Abstract Background Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors treated with thoracic radiation therapy (RT) have impaired exercise tolerance and increased cardiovascular mortality. Objectives The purpose of ...this study was to evaluate the prevalence of autonomic dysfunction and its implications on exercise capacity and mortality in long-term survivors of HL. Methods Exercise parameters in 263 HL survivors referred for exercise treadmill testing at a median interval of 19 years after RT were compared with 526 age-, sex-, and cardiovascular risk score–matched control subjects. Within the RT cohort, the presence of autonomic dysfunction, defined by an elevated resting heart rate (HR) (≥80 beats/min) and abnormal heart rate recovery (HRR) at 1 min (≤12 beats/min if active cool-down, or ≤18 beats/min if passive recovery), was correlated with exercise capacity and all-cause mortality over a median follow-up of 3 years. Results RT was associated with elevated resting HR and abnormal HRR after adjusting for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors, medications, and indication for exercise treadmill testing: odds ratio: 3.96 (95% confidence interval CI: 2.52 to 6.23) and odds ratio: 5.32 (95% CI: 2.94 to 9.65), respectively. Prevalence of autonomic dysfunction increased with radiation dose and time from RT. Both elevated resting HR and abnormal HRR were associated with reduced exercise capacity in RT patients. Abnormal HRR was also associated with increased all-cause mortality (age-adjusted hazard ratio: 4.60 95% CI: 1.62 to 13.02). Conclusions Thoracic RT is associated with autonomic dysfunction, as measured by elevated resting HR and abnormal HRR. These abnormalities are associated with impaired exercise tolerance, and abnormal HRR predicts increased all-cause mortality in RT patients.
Highlights • Binding of albumin to diuretics are key to delivery to the nephron, and low albumin levels diminish intravascular oncotic pressures necessary to maintain intravascular volume for ...effective diuresis. • Based on prospectively collected data from two acute heart failure clinical trials (DOSE-AHF and ROSE-AHF), this may not be the case in acute heart failure populations largely free of nephrotic syndrome or cirrhosis. • Our data from two well characterized cohorts of patients with acute heart failure suggest that serum albumin may not be a helpful tool to guide decongestion strategies or determine effectiveness of therapy.
Abstract Objectives This study evaluated the prevalence, profile, and prognosis of severe obesity in a large contemporary acute heart failure (AHF) population. Background Better prognosis has been ...reported for obese heart failure (HF) patients than nonobese HF patients, but in other cardiovascular populations, this effect has not been demonstrated for severely obese patients. Methods A cohort of 795 participants with body mass index (BMI) measured at time of admission and complete follow-up were identified from enrollment in 3 contemporary AHF trials (DOSE Diuretic Strategies Optimization Evaluation, CARRESS-HF Cardiorenal Rescue Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, and ROSE Renal Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure). Patients were divided into 4 BMI categories according to standard World Health Organization criteria, as follows: normal weight: 18.5 to 25 kg/m2 n = 128; overweight: 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 n = 209; mild-to-moderate obese: 30 to 39.9 kg/m2 n = 301; and severely obese: ≥40 kg/m2 n = 157). The relationship between BMI and 60-day composite outcome (death, rehospitalization, or unscheduled provider visit) was investigated. Results Patients with severe obesity (19.7%) were younger, more often female, hypertensive, diabetic, and more likely to have higher blood pressures and left ventricular ejection fraction, and lower N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin I levels than other BMI category patients. Following admission for AHF, patients with normal weight showed the highest risk of 60-day composite outcome, followed by patients who were severely obese. Overweight and mild-moderately obese patients showed lowest risk. Conclusions Nearly one-fifth of AHF patients enrolled in contemporary randomized clinical trials are severely obese. A U-shaped curve for short-term prognosis according to BMI is seen in AHF. These findings may help to better inform both HF clinical care and future clinical trial planning.
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