time to dye flash were measured.ResultsThe 69 participants attempted 69 short-axis ultrasound-guided vascular cannulations with no difference in time to dye flash between needle types: the median time from needle stick to flash was 17.56 s [interquartile range (IQR): 12.37–33.15] for the standard needle and 19.22 s (IQR: 10.19–31.10) for the echo-enhanced needle. There was no difference between needle types for number of needle sticks or redirects.ConclusionEcho-enhanced needles did not provide objective performance improvement compared to standard needles during ultrasound-guided vascular access with a vascular access model in the short axis.

Doses of apixaban and rivaroxaban prescribed in real-world United States cardiology practices compared to registration trials

Abstract Using an I.M.S. LifeLink dataset (19 September 2014–11 September 2015), we compared U.S. cardiologist prescribing of the reduced dose of apixaban (2.5 mg) or rivaroxaban (15 mg) to utilization in their corresponding nonvalvular atrial fibrillation registration randomized trials. Of all prescriptions written by cardiologists for these agents, 20.8% of apixaban and 21.7% of rivaroxaban prescriptions were for a reduced dose; corresponding to a 4.4-fold (16.1% absolute) increase in the use of reduced dose apixaban and a 3% relative (0.6% absolute) increase in reduced dose rivaroxaban use vs. their respective registration trials. Further research is needed to better understand appropriate dosing of patients with novel anticoagulants.