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עמוד בית
Tue, 03.12.24

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January 2015
Eugeny Radzishevsky MD, Nabeeh Salman MD, Hagar Paz, Dina Merhavi, Nisan Yaniv MD, Roni Ammar MD, Uri Rosenschein MD and Offer Amir MD FACC

Background: The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is increasing rapidly with high readmission rates, mainly due to fluid retention. Ultrafiltration (UF) is a mechanical method for removing fluids. Introduced only recently in Israel, the skill and experience required for outpatient congested HF patients are scarce.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of UF therapy in congested HF patients in outpatient clinics under a strict protocol of monitoring and therapy that we developed.

Methods: Between April and September 2013 we applied UF in our outpatient clinic to seven chronically congested HF patients with NYHA III-IV who did not respond adequately to diuretics. We administered a total of 38 courses.

Results: On average, 1982 ml fluid per course was removed without significant adverse events and with patients' subjective feeling of improvement. Only two courses were interrupted prematurely due to mechanical problems but were completed without harm to the patients.

Conclusions: Under appropriate professional medical supervision, UF therapy in an outpatient setting is a safe and effective procedure and serves as an additional tool for managing congested HF patients who do not respond adequately to diuretics.

February 2008
O. Amir, H. Paz, R. Ammar, N. Yaniv J.E. Schliamser and B.S. Lewis
 
Background: Serum natriuretic peptide levels are useful diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with acute decompensated heart failure, but have been little used to stratify urgency of treatment in the outpatient situation.

Objectives: To examine the use of natriuretic peptide to guide priority of patient referral to a heart failure center.

Methods: We analyzed data from 70 consecutive patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA class 2-4) referred for first evaluation in a specialized outpatient heart failure center. Serum NT-proBNP[1] was measured at the initial patient visit. We examined correlates and predictive value of mid- and upper tertile NT-proBNP for mortality in comparison with other known prognostic indicators using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results: Mortality at 6 months was 26.0% in patients with upper tertile (> 1958 pg/ml) NT-proBNP, 8.7% in the middle tertile group and 0% in the lowest tertile (P = 0.017). Patients with upper tertile serum NT-proBNP levels (group 3) had lower left ventricular ejection fraction, were more often in atrial fibrillation (P = 0.04) and more often had renal failure (P = 0.03). Age-adjusted logistic regression analysis identified upper tertile serum NT-proBNP level as the strongest independent predictor of 6 month mortality with a sixfold risk of early death (adjusted odds ratio 6.08, 95% confidence interval 1.58–47.13, P = 0.04). NT-proBNP was a more powerful predictor of prognosis than ejection fraction and other traditional outcome markers.

Conclusions: In heart failure patients referred to an outpatient specialized heart failure center, an upper tertile NT-proBNP level identified patients at high risk for mortality. A single high > 550 pg/ml NT-proBNP measurement appears to be useful for selecting patients for care in a heart failure center, and a level > 2000 pg/ml for assigning patients to high priority management.






[1] NT-proBNP = - N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide


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