Traditional and novel approaches to management of heart failure: successes and failures

Validation of the Spanish version of the Kansas city cardiomyopathy questionnaire

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) is specifically designed to evaluate quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability, validity, and responsiveness to change of the Spanish version of the KCCQ.

METHODS

The multicenter study involved 315 patients with CHF. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at weeks 24 and 26. The KCCQ, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) were administered. Reliability was assessed in stable patients (n=163) by examining test-retest and internal consistency measures between weeks 24 and 26. Validity was evaluated at baseline (n=315) by determining how KCCQ scores varied with New York Heart Association functional class and by comparing scores with those on similar domains of the MLHFQ and SF-36. Responsiveness to change was assessed in patients who experienced significant clinical improvement between baseline and week 24 (n=31) by determining the effect size.

RESULTS

Reliability coefficients ranged between 0.70 and 0.96 for the different domains. Mean KCCQ scores varied significantly with New York Heart Association functional class (P<.001). Correlations with comparable domains on the other questionnaires were acceptable (e.g. for physical limitation, they were between 0.77 and 0.81). The changes observed at 24 weeks in the majority of KCCQ scores in the subsample that improved corresponded to a moderate effect size (i.e. 0.4-0.6).

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish version of the KCCQ has good metric properties (i.e. validity, reliability and responsiveness), which make it suitable for use in evaluating quality of life in Spanish CHF patients.

Molecular imaging targets of cardiac remodeling

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling is a major determinant of the clinical course and outcome of systolic heart failure (HF). Activation of neurohormonal and inflammatory cytokine pathways and their effects on intracellular signal transduction cascades through stimulation of membrane-bound receptors mediate LV remodeling. Although major advances have been made in clinical management of HF through large randomized trials, its prognosis remains poor. Interindividual differences, often genetically based, are increasingly recognized as important determinants of LV remodeling. Identification of the influence of these individual factors on the clinical course of HF has stimulated a search for specific pathophysiologic mechanisms that operate at the individual level and can be targeted directly. This article summarizes the current application of molecular imaging techniques to the understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in LV remodeling in an attempt to provide the tools necessary for personalized, truly "evidence-based" assessment, serial evaluation, and monitoring of HF.

Therapeutic efficacy of a combination of a beta1-adrenoreceptor (AR) blocker and beta2-AR agonist in a rat model of postmyocardial infarction dilated heart failure exceeds that of a beta1-AR blocker plus angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

We had proposed previously a novel combination of beta2-adrenoreceptor (AR) agonist and beta1-AR blocker that in the rat model of postmyocardial infarction (MI) dilated cardiomyopathy exceeds the therapeutic effectiveness of either monotherapy. In the present study, we compared that treatment with a combination of beta1-AR blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi), a current standard chronic heart failure (CHF) therapy. Two weeks after coronary artery ligation, rats were divided into groups of similar average MI size, measured by echocardiography, and the following 12-month treatments were initiated: fenoterol (250 microg/kg/day), a beta2-AR agonist, plus metoprolol (100 mg/kg/day), a beta1-AR blocker (beta1-beta2+); metoprolol plus enalapril (20 mg/kg/day), an ACEi (beta1-ACEi); and a combination of all three drugs (beta1-beta2+ACEi). These treatment groups were compared with each other and with nontreated (nT) and sham groups. The 12-month mortality was significantly reduced in all treatment groups (44% in beta1-beta2+, 56% in beta1-beta2+ACEi, 59% in beta1-ACEi versus 81% in nT). Bimonthly echocardiography revealed significant attenuation of the left ventricular (LV) chamber remodeling, LV functional deterioration, and MI expansion in all three treatment groups, but effects were significantly more pronounced when treatment included a beta2-AR agonist. The results indicated that a combination of beta1-AR blocker and beta2-AR agonist is equipotent to a combination of beta1-AR blocker and ACEi in the treatment of CHF in rats, with the respect to mortality, and exceeds the latter with respect to cardiac remodeling and MI expansion. Thus, this novel therapeutic regimen for CHF warrants detailed clinical investigation.

Recent Publications on Medications and Pharmacy

Hospital Pharmacy presents this feature to keep pharmacists abreast of new publications in the medical/pharmacy literature. Articles of interest will be abstracted monthly regarding a broad scope of topics. Suggestions or comments may be addressed to: Jacyntha Sterling, Drug Information Specialist at Saint Francis Hospital, 6161 S Yale Ave., Tulsa, OK 74136 or e-mail: jasterling@saintfrancis.com .