Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries. The most challenging clinical presentation of their natural history is heart failure with lifetime probability of 20% in both genders. It is recognized when typical symptoms such as exercise intolerance, shortness of breath in horizontal position together with signs comprising of lower limb oedema, crackles in the lungs, widening of the jugular veins and liver enlargement. The aim of the study is to assess the relationship between the change in non-oedematous body mass and the clinical and laboratory profile in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Methods: The research material consists of 1029 patients with heart failure who were included in the Prospective Heart Failure Register maintained in the Third Department of Cardiology of the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze since 2003. The collected data was subjected to statistical analysis in Statistica 13. Conclusions: The highest median values of ejection fraction of the left ventricle were observed in patients with weight gain, and the lowest – in patients who lost more than 5% of body weight. Patients with the loss of> 5% of body weight are characterized by the lowest probability of survival. Change in non-oedematous body mass affects adversely the clinical and laboratory profile of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Both weight loss above 5% and weight gain are associated with poorer prognosis and increased mortality in the study participants.
1. Bartuzi M, Ukleja-Sokołowska N. Nietolerancja histaminy, a dieta współczesnego człowieka. Alergia Astma Immunologia. 2021;26:82–88. Google Scholar
Background/Objectives: Body surface area is one of the most important anthropometric parameters in medicine. The study’s primary objective is to compare the consistency of the BSA estimation results through applying available formulas. Other objectives include determining the ability of these formulas to discriminate between death and survival in patients, comparing the formulas’ diagnostic features, and investigating whether the risk associated with a low BSA is independent of BMI. Methods: This study included 1029 patients (median age, 54 years; female, 13.7%; NYHA I/II/III/IV, 6.3%/36.5%/47.7%/9.5%) diagnosed with heart failure. For each patient, BSA was calculated using 25 formulas. Over the 3-year observation period, 31.2% of the patients died. Results: The average BSA value of the optimal discrimination thresholds was 1.79 m2 ± 0.084 m2 and the BSA difference between the estimators with the lowest (BSAMeeh1879) and the highest (BSANwoye1989) optimal discrimination thresholds was 0.42 m2. The lowest mortality rate was 35.2% and occurred in the subgroup of individuals with BSA values below the optimal discrimination threshold using the BSASchlich2010 estimator. The highest mortality was predicted when the estimator BSAMeeh1879 or BSALivingston&Lee2001 was used. Conclusions: Our study showed a relatively good concordance of 25 BSA estimators in BSA assessment in patients, without extremes of weight or height being known to disrupt it. All BSA estimators presented a significant, although weak, ability to discriminate death from survival at 3-year follow-up; however, BSA is not a very good predictor of HF mortality at 3 years. The higher risk of death in smaller patients, as shown by BSA, was independent of BMI in all but two BSA estimators.
Background: There are no data on the characteristics and outcomes for patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced (HFrEF), mildly reduced (HFmrEF), and preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction diagnosed according to the universal definition and classification of HF. Aims: We used the universal HF definition to compare baseline characteristics, hospital readmission and mortality rates in individuals with HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF diagnosed retrospectively. Results: The study was designed as a single -center retrospective analysis of all consecutive 40732 hospital admissions between 2013 and 2021 in a tertiary department of cardiology. All patients with HF, defined according to the universal definition and classification of HF, were identified. The study included 8471 patients with a mean age of 65.1 (12.8) years, of whom 2823 (33.3%) were females. Most individuals had a prior diagnosis of HF (76.3%) and elevated N -terminal pro -B -type natriuretic peptide levels (99.0%) with a median of 1548 (629-3786) pg/ml. Mean ejection fraction (EF) was 36.2 (14.9)%. The median follow-up was 39.1 (18.1-70.5) months. The most frequent type of HF was HFrEF (n = 4947; 58.4%), followed by HFpEF (n = 1138; 28.2%) and HFmrEF (n = 2386; 13.4%). Urgent HF readmissions and all -cause deaths were highest in HFrEF (40.8% and 42.7%), followed by HFmrEF (25.4% and 31.5%) and HFpEF (15.2% and 23.8%, respectively). Conclusions: The highest rates of urgent HF readmissions and all -cause mortality were observed in patients with HFrEF, followed by HFmrEF and HFpEF. In all HF groups, the all -cause mortality rate was higher than the rates of urgent HF readmission.
Histamine is one of the biogenic amines produced naturally in the human body, but also in foods, especially those rich in protein. Exogenous and endogenous histamine is subject to degradation in vivo, but in the case of sensitive groups, including children, these degradation processes may be less intense, resulting in adverse health effects from histamine excess. The aim of the study was to determine the histamine content in jarred baby foods containing fish, taking into account the selected product characteristics and storage conditions. The study included 140 meals with added fish, intended for infants and young children, from 5 leading manufacturers available in Poland. The infant meals were analyzed on the day of opening, after 24 h and 48 h of storage in the refrigerator and at room temperature. Histamine concentration was determined by ELISA. The THQ was calculated from the EDI values for histamine. Histamine was present in all analyzed baby foods. On the day of opening, the products had a lower content of this monoamine (Me = 2.59 mg/kg), which increased systematically during storage. Samples taken at 2 °C after 48 h showed an average histamine content of 4.4 mg/kg, while products stored at 22 °C at the same time showed a 1.8-fold higher concentration of this monoamine (Me = 7.9 mg/kg). Dishes containing tuna and sea fish had higher histamine levels on average than those containing pollock. The storage conditions of the children’s food had a significant effect on histamine concentration. The level of histamine in baby foods was related to the amount and type of fish in certain products. The results indicate the need for increased awareness of the risks associated with histamine, especially in a group of people with increased sensitivity to this amine, which may include infants and young children.
INTRODUCTION Risk prediction in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is one of the key challenges for clinicians. Novel biomarkers aggregating several important pathophysi-ological pathways may modify the diagnostic discrimination of validated scores. The red cell distribution width (RDW) is a cheap and easily available measure of anisocytosis, and was shown to have a strong independent prognostic power in short-and medium-term prognosis in HFrEF. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to assess the prognostic power of RDW in optimally treated chronic HFrEF, and to investigate whether different RDW may impact the prognostic accuracy of validated long-term scores in HFrEF. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included 551 patients at a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 54 (47-59) years, of whom 86.6% were men. The patients represented the median New York Heart Association class III (IQR, II-III), and ischemic etiology occurred in 56.6% of the cases. In all patients, RDW as a coefficient of variation was calculated, along with Meta -Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure Score (MAGGIC-HF) and Seattle Heart Failure Survival Model (SHFSM). RESULTS The patients were followed for 5 years and all-cause mortality was assessed. We recorded 166 (30.1%) and 225 (40.8%) deaths at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Scores based on MAGGIC-HF and SHFSM algorithms for the respective prediction of 3-and 5 -year mortality were calculated for each patient and compared with the observed mortality. There was a significant underestimation of mortality in the patients with RDW above 15.4% (reference values, 11.5%-14.5%), while in those with lower RDW SHFSM overestimated the actual risk. The excess mortality in the higher RDW group was confirmed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic. CONCLUSIONS The RDW has a strong prognostic value in chronic HFrEF, independently of the risk as-sessed by the MAGGIC-HF or the SHFSM score.
European Journal of Heart FailureVolume 25, Issue 5 p. 724-726 Invited Editorial Bones in heart failure: missing piece of the body wasting puzzle Piotr J. Rozentryt, Corresponding Author Piotr J. Rozentryt [email protected] Department of Chronic Diseases and Civilisation-Related Threads, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Centre for Heart Disease, Zabrze, Poland Corresponding author. Department of Chronic Diseases and Civilisation-related Threads, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 18 Piekarska Street, 41-902 Bytom, Poland. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJacek T. Niedziela, Jacek T. Niedziela Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Centre for Heart Disease, Zabrze, PolandSearch for more papers by this authorMariusz Gąsior, Mariusz Gąsior Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Centre for Heart Disease, Zabrze, PolandSearch for more papers by this author Piotr J. Rozentryt, Corresponding Author Piotr J. Rozentryt [email protected] Department of Chronic Diseases and Civilisation-Related Threads, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Centre for Heart Disease, Zabrze, Poland Corresponding author. Department of Chronic Diseases and Civilisation-related Threads, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 18 Piekarska Street, 41-902 Bytom, Poland. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJacek T. Niedziela, Jacek T. Niedziela Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Centre for Heart Disease, Zabrze, PolandSearch for more papers by this authorMariusz Gąsior, Mariusz Gąsior Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Centre for Heart Disease, Zabrze, PolandSearch for more papers by this author First published: 29 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.2846 The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the Editors of the European Journal of Heart Failure or of the European Society of Cardiology. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.2794 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. References 1Finestone AJ, Geschickter CF. Bone formation in the heart. Am J Clin Pathol. 1949; 19: 974– 80. 2Ascenzi AMV. Sur le crane en bosse au tours de polyglobulies secondaries B l'hypoxemie chronique. Acta Hemat. 1958; 19: 253. 3Gu Z, Yuanyuan Y, Lingyu Z, Cong C. Assessment of the risk of incident heart failure in patients with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of eligible cohort studies. Pol Arch Intern Med. 2020; 130: 934– 41. 4van Diepen S, Majumdar SR, Bakal JA, McAlister FA, Ezekowitz JA. Heart failure is a risk factor for orthopedic fracture. Circulation. 2008; 118: 1946– 52. 5Liu XP, Jian XY, Liang DL, Wen JX, Wei YH, Wu JD, et al. The association between heart failure and risk of fractures: pool analysis comprising 260,410 participants. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022; 9:977082. 6Puth MT, Klaschik M, Schmid M, Weckbecker K, Münster E. 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Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a prothrombotic state that is also associated with the progression of renal dysfunction. However, it is unknown whether coagulation abnormalities are associated with progressive cardiorenal syndrome.Aim of the research: To evaluate activators and inhibitors of coagulation and fibrinolysis and their relationship with renal failure in HF patients.Material and methods: Coagulation biomarkers such as thrombin-antithrombin III, human tissue-type plasminogen ac-tivator, human plasminogen activator inhibitor, von Willebrand factor (vWF), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), human pro -thrombin fragments (F1+F2), and protein C were evaluated in 36 consecutive HF patients without anticoagulation and in 19 controls matched in age and gender.Results: HF patients, compared to controls, had lower levels of C protein (p = 0.04) and F1 + F2 (p < 0.001) but higher levels of vWF (p < 0.001) and borderline sTM (p = 0.07). Similarly, haemoglobin (p < 0.001) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p = 0.004) were lower in HF, while INR (p < 0.001), NT-proBNP (p < 0.001), and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) (p < 0.001) were higher. Most of the echocardiographic parameters differed between the 2 groups. From coagulation bio-markers, sTM (r = -0.66; p < 0.001) and vWF (r = -0.41; p = 0.002) were associated with eGFR. Most of the echocardiographic and laboratory parameters were also related to eGFR. After classifying all variables into 5 categories; laboratory tests, echo -cardiographic parameters, vascular reactivity, haemodynamics, and coagulation parameters, multivariable linear regression showed that coagulation parameters were the most strongly associated with eGFR (r2 = 0.48, p < 0.001).Conclusions: In the study population, coagulation disorders were most strongly associated with impaired renal function, independently of other parameters.
Background: Low 24-h urinary excretion of creatinine in patients with heart failure (HF) is believed to reflect muscle wasting and is associated with a poor prognosis. Recently, spot urinary creatinine concentration (SUCR) has been suggested as a useful prognostic factor in selected HF cohorts. This more practical and cheaper approach has never been tested in an unselected HF population. Moreover, neither the relation between SUCR and body composition markers nor the association of SUCR with the markers of volume overload, which are known to worsen clinical outcome, has been studied so far. The aim of the study was to check the prognostic value of SUCR in HF patients after adjusting for body composition and indirect markers of volume overload. Methods: In 911 HF patients, morning SUCR was determined and body composition scanning using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was performed. Univariable and multivariable predictors of log SUCR were analyzed. All participants were divided into quartiles of SUCR. Results: In univariable analysis, SUCR weakly correlated with fat-free mass (R = 0.09, p = 0.01). Stronger correlations were shown between SUCR and loop diuretic dose (R = 0.16, p < 0.0001), NTproBNP (R = −0.15, p < 0.0001) and serum sodium (R = 0.16, p < 0.0001). During 3 years of follow-up, 353 (38.7%) patients died. Patients with lower SUCR were more frequently female, and their functional status was worse. The lowest mortality was observed in the top quartile of SUCR. In the unadjusted Cox regression analysis, the relative risk of death in all three lower quartiles of SUCR was higher by roughly 80% compared to the top SUCR quartile. Apart from lower SUCR, the significant predictors of death were age and malnutrition but not body composition. After adjustment for loop diuretic dose and percent of recommended dose of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, the difference in mortality vanished completely. Conclusions: Lower SUCR levels in HF patients are associated with a worse outcome, but this effect is not correlated with fat-free mass. Fluid overload-driven effects may link lower SUCR with higher mortality in HF.
Despite advances in the treatment of heart failure (HF), the rate of hospitalisation for exacerbations of the disease remains high. One of the underlying reasons is that recommended guidelines for the management of HF are still too rarely followed in daily practice. Disease exacerbation requiring inpatient treatment is always afactor that worsens the prognosis, and thus signals disease progression. This is also akey moment when therapy should be modified for HF exacerbation, or initiated in the case of newly diagnosed disease. Inpatient treatment and the peri‑discharge period is the time when the aetiology and mechanism of HF decompensation should be established. Therapy should be individualised based on aetiology, HF phenotype, and comorbidities; it should take into account the possibilities of modern treatment. According to the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), patients with HF should receive multidisciplinary management. Cooperation between the various members of the multidisciplinary team taking care of patients with HF improves the efficiency and quality of treatment. This document expands and details the information on the peri‑discharge management of HF contained in the 2021 ESC guidelines and the 2022 American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC)/Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) guidelines.
Background. There is a raising awareness that heart failure (HF) is a highly heterogeneous, multiorgan syndrome with an increasing global prevalence and still poor prognosis. The comorbidities of HF are one of the key reasons for presence of various phenotypes with different clinical profile and outcome. Heterogeneity of skeletal muscles (SMs) quantity and function may have an impact on patient’s phenotype. Aim. We intended to compare clinical characteristics of phenotypes defined by a combination of various SM mass taken as a fat-free compartment from DEXA scans and different levels of SUCR (Spot Urinary Creatinine). All-cause mortality with mortality predicted by MAGGIC in such phenotypes were compared. Methods. In 720 HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (age: 52.3 ± 10 years, female: 14%, NYHA: 2.7 ± 0.7, LVEF: 24.3 ± 7.3%), admitted to the hospital for heart transplantation candidacy assessment, morning SUCR along with body composition scanning (DEXA) was performed. All study participants were dichotomized twice, first by low or normal appendicular muscle mass index (ASMI) and second by SUCR (Spot Urinary Creatinine) < and ≥of 1.34 g/L. Four study groups (phenotypes) were created as combinations of lower or higher SUCR and low or normal ASMI. Results. Low ASMI was found in 242 (33.6%) patients, while the remaining 478 had normal muscle mass. In 446 patients (61.9%), SUCR was <1.34 g/L. During 3 years of follow-up, 223 (31.0%) patients died (all-cause). The phenotype of lower both ASMI and SUCR was associated with the highest mortality. The death rate in phenotype with both low ASMI and SUCR exceeded by 70% the risk estimated by MAGGIC. This difference was significant as judged by the 95% confidence interval for MAGGIC estimation. In Cox regression analysis adjusted for MAGGIC and parameters known to increase risk, the relative risk of patients with phenotype of low both ASMI and SUCR was elevated by 45–55% as compared to patients with all other phenotypes. The protective role of higher SUCR in patients with muscle wasting was, therefore, confirmed in Cox analysis. Conclusions. Measurement of SUCR in HF patients can identify clinical phenotypes with skeletal muscle wasting but strikingly different risk of death that is actually not captured by MAGGIC score. The higher level of SUCR was associated with similar risk independently of presence of muscle wasting. As the analysis of SUCR is cheap and easy to perform, it should be further tested as a potentially useful biomarker, which may precisely phenotype HF patients independently of their skeletal muscle status.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Immunological, genetic, and environmental factors, including diet, play a part in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Metabolic syndrome or its components are frequent co-morbidities in persons with psoriasis. A change of eating habits can improve the quality of life of patients by relieving skin lesions and by reducing the risk of other diseases. A low-energy diet is recommended for patients with excess body weight. Persons suffering from psoriasis should limit the intake of saturated fatty acids and replace them with polyunsaturated fatty acids from the omega-3 family, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. In diet therapy for persons with psoriasis, the introduction of antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids, and selenium is extremely important. Vitamin D supplementation is also recommended. Some authors suggest that alternative diets have a positive effect on the course of psoriasis. These diets include: a gluten-free diet, a vegetarian diet, and a Mediterranean diet. Diet therapy for patients with psoriasis should also be tailored to pharmacological treatment. For instance, folic acid supplementation is introduced in persons taking methotrexate. The purpose of this paper is to discuss in detail the nutritional recommendations for persons with psoriasis.
Heart failure (HF) is a pathophysiologically complex disease that is exceptionally heterogeneous in terms of its etiology. It is associated with unsatisfactorily high mortality, both in-hospital and post-discharge, as well as with very frequent rehospitalizations. High phenotypic variability, coexistence of various hemodynamic disorders (such as changes in systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance, increased central venous pressure, impaired heart cardiac output, and fluid overload) and coexisting metabolic and neurohormonal disorders may eventually lead to impaired systemic perfusion. Congestion that impairs renal perfusion has a significant impact on both glomerular filtration and the renal tubular function. This review article discusses the importance of changes caused by HF in various nephron segments, phenotyping of cardiorenal syndromes, the role of effective natriuresis in decongestion, and the importance of known and new diagnostic biomarkers in predicting renal dysfunction. A better understanding of cardiac and renal interactions may help in selecting an effective, efficient and nephroprotective strategy of treatment for patients with HF.
Background: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of acute exposure to air pollutants on patients’ profile, short- and mid-term outcomes of hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) treated with coronary angioplasty. Methods: Out of 19,582 patients of the TERCET Registry, 7521 patients living in the Upper Silesia and Zaglebie Metropolis were included. The study population was divided into two groups according to the diagnosis of chronic (CCS) or acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Data on 24-h average concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) were obtained from eight environmental monitoring stations. Results: No significant association between pollutants’ concentration with baseline characteristic and in-hospital outcomes was observed. In the ACS group at 30 days, exceeding the 3rd quartile of PM10 was associated with almost 2-fold increased risk of adverse events and more than 3-fold increased risk of death. Exceeding the 3rd quartile of SO2 was connected with more than 8-fold increased risk of death at 30 days. In the CCS group, exceeding the 3rd quartile of SO2 was linked to almost 2,5-fold increased risk of 12-month death. Conclusions: The acute increase in air pollutants’ concentrations affect short- and mid-term prognosis in patients with CAD.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are currently the second-line pharmacotherapy in type 2 diabetes, particularly through their effectiveness in reducing glycemia, but also due to their cardioprotective and nephroprotective effects. In light of surprisingly satisfactory results from large, randomized trials on gliflozins, SGLT2 received the highest recommendation (Class IA) with the highest level of evidence (A) in the treatment algorithm for HF with reduced LVEF in recent ESC HF guidelines. This great breakthrough in the treatment of HF is due to different mechanisms of action of gliflozins that are reported to be able to change the natural course of HF by reducing the risk of both hospitalization and death. They are recommended regardless of the patient’s diabetes status. This review summarizes the up-to-date literature on their beneficial and pleiotropic impact on the cardiovascular system.
Background: Despite improvement in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treatment, post-discharge mortality remains high. The outcomes are supposed to be even worse in patients with post-MI heart failure (HF), as only a half of patients with newly diagnosed HF survive four years. Aims: The study aimed to analyze whether managed care afteracute myocardial infarction (MC-AMI) is associated with better survival in AMI survivors with a pre-existing diagnosis of HF. Results:The study included 7228 patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of HF who survived the hospitalization for AMI in Poland between November 2017 and December 2020, of whom 2268(31.4%) were referred for the MC-AMI program. The median follow-up was 1.5 (0.7-2.3) years. In the unmatched analysis, patients without MC-AMI had more than twice higher 12-month mortality (21.8% vs. 9.9%; P <0.01) than MC-AMI participants. The difference remained significant after propensity score matching (16,8% vs. 10.0%; P<0.01). In multivariable analysis, participation in MC-AMI was an independent factor of 12-month survival. MC-AMI participants had a lower stroke rate (1.5%vs.3.0%; P <0.01) and fewer hospital admissions due to HF (22.9% vs. 27.6%; P <0.01). Conclusions: After propensity score matching, participation in MC-AMI was associated with lower rates of stroke, HF hospitalizations, and all-cause mortality in the 12-month follow-up and was an independent factor of 12-month survival in AMI survivors with pre-existing HF.
The Polish expert opinion of the Heart Failure Association of the Polish Cardiac Society on the 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure points to differences in many aspects related to heart failure in Poland compared with other European countries. These differences include population issues, epidemiology, diagnostic and treatment options, or the organization of healthcare. This expert opinion also includes a review of new results of clinical trials completed after the publication of the ESC guidelines.