Israel Medical Association Journal

Objective: To examine the association of mild and severe anemia with acute HF severity and mortality.

Methods: Data were prospectively collected for patients admitted to all departments of medicine and cardiology throughout the country during 2 months in 2003 as part of the Heart Failure Survey in Israel. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) < 12 g/dl for women and < 13 g/dl for men; Hb < 10 g/dl was considered as severe anemia. Mortality data were obtained from the Israel population registry. Median follow-up was 33.6 months.

Results: Of 4102 HF patients, 2332 had acute HF and available hemoglobin data. Anemia was common (55%) and correlated with worse baseline HF. Most signs and symptoms of acute HF were similar among all groups, but mortality was greater in anemic patients. Mortality rates at 6 months were 14.9%, 23.7% and 26.3% for patients with no anemia, mild anemia, and severe anemia, respectively (P < 0.0001), and 22.2%, 33.6% and 39.9% at one year, respectively (P < 0.0001). Compared to patients without anemia, multivariable adjusted hazard ratio was 1.35 for mild anemia and 1.50 for severe anemia (confidence interval 1.20–1.52 and 1.27–1.77 respectively).

Conclusions: Anemia is common in patients with acute HF and is associated with increased mortality correlated with the degree of anemia.

Objectives: To assess the reasons given by gynecologists why they failed to insert a LNG-IUS.

Methods: We obtained data from the sole distributor in Israel that prospectively recorded these cases when contacted by gynecologists following an insertion failure.

Results: The mean rate of failed insertions was 0.95% (range 0.77–1.03%) for the 5 year study period 2006–2010. The most common reasons reported by gynecologists for LNG-IUS insertion failure were loss of sterility of the device, inability to insert the device due to a stenotic cervical canal, accidental removal of the device following a successful insertion due to hasty removal of the inserter or the use of blunt scissors, and removal of the newly inserted LNG-IUS following ultrasound evidence that it was misplaced.

Conclusions:  Gynecologists should be aware of the common pitfalls associated with insertion of an LNG-IUS. Several techniques that may aid in avoiding these mishaps are described.

Background: Determining the prognosis of patients with heart failure is essential for patient management and clinical trial conduct. The relative value of traditional prognostic criteria remains unclear and the assessment of long-term prognosis for individual patients is problematic.

Objectives: To determine the ability of clinical, hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters to predict the long-term prognosis of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Methods: We investigated the ability of clinical, hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters to predict the long-term prognosis of individual patients in a large, representative, contemporary cohort of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) patients referred to Johns Hopkins from 1997 to 2004 for evaluation of cardiomyopathy. In all patients a baseline history was taken, and physical examination, laboratory studies, echocardiogram, right heart catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy were performed.

Results: In 171 IDCM patients followed for a median 3.5 years, there were 50 long-term event-free survivors (LTS) (median survival 6.4 years) and 34 patients died or underwent ventricular assist device placement or transplantation within 5 years (NLTS; non-long-term survivors) (median time to event 1.83 years. Established risk factors (gender, race, presence of diabetes, serum creatinine, sodium) and the use of accepted heart failure medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers) were similar between the two groups. Although LTS had younger age, higher ejection fraction (EF) and lower New York Heart Association (NYHA) class at presentation, the positive predictive value of an EF< 25% was 64% (95% CI 41%–79%) and of NYHA class > 2 was 53% (95% CI 36–69%). A logistic model incorporating these three variables incorrectly classified 29% of patients.

Conclusions: IDCM exhibits a highly variable natural history and standard clinical predictors have limited ability to classify IDCM patients into broad prognostic categories. These findings suggest that there are important host-environmental factors still unappreciated in the biology of IDCM.
 

Heart failure (HF) accompanied by renal failure, termed cardiorenal syndrome (CRS), encompasses both the development and worsening of renal insufficiency secondary to HF as well as the harmful effects of impaired renal function on the cardiovascular system, and remains a universal clinical challenge. CRS was recently classified into subtypes depending on the etiologic and chronologic interactions between cardiac and renal dysfunctions. The mechanisms underlying the CRS are multifactorial, including hemodynamic alterations, neurohormonal effects, and inflammatory components. However, despite enhanced understanding and awareness of CRS, further elucidation of the mechanisms involved and the appropriate treatment approaches are clearly warranted. CRS is a difficult condition to manage, as treatment to relieve congestive symptoms of HF is limited by a further decline in renal functions, itself a major independent predictor of long-term cardiac morbidity. In order to perform a proper clinical investigation and implement appropriate treatment that will minimize subsequent progression of heart and kidney injury, a comprehensive approach to these two pathologies is crucial. In the present review we discuss current theories behind the mechanistic evolution of the CRS as well as therapeutic issues regarding this multifaceted condition.
 

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) have a poor prognosis. Heart failure centers with specialized nurse-supervised management programs have been proposed to improve prognosis.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical outcome of patients with HF treated at a multidisciplinary HF center of Clalit Health Services in Jerusalem in collaboration with Hadassah University Hospital.

Methods: We evaluated clinical outcome including hospitalizations and death in all HF patients followed at the HF center for 1 year.

Results: Altogether, 324 patients were included and followed at the HF center; 58% were males with a mean age of 76 ± 11 years, and 58% were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class 3-4. The overall 1 year survival rate was 91% and the 1 year hospitalization rate 29%. Comparing patients in the HF center to the whole cohort of patients with a diagnosis of HF (N=6618) in Clalit Health Services in Jerusalem demonstrated a similar 1 year survival rate: 91% vs. 89% respectively but with a significantly reduced hospitalization rate: 29% vs. 42% respectively (P < 0.01). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that treatment in the HF center was a significant predictor of reduced hospitalization after adjustment for other predictors (hazard ratio 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.53–0.80, P < 0.0001). A subset of patients that was evaluated (N=78) showed significantly increased compliance. NYHA class improved in these patients from a mean of 3.1 ± 0.1 to 2.6 ± 0.1 after treatment (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Supervision by dedicated specialized nurses in a HF center increased compliance, improved functional capacity in HF patients, and reduced hospitalization rate. HF centers should be considered part of the standard treatment of patients with symptomatic HF.
 

Telemedicine is the application of advanced telecommunication technology for diagnostic, monitoring and therapeutic purposes. It enables data transmission from the patient's whereabouts or his/her primary care provider to a specialized medical call center. Telecardiology is a highly developed medical discipline involving almost every aspect of cardiology, including acute coronary syndromes, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest and others. Israel is one of the leading countries in the use of telecardiology, achieving both extended survival, improvement of the patient's quality of life, and significant reduction in health costs.