European Journal of Heart Failure最新文献

Heart transplantation (HTx) remains the gold standard treatment for selected patients with advanced heart failure and survival after transplantation has substantially improved over recent decades. As a consequence, the number of long-term HTx recipients continues to increase, and these patients are now frequently encountered in routine practice outside specialized transplant centers. Their management remains complex due to the use of chronic immunosuppression, transplant-specific complications, and a growing burden of comorbidities in the perspective of increasing longevity. Non-transplant cardiologists, general practitioners, and other healthcare professionals are therefore increasingly involved in their care but often have limited experience of post-transplant management. This clinical consensus statement from the Heart Failure Association (HFA) and the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions (ACNAP) of the ESC provides practical support and a structured framework for healthcare providers involved in the care of HTx recipients outside dedicated transplant centers. The document reviews key aspects of post-transplant management, including outlining principles of care according to time from transplantation, essential knowledge around immunosuppressive therapy and drug monitoring, recognition and initial management of rejection, infection prophylaxis and treatment, and surveillance of long-term complications such as cardiac allograft vasculopathy, malignancy, chronic kidney disease, and metabolic disorders. In addition, specific clinical situations frequently encountered in practice-including fertility and pregnancy, non-cardiac surgery, rehabilitation, and palliative care-are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the organization of shared-care models between transplant centers and community providers and on identifying clinical scenarios requiring early referral. Through providing practical recommendations and a structured framework for follow-up, this document aims to support non-specialist clinicians in the safe management of HTx recipients and to facilitate timely collaboration with transplant centers.

Background: Concentrations of N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is central to acute heart failure (AHF) diagnosis in dyspneic emergency departments (ED) patients, but optimal thresholds remain uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various NT-proBNP thresholds for AHF, across the general population and these key subgroups.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, including studies published up to August 28, 2025, that reported the diagnostic performance of NT-proBNP thresholds for AHF in dyspneic ED patients.

Results: The analysis included 31 studies comprising 26,948 patients. To exclude AHF, a fixed threshold of ≤300 ng/L yielded an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.73 (0.69-0.77), with high sensitivity of 97.9% (96.9-98.5) and lower specificity of 46.2% (36.4-56.2); the negative predictive value of this threshold was 97.0% (96.5-97.4). Age-dependent thresholds (≥450 ng/L for patients aged <50 years, ≥900 ng/L for those aged 50-75 years, and ≥1,800 ng/L for those aged ≥75 years), evaluated in 14,410 patients, achieved an AUC of 0.84 (0.83-0.85) with a more favorable balance between sensitivity of 85.9% (85.0-86.7) and specificity of 82.0% (81.2-82.9). In patients with CKD (N=2,271), all fixed thresholds yielded AUC <0.80; age-dependent thresholds showed an AUC of 0.77 (0.75-0.78) with specificity of 62.6% (59.4-65.7). In patients with obesity (body mass index ≥30), only age-dependent thresholds were assessed, in 3,562 patients; AUC was 0.82 (0.81-0.84) and sensitivity was 81.2% (79.2-83.1), broadly comparable to the overall population.

Conclusion: A threshold ≤300 ng/L provides excellent rule-out performance for AHF, while age-dependent NT-proBNP thresholds offer superior diagnostic performance for ruling in AHF in the ED compared to fixed thresholds, and demonstrate consistent accuracy across subgroups. However, evidence in patients with CKD and obesity remains limited, both in terms of sample size and the range of thresholds evaluated.

Background: GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce major adverse cardiovascular events among patients with diabetes, overweight, and obesity. Whether these benefits extend to patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis (AS) remains unknown. Thus, we investigated the association between GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment and cardiovascular outcomes after AVR.

Methods: Nationwide population-based cohort study including consecutive patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI or SAVR in Western Denmark between January, 2016 and April, 2022. Patients were followed until death, emigration, crossover, or end of follow up on May 12, 2026. Propensity score-matching was performed to balance confounding. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, or aortic valve reoperation. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, aortic valve reoperation, with analyses accounting for the competing risk of death.

Results: Among 5259 eligible patients undergoing AVR, 292 propensity score-matched patients were included in the final analyses. During a mean follow up of 4.8±2.4 years, GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment was associated with a lower risk of the primary composite outcome compared with controls (HR 0.69, 95%CI 0.50-0.96, p=0.029). GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment was also associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.66, 95%CI 0.46-0.95, p=0.025). In competing risk analyses accounting for death, lower risks were observed for heart failure hospitalization (HR 0.67, 95%CI 0.48-0.93, p=0.018), and aortic valve reoperation (HR 0.69, 95%CI 0.49-0.98, p=0.037).

Conclusion: Treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists was associated with lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes including mortality following AVR among patients with severe AS.

Background: Sex-based disparities in patient enrollment and treatment effects in heart failure (HF) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been reported. We aim to systematically analyze sex-based enrollment and treatment effect differences in HF RCTs over time.

Methods: RCTs enrolling patients with chronic HF were systematically searched on PubMed-MEDLINE. Eligible trials included pharmacological or device-based interventions with a hard primary endpoint (mortality and hospitalization) and reporting enrollment of women. Sex-specific treatment effects (HR or RR) were extracted. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models, and pre-specified subgroup analyses were performed.

Results: A total of 56 RCTs (39 drug, 17 device) were included. The pooled proportion of women enrollment was 27.0% (95%CI: 22.0% to 32.4%) in drug trials and 25.3% (95%CI: 21.0% to 29.9%) in device trials. Women were more underrepresented in HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) than in HF with preserved EF (HFpEF) trials (21.0% vs 49.6%, p < 0.001). Among drug trials reporting sex-specific effects, the pooled sex interaction for RCTs reporting HR was 0.94 (95%CI 0.89-1.01) and RR was 0.81 (95%CI 0.68-0.96), suggesting potentially greater benefit for women. No interaction was observed between HFrEF and HFpEF trials (HR: p = 0.44; RR: p = 0.95). The pooled interaction estimate on event counts was 0.90 (95%CI 0.84-0.96). For devices, the pooled sex interaction for RCTs reporting HR was 1.05 (95%CI 0.90-1.22) and RR was 0.68 (95%CI 0.50-0.93).

Conclusion: Women remain underrepresented in HF RCTs. Sex-stratified analyses suggest a potentially greater relative benefit of drug intervention in women, which might inform future RCTs. Further studies are required to investigate the mechanisms of these differences.

Background: Lower extremity compression therapy has been proposed as an adjunct to mitigate diuretic resistance during acute decompensation of heart failure (ADHF). We evaluated the effect of lower leg compression with elastic bandages on diuretic efficiency in patients with diuretic-resistant ADHF.

Methods: Historical cohort study enrolling adult cardiac ICU admissions with ADHF who used elastic bandages (EB) at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from 2007 to 2017. The diuretic efficiency before and after applying EB was the primary outcome.

Results: A total of 176 patients with heart failure who received elastic bandages were included. The in-hospital mortality rate, the median hospital length of stay, and 30-day hospital readmission were 9.7%, 11.4 days (IQR 7.1-19.0), and 11%, respectively. When EB was applied, the average daily loop diuretic dosage was decreased by a mean difference of 1.19 mg per 40 mg furosemide equivalent (95% CI: 0.22 to 2.2; p = 0.016). The average post-EB diuretic efficiency was 1,355 mL (IQR 1,119, 1,590) per 40-mg furosemide, which was significantly higher than before EB application, with a mean difference of 340 mL per 40-mg furosemide equivalent (95% CI: -554, -125; p = 0.002). A higher diuretic efficiency led to lower diuretic doses. Average daily urine output before and after EB application was not different (2,642 pre-EB vs. 2,792 post-EB mL/day; 95% CI: -455 to 154; p = 0.33).

Conclusion: EB use enhances diuretic efficacy during ADHF. Further studies are needed to determine the potential clinical benefits and risks of applying EB compression treatment in ADHF.

Background: Patients from socioeconomically deprived and ethnically diverse backgrounds are under-represented in cardiovascular research. EARLY-HF is a community-based pilot study designed to predict incident HF in primary care. We aimed to assess effectiveness of recruitment strategies for engaging underserved populations and quantify the burden of unrecognised CVD.

Methods: Prospective cohort study enrolling 550 adults aged ≥50 years with two or more cardiometabolic risk factors and no prior diagnosis of HF. Participants were recruited via: (i) targeted identification using electronic health records in eight primary care centres; (ii) digital advertising and targeted social media campaign; (iii) ten community outreach events; (iv) direct referral from family or friends. The baseline study visit included ECG, blood sampling, and imaging.

Results: 185 (34%) participants were from the most deprived Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile and 97 (18%) were of non-White ethnicity. Primary care and digital advertising were the most effective recruitment strategies, enrolling 444 (81%) and 68 (12%) participants respectively, while maintaining diverse representation. The social media campaign generated 15,207 advertisement clicks and 1,012 expressions of interest at a cost of £5.93 per sign-up. Community outreach events enrolled 5 (1%) participants and were resource intensive. A substantial burden of previously unrecognised CVD was identified: 125 (23%) participants had clinically actionable cardiac abnormalities, including 46 (9%) with previously unrecognised myocardial infarction, 331 (60%) had uncontrolled blood pressure (≥140/90 mmHg), and 162 (30%) had elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP ≥125 pg/ml).

Conclusions: Primary care-embedded and digital recruitment strategies can effectively engage underserved communities at risk of HF, at scale and at low cost. This population has a very high burden of unrecognised CVD.