Our piece of heaven: what are hospitalized heart failure patients like in University Hospital Centre Rijeka

    Authors

    Abstract

    **Aim**: Present heart failure (HF) patients hospitalized during the period of one year in University Hospital Centre Rijeka, describe their characteristics and hospital outcome according to left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) with emphasis placed on heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) and compare our results with literature data (1). **Patients and Methods**: Retrospective, observational study was conducted with a total of 375 subjects. All patients hospitalized for heart failure were included, same sample we introduced to European Society of Cardiology HF Register, except those presented with cardiogenic shock or acute coronary syndrome. Patients were classified in three groups according to their left ventricular ejection fraction (EF ≤40%, EF 40-49%, EF ≥50%) measured using echocardiography. **Results**: In comparison with HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) subjects, patients with HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction) were younger (73 vs. 78 years, p<0.01), more commonly male (64% vs 34%, p<0.01) with left bundle branch block (32% vs. 7%, p<0.01) and higher prevalence of ischemic HF etiology (52% vs. 22%, p<0.01). HRpEF patients had hypertension (3% vs 14%) more often as a confirmed cause of HF. As expected, atrial fibrillation was significantly more common in HFpEF group (41% vs. 65%, p<0.01). The HFmrEF category resembled the HFpEF population regarding age, gender, body mass index and atrial fibrillation frequency. The average length of hospitalization (8 days) and the intrahospital mortality (6%) did not differ significantly between groups. **Conclusion**: Despite possible differences between HFmrEF and the other two investigated HF categories, our HFmrEF population predominantly resembled HFpEF group. Unlike HFrEF group characteristics and its management, the other two heart failure categories are globally not sufficiently defined. Hence their future research is of special importance for development of evidence-based medical practice.

    Keywords

    heart failure, epidemiology, left ventricular ejection fraction

    DOI

    https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2018.377

    Literature

    1. Chioncel O, Lainscak M, Seferovic PM, Anker SD, Crespo-Leiro MG, Harjola VP, et al. Epidemiology and one-year outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure and preserved, mid-range and reduced ejection fraction: an analysis of the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry. Eur J Heart Fail. 2017 Dec;19(12):1574–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.813
    Cardiologia Croatica
    Back to search

    Our piece of heaven: what are hospitalized heart failure patients like in University Hospital Centre Rijeka

    Extended Abstract
    Issue11-12
    Published
    Pages377
    PDF via DOIhttps://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2018.377
    heart failure
    epidemiology
    left ventricular ejection fraction

    Authors

    Lea SkorupORCIDThalassotherapia Crikvenica, Crikvenica, Hrvatska
    Ivana Grgić RomićORCIDSveučilište u Rijeci, Medicinski fakultet, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka, Rijeka, Hrvatska
    Nikolina JurjevićORCIDKlinička bolnica Merkur, Zagreb, Hrvatska
    Valentina ObadićORCIDZavod za hitnu medicinu Primorsko-goranske županije, Rijeka, Hrvatska
    Ana ValkovićORCIDKlinička bolnica “Sveti Duh” Zagreb, Hrvatska
    Mihaela PaušićORCIDSveučilište u Splitu, Sveučilišni odjel za forenzične znanosti, Split, Hrvatska
    Alen RužićORCIDSveučilište u Rijeci, Medicinski fakultet, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka, Rijeka, Hrvatska
    Teodora Zaninović Jurjević*ORCIDSveučilište u Rijeci, Medicinski fakultet, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka, Rijeka, Hrvatska
    Luka ZaputovićORCIDSveučilište u Rijeci, Medicinski fakultet, Klinički bolnički centar Rijeka, Rijeka, Hrvatska

    *Correspondence email: teazj@net.hr

    Abstract

    **Aim**: Present heart failure (HF) patients hospitalized during the period of one year in University Hospital Centre Rijeka, describe their characteristics and hospital outcome according to left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) with emphasis placed on heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) and compare our results with literature data (1). **Patients and Methods**: Retrospective, observational study was conducted with a total of 375 subjects. All patients hospitalized for heart failure were included, same sample we introduced to European Society of Cardiology HF Register, except those presented with cardiogenic shock or acute coronary syndrome. Patients were classified in three groups according to their left ventricular ejection fraction (EF ≤40%, EF 40-49%, EF ≥50%) measured using echocardiography. **Results**: In comparison with HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) subjects, patients with HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction) were younger (73 vs. 78 years, p<0.01), more commonly male (64% vs 34%, p<0.01) with left bundle branch block (32% vs. 7%, p<0.01) and higher prevalence of ischemic HF etiology (52% vs. 22%, p<0.01). HRpEF patients had hypertension (3% vs 14%) more often as a confirmed cause of HF. As expected, atrial fibrillation was significantly more common in HFpEF group (41% vs. 65%, p<0.01). The HFmrEF category resembled the HFpEF population regarding age, gender, body mass index and atrial fibrillation frequency. The average length of hospitalization (8 days) and the intrahospital mortality (6%) did not differ significantly between groups. **Conclusion**: Despite possible differences between HFmrEF and the other two investigated HF categories, our HFmrEF population predominantly resembled HFpEF group. Unlike HFrEF group characteristics and its management, the other two heart failure categories are globally not sufficiently defined. Hence their future research is of special importance for development of evidence-based medical practice.

    Literature

    1. 1.
      Chioncel O, Lainscak M, Seferovic PM, Anker SD, Crespo-Leiro MG, Harjola VP, et al. Epidemiology and one-year outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure and preserved, mid-range and reduced ejection fraction: an analysis of the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry. Eur J Heart Fail. 2017 Dec;19(12):1574–85.DOI