Heart failure (MYHF) registry: shedding light on lipid profiles and in-hospital outcome of heart failure patients

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Novartis Corporation Sdn Bhd

Background

Heart failure is a debilitating disease associated with multiple comorbidities and poor prognosis. Dyslipidemia, is the top 5 most common comorbidities, including HF patients. Nonetheless, the lipid profiles in HF population is scarcely available and poorly understood.

Purpose

This report aimed to describe the lipid profiles and in-hospital outcome of hospitalized HF patients.

Methods

MYHF registry is a prospective, observational study of symptomatic HF patients (NYHA II-IV) hospitalized in 18 tertiary care centers in Malaysia over a period of 3 years starting in 2019. Lipid profiles will be described, and in-hospital outcome will be analyzed using univariate and multivariate models.

Results

In MYHF registry, 1 out of 2 hospitalized HF patients (55.7%) had ischemic heart disease, significantly higher in patients with HFrEF and HFmrEF, as compared to HFpEF (p<0.001). Similarly, 1 in 2 (46.6%) patients had dyslipidemia as comorbidity but was comparable across EF subgroups (p=0.365). Statin utilization at discharge increased by 20% from admission (from 62.2% to 74.6%), indicating that hospitalization provides good opportunity for statin initiation in indicated HF patients. At admission, the mean total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL, and TG levels were 4.30 mmol/L (SD 1.66), 2.62 mmol/L (SD 1.34), 1.05 (SD 0.46), and 1.37 (SD 1.08), respectively. Of those with measured LDL-C level, only 31.4% achieved LDL-C goal of <1.8 mmol/L and 39.8% of patients had LDL-C ≥2.6 mmol/L. With univariate analysis, patients with LDL-C goal of ≥ 1.8 mmol/L had lesser risk of in-hospital mortality [OR 0.42 (0.21,0.86), p-value = 0.018], indicating LDL-C paradox. Further analysis with multivariate model revealed that patients with LDL-C goal of ≥ or < 1.8 mmol/L did not differ in in-hospital mortality outcome (p-value = NS).

Conclusion

Dyslipidemia is highly common in general population and in HF patients. With statin therapy, only 31.4% achieved LDL-C < 1.8 mmol/L at admission. The finding highlights the unmet need for combination lipid lowering therapies to get patient to LDL-C target goal. Hospitalization also provided good opportunity of statin therapy initiation. The knowledge gained will be crucial for guiding management of HF patients with common comorbidity like dyslipidemia.

Concurrent stroke and ST-elevation myocardial infarction: Is it a contraindication for intravenous tenecteplase?

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are leading causes of mortality worldwide. Concurrent AIS presentation with STEMI is rare and potentially fatal. Most importantly to date many centres in Malaysia are still not aware on how to treat this condition. We report a case of AIS, which was treated with intravenous tenecteplase (TNK) according to ischemic stroke dosage and lead to improvement of neurological deficit.

Calcium score of coronary artery stratifies the risk of obstructive coronary artery diseases

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Coronary heart disease is a major health problem in Malaysia with high morbidity and mortality. Common primary screening tool of cardiovascular risk stratification is exercise treadmill test (ETT). This communication is to determine the performance of coronary artery calcium score a new method to stratify the presence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in comparison to traditional ETT in patients having coronary artery diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients between 30 to 60 years old attended the ETT to screen for ischemic heart disease were recruited for Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS) of multi-sliced computed tomography (MSCT). Subsequently all patients underwent a full MSCT coronary angiography. The major determinant was the state of CAD whether obstructive (50% stenosis or more) or non-obstructive (less than 50% stenosis). All patients diagnosed with obstructive CAD on MSCT coronary angiogram were subjected to invasive coronary angiogram (ICA) to confirm the findings and planned the need for revascularization.

RESULTS

The CACS was 100% sensitivity and 97.5% specificity in detecting obstructive CAD at the optimal cut-off value of 106.5 and above. The positive predictive value (PPV) at CACS ≥ 106 was 71.4% and the negative predictive value (NPV) was consistent at 100%. Compare to ETT, the CACS discriminative value and diagnostic performance was much better (PPV 71.4% vs. 45.5%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

CACS can be a good diagnostic screening tool in patients suspected of CAD, and particularly within the non-diagnostic ETT subgroup with low to moderate cardiovascular risks.