Published papers

Sleep disorders and sleep duration have attracted considerable attention as potential modifiable risk factors for the development and progression of heart failure (HF). However, whether these sleep behaviors could aggravate the underlying cardiac condition remains ambiguous. We evaluated the associations between the levels of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), sleep quality and quantity, or daytime sleepiness in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) patients. A total of 1717 consecutive patients with CVD [median age, 66 years (55–74 years); female, 27.5%] were enrolled. SDB was screened by nocturnal pulse oximetry; sleep quality and quantity were determined by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, and daytime sleepiness was examined by Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The median plasma BNP level was 54.9 pg/ml (23.5–146.4 pg/ml). Multiple regression analyses showed that the BNP level in the highest quintile (BNP > 181.8 pg/ml) was associated with SDB (severe: OR, 5.88; 95% CI 3.17–10.88; moderate: OR, 3.62; 95% CI 2.17–6.02; mild: OR, 2.22: 95% CI 1.42–3.47). There were no significant associations between other sleep parameters and higher BNP levels. The relationship between SDB and BNP levels was unchanged regardless of the previous history of symptomatic HF. SDB was independently associated with the elevated plasma BNP level in patients with a variety of CVD.

Background: Recent trials on novel heart failure (HF) treatments (angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, and ivabradine) emphasize the use of conventional medical therapy (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers [BB], and mineral corticosteroid receptor antagonists). We aimed to evaluate the prescription rate of conventional medical therapy and its association with long-term outcomes in patients eligible for recent trials. Methods: We examined 1295 consecutive patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) from a multicenter registry (WET-HF registry). We assessed conventional medical therapy implementation among patients meeting the PARADIGM-HF/DAPA-HF and SHIFT enrollment criteria. We also examined the association between conventional medical therapy use and long-term outcomes within each enrollment criterion. Results: Overall, 62.2% and 35.3% of HFrEF patients met the enrollment criteria of the PARADIGM-HF/DAPA-HF and SHIFT trials. Only 33.9% and 31.9% received full conventional medical therapy within each patient subset. Notably, 84.2% of patients who met the SHIFT enrollment criteria were on BB, and only 23.0% and 4.4% were on ≥50% or the full recommended dose, respectively. Implementation of full conventional medical therapy use was associated with lower 2-year mortality and HF readmission rates in the PARADIGM-HF/ DAPA-HF eligible group (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50–0.92). The use of BB at ≥50% of the recommended dose was associated with lower 2-year mortality and HF readmission rates in the SHIFT-eligible group (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30–0.84). Conclusions: Conventional medical therapy was underutilized among patients eligible for novel trials within a Japanese HF registry. Further efforts to optimize conventional medical therapy are needed.

Although heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has a highly variable phenotype, heteroge-neity in left ventricular chamber size (LVCS) and its association with long-term outcome have not been thor-oughly investigated. The present study sought to determine the impact of LVCS on clinical outcome in HFpEF. A total of 1505 consecutive HFpEF patients admitted to hospitals in the multicenter WET-HF Registry for acute decompensated HF (ADHF) between 2006 and 2017 were analyzed. The patients (age: 80 [73-86], male: 48%) were divided into larger (L) or smaller (S) LV end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) groups by the median value 45 mm. Younger age, male sex, higher body mass index, more favorable nutritional status, valvular etiology, and lower LVEF were associated with larger LVEDD. After propensity matching (399 pairs), the L group showed a larger left atrial diameter, E/e’, and tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient and greater severity of mitral regur-gitation. The L group had a higher rate of composite endpoint of all-cause death and ADHF re-admission (P = 0.021) and was an independent predictor. On the other hand, in the pre-matched cohort, the S group rather showed higher in-hospital (4% versus 2%. P = 0.004) and post-discharge mortality (P = 0.009). In HFpEF, LVCS was affected by demographic and cardiac parameters. After adjustment for demographic parameters, larger LVCS was associated with worse clinical outcome. Higher mortality in the S group in the pre-matched cohort might be related to the demographic factors suggesting frailty and/or sarcopenia.

The lactate threshold (LT1), which is defined as the first rise in lactate concentration during incremental exercise, has not been non-invasively and conveniently determined in a clinical setting. We aimed to visualize changes in lactate concentration in sweat during exercise using our wearable lactate sensor and investigate the relationship between the lactate threshold (LT1) and ventilatory threshold (VT1). Twenty-three healthy subjects and 42 patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were enrolled. During exercise, the dynamic changes in lactate values in sweat were visualized in real-time with a sharp continuous increase up to volitional exhaustion and a gradual decrease during the recovery period. The LT1 in sweat was well correlated with the LT1 in blood and the VT1 (r = 0.92 and 0.71, respectively). In addition, the Bland–Altman plot described no bias between the mean values (mean differences: − 4.5 and 2.5 W, respectively). Continuous monitoring of lactate concentrations during exercise can provide additional information for detecting the VT1.

Although a correlation between the nutritional status and the prognosis of patients with heart failure has been suggested, a correlation between the nutritional status and outcomes after the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score (range 0-12, including serum albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocytes) as a nutritional index in speculating the prognosis of patients undergoing LVAD implantation. We examined 63 consecutive patients who underwent the continuous-flow LVAD implantation. Using the preoperative CONUT score, patients were categorized into two groups: lower CONUT score (0-4: normal to mild malnutrition) and higher CONUT score (5-12: moderate to severe malnutrition). We compared for the backgrounds and the clinical events after LVAD implantation. The higher CONUT group exhibited a significantly higher mean right atrial pressure (10.9 ± 4.7 vs. 7.3 ± 4.1 mmHg; p = 0.0019). In that group, the mortality rate was significantly higher (25% vs. 2.6%; p = 0.0059) and the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed lower survival rate. Furthermore, more bleeding events significantly occurred in the higher CONUT group. The preoperative CONUT score may reflect systemic venous congestion and offer a useful prognostic index of clinical courses after LVAD implantation.