• Klíčová slova
• Cardiogenic shock, ECMO, Fulminant myocarditis, Impella, Mechanical circulatory support devices,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH

AIMS: One treatment option for refractory ventricular arrythmias is stellate ganglion block (SGB). We examined differences in SGB success by patient and arrhythmia characteristics and predictors of successful SGB. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a multicenter analysis of patients treated for refractory ventricular arrythmias in the Czech Republic and the United States. The primary outcome was absence of ventricular arrythmias at 24 h post SGB. SGB effectiveness was examined according to aetiology of cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia type, laterality of SGB, presence of inotropes, and presence of mechanical circulatory support. Binary logistic regression was used to examine variables associated with the primary outcome. In total there were 117 patients with refractory ventricular arrythmias treated with SGB. Overall, the mean age was 63.5 ± 11.0 years, majority of patients were male (94.0%), White (87.2%), and had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in situ (70.1%). There were no differences in efficacy of SGB based on aetiology of cardiomyopathy (P = 0.623), arrhythmia type (0.852), laterality of block (P = 0.131), and presence of inotropes (P = 0.083). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that increased age was associated with decreased odds of SGB success (odds ratio: 0.96, confidence interval: 0.92-0.99, P = 0.039) whereas increased left ventricular ejection fraction trended towards increased odds of SGB success (odds ratio: 1.05, confidence interval: 0.995-1.11, P = 0.077). CONCLUSIONS: In this multicentre experience, SGB was similarly effective despite the aetiology of cardiomyopathy, type of arrhythmia, laterality, and inotropic or mechanical support. SGB was less effective for the suppression of ventricular arrythmias at 24 h for the elderly.

• Klíčová slova
• Stellate ganglion block, Ventricular fibrillation, Ventricular tachycardia,
• MeSH
• blokáda autonomních nervů * metody   MeSH
• ganglion stellatum * MeSH
• komorová tachykardie terapie   patofyziologie   etiologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• následné studie MeSH
• recidiva MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Spojené státy americké epidemiologie   MeSH

AIMS: Despite receiving guideline-directed medical heart failure (HF) therapy, patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) experience higher mortality and hospitalization rates than the general HF population. AZD3427 is a functionally selective, long-acting mimetic of relaxin, a hormone that has the potential to induce vasodilation and prevent fibrosis. In a phase 1b study conducted in patients with HF, AZD3427 demonstrated a favourable safety and pharmacokinetic profile. To address the unmet medical need in patients with PH-LHD in the context of HF, AZD3427 is currently under development as a potential treatment option. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Re-PHIRE study is a phase 2b, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, dose-ranging study to evaluate the effect of AZD3427 on a broad range of PH-LHD phenotypes. In total, 220 patients will be randomized to four treatment groups to receive a subcutaneous injection of AZD3427 or placebo every 2 weeks for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint of the study is the change in pulmonary vascular resistance in patients treated with AZD3427 versus placebo after 24 weeks of treatment. Key secondary endpoints include changes in mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance, 6-min walking distance, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels, echocardiographic parameters, and health-related quality of life (assessed by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire). CONCLUSIONS: Re-PHIRE is the first study of a relaxin mimetic in patients with PH-LHD. The insights gained from the Re-PHIRE study are expected to inform the further development of AZD3427 in the PH-LHD population, including identifying the most suitable pulmonary hypertension and HF phenotypes for treatment.

• Klíčová slova
• Heart failure, Left heart disease, Pulmonary hypertension, Pulmonary vascular resistance, Relaxin,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

AIMS: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is guideline recommended for the treatment of symptomatic heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and prolonged QRS. However, patients with common comorbidities, such as persistent/permanent atrial fibrillation (AF), are often under-represented in clinical trials. METHODS: The Strategic Management to Optimize Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (SMART) registry (NCT03075215) was a global, multicentre, registry that enrolled de novo CRT implants, or upgrade from pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator to CRT-defibrillator (CRT-D), using a quadripolar left ventricular lead in real-world clinical practice. The primary endpoint was CRT response between baseline and 12 month follow-up defined as a clinical composite score (CCS) consisting of all-cause mortality, HF-associated hospitalization, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and quality of life global assessment. RESULTS: The registry enrolled 2035 patients, of which 1558 had completed CCS outcomes at 12 months. The patient cohort was 33.0% female, mean age at enrolment was 67.5 ± 10.4 years and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 29.6 ± 7.9%. Notably, there was a high prevalence of mildly symptomatic patients (NYHA class I/II 51.3%), non-left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology (38.0%), AF (37.2%) and diabetes mellitus (34.7%) at baseline. CCS at 12 months improved in 58.9% (n = 917) of patients; 20.1% (n = 313) of patients stabilized and 21.0% (n = 328) worsened. Several patient characteristics were associated with a lower likelihood of response to CRT including older age, ischaemic aetiology, renal dysfunction, AF, non-LBBB morphology and diabetes. Higher HF hospitalization (P < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (P < 0.001) were observed in patients with AF. These patients also had lower percentages of ventricular pacing than patients in sinus rhythm at baseline and follow-up (P < 0.001, both). A further association between AF and non-LBBB was observed with 81.4% of AF non-LBBB patients experiencing an HF hospitalization compared with 92.5% of non-AF LBBB patients (P < 0.001). Mortality between subgroups was also statistically significant (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: This large, global registry enrolled a CRT-D population with higher incidence of comorbidities that have been historically underrepresented in clinical trials and provides new insight into factors influencing response to CRT. As defined by CCS, 58.9% of patients improved and 20.1% stabilized. Patients with AF had particularly worse clinical outcomes, higher HF hospitalization and mortality rates and lower percentages of ventricular pacing. High incidence of HF hospitalization in patients with AF and non-LBBB in this real-world cohort suggests that ablation may play an important role in increasing future CRT response rates.

• Klíčová slova
• atrioventricular optimization, cardiac resynchronization therapy, electrical delay, heart failure,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

AIMS: Recent-onset dilated cardiomyopathy (RODCM) is characterized by heterogeneous aetiology and diverse clinical outcomes, with scarce data on genotype-phenotype correlates. Our aim was to correlate individual RODCM genotypes with left ventricular reverse remodelling (LVRR) and clinical outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this prospective study, a total of 386 Czech RODCM patients with symptom duration ≤6 months underwent genetic counselling and whole-exome sequencing (WES). The presence of pathogenic (class 5) or likely pathogenic (class 4) variants in a set of 72 cardiomyopathy-related genes was correlated with the occurrence of all-cause death, heart transplantation, or implantation of a ventricular assist device (primary outcome) and/or ventricular arrhythmia event (secondary outcome). LVRR was defined as an improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction to >50% or ≥10% absolute increase, with a left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ≤33 mm/m2 or ≥10% relative decrease. Median follow-up was 41 months. RODCM was familial in 98 (25%) individuals. Class 4-5 variants of interest (VOIs) were identified in 125 (32%) cases, with 69 (18%) having a single titin-truncating variant (TTNtv) and 56 (14%) having non-titin (non-TTN) VOIs. The presence of class 4-5 non-TTN VOIs, but not of TTNtv, heralded a lower probability of 12-month LVRR and proved to be an independent baseline predictor both of the primary and the secondary outcome. The negative result of genetic testing was a strong protective baseline variable against occurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Detection of class 4-5 VOIs in genes coding nuclear envelope proteins was another independent predictor of both study outcomes at baseline and also of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias after 12 months. Class 4-5 VOIs of genes coding cytoskeleton were associated with an increased risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias after baseline assessment. A positive family history of dilated cardiomyopathy alone only related to a lower probability of LVRR at 12 months and at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: RODCM patients harbouring class 4-5 non-TTN VOIs are at higher risk of progressive heart failure and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Genotyping may improve their early risk stratification at baseline assessment.

• Klíčová slova
• Genetics, Left ventricular reverse remodelling, Prognosis, Recent‐onset dilated cardiomyopathy, Whole‐exome sequencing,
• MeSH
• dilatační kardiomyopatie * genetika   patofyziologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• genotyp * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• následné studie MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• remodelace komor * genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• sekvenování exomu MeSH
• tepový objem fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

Despite improvements over recent years, morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure (HF) are higher in countries in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region than in Western Europe. With the goal of improving the standard of HF care and patient outcomes in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region, this review aimed to identify the main barriers to optimal HF care and potential areas for improvement. This information was used to suggest methods to improve HF management and decrease the burden of HF in the region that can be implemented at the national and regional levels. We performed a literature search to collect information about HF epidemiology in 11 countries in the region (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia). The prevalence of HF in the region was 1.6-4.7%, and incidence was 3.1-6.0 per 1000 person-years. Owing to the scarcity of published data on HF management in these countries, we also collected insights on local HF care and management practices via two surveys of 11 HF experts representing the 11 countries. Based on the combined results of the literature review and surveys, we created national HF care and management profiles for each country and developed a common patient pathway for HF for the region. We identified five main barriers to optimal HF care: (i) lack of epidemiological data, (ii) low awareness of HF, (iii) lack of national HF strategies, (iv) infrastructure and system gaps, and (v) poor access to novel HF treatments. To overcome these barriers, we propose the following routes to improvement: (i) establish regional and national prospective HF registries for the systematic collection of epidemiological data; (ii) establish education campaigns for the public, patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals; (iii) establish formal HF strategies to set clear and measurable policy goals and support budget planning; (iv) improve access to quality-of-care centres, multidisciplinary care teams, diagnostic tests, and telemedicine/telemonitoring; and (v) establish national treatment monitoring programmes to develop policies that ensure that adequate proportions of healthcare budgets are reserved for novel therapies. These routes to improvement represent a first step towards improving outcomes in patients with HF in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region by decreasing disparities in HF care within the region and between the region and Western Europe.

• Klíčová slova
• Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region, Heart failure management, Heart failure nursing, Multidisciplinary care, Patient pathway, Registries,
• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• management nemoci MeSH
• morbidita trendy   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• srdeční selhání * epidemiologie   terapie   MeSH
• zlepšení kvality MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa epidemiologie   MeSH
• pobaltské republiky epidemiologie   MeSH
• východní Evropa epidemiologie   MeSH

• MeSH
• arteriovenózní píštěl patofyziologie   diagnóza   komplikace   MeSH
• arteriovenózní zkrat metody   MeSH
• dialýza ledvin MeSH
• hemodynamika * fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• srdeční selhání * patofyziologie   diagnóza   MeSH
• vysoký srdeční výdej patofyziologie   etiologie   diagnóza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• dopisy MeSH

AIMS: In patients with recently diagnosed non-ischaemic LV systolic dysfunction, left ventricular reverse remodelling (LVRR) and favourable prognosis has been documented in studies with short-term follow-up. The aim of our study was to assess the long-term clinical course and stability of LVRR in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively studied 133 patients (37 women; 55 [interquartile range 46, 61] years) with recently diagnosed unexplained LV systolic dysfunction, with heart failure symptoms lasting <6 months and LV ejection fraction <40% persisting after at least 1 week of therapy. All patients underwent endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) at the time of diagnosis and serial echocardiographic and clinical follow-up over 5 years. LVRR was defined as the combined presence of (1) LVEF ≥ 50% or increase in LVEF ≥ 10% points and (2) decrease in LV end-diastolic diameter index (LVEDDi) ≥ 10% or (3) LVEDDi ≤ 33 mm/m2. LVRR was observed in 46% patients at 1 year, in 60% at 2 years and 50% at 5 years. Additionally, 2% of patients underwent heart transplantation and 12% experienced heart failure hospitalization. During 5-year follow-up, 23 (17%) of the study cohort died. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of mortality were baseline right atrial size (OR 1.097, CI 1.007-1.196), logBNP level (OR 2.02, CI 1.14-3.56), and PR interval (OR 1.02, CI 1.006-1.035) (P < 0.05 for all). The number of macrophages on EMB was associated with overall survival in univariate analysis only. LVRR at 1 year of follow-up was associated with a lower rate of mortality and heart failure hospitalization (P = 0.025). In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of LVRR were left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (OR 0.97, CI 0.946-0.988), LVEF (OR 0.89, CI 0.83-0.96), and diastolic blood pressure (OR 1.04, CI 1.01-1.08) (P < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: LVRR occurs in over half of patients with recent onset unexplained LV systolic dysfunction during first 2 years of optimally guided heart failure therapy and then remains relatively stable during 5-year follow-up. Normalization of adverse LV remodelling corresponds to a low rate of mortality and heart failure hospitalizations during long-term follow-up.

• Klíčová slova
• Dilated cardiomyopathy, Endomyocardial biopsy, Left ventricular systolic dysfunction, Mortality, Reverse remodelling,
• MeSH
• dilatační kardiomyopatie * MeSH
• dysfunkce levé srdeční komory * komplikace   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• srdeční selhání * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

AIMS: The determinants and relevance of right ventricular (RV) mechanical dyssynchrony in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are poorly understood. We hypothesized that increased afterload may adversely affect the synchrony of RV contraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 148 patients with HFrEF and 36 controls underwent echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and gated single-photon emission computed tomography to measure RV chamber volumes and mechanical dyssynchrony (phase standard deviation of systolic displacement timing). Exams were repeated after preload (N = 135) and afterload (N = 15) modulation. Patients with HFrEF showed higher RV dyssynchrony compared with controls (40.6 ± 17.5° vs. 27.8 ± 9.1°, P < 0.001). The magnitude of RV dyssynchrony in HFrEF correlated with larger RV and left ventricular (LV) volumes, lower RV ejection fraction (RVEF) and LV ejection fraction, reduced intrinsic contractility, increased heart rate, higher pulmonary artery (PA) load, and impaired RV-PA coupling (all P ≤ 0.01). Low RVEF was the strongest predictor of RV dyssynchrony. Left bundle branch block (BBB) was associated with greater RV dyssynchrony than right BBB, regardless of QRS duration. RV afterload reduction by sildenafil improved RV dyssynchrony (P = 0.004), whereas preload change with passive leg raise had modest effect. Patients in the highest tertiles of RV dyssynchrony had an increased risk of adverse clinical events compared with those in the lower tertile [T2/T3 vs. T1: hazard ratio 1.98 (95% confidence interval 1.20-3.24), P = 0.007]. CONCLUSIONS: RV dyssynchrony is associated with RV remodelling, dysfunction, adverse haemodynamics, and greater risk for adverse clinical events. RV dyssynchrony is mitigated by acute RV afterload reduction and could be a potential therapeutic target to improve RV performance in HFrEF.

• Klíčová slova
• Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, Pulmonary hypertension, Right ventricular dyssynchrony, Right ventricular failure, SPECT,
• MeSH
• dysfunkce levé srdeční komory * MeSH
• echokardiografie metody   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• srdeční komory diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• srdeční selhání * MeSH
• tepový objem MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

AIMS: Physical activity (PA) is an important target for improving clinical outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients. Nonetheless, assessing the daily PA profile in this population is a challenging task, traditionally performed using self-report questionnaires such as the International PA Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). This study aimed to evaluate the concurrent validity of the IPAQ-SF and accelerometer-assessed PA using six published cut-points in patients with HF and reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: The concordance between the IPAQ-SF and a hip-worn accelerometer regarding daily time spent performing moderate to vigorous PA in bouts of at least 10 min was assessed in 53 participants for seven consecutive days using six different cut-points (Barnett, Dibben, Mark, Sanders, Troiano, and Vaha-Ypya). Spearman's correlation and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate concurrent validity between methods. Regressions were used to study the association between patient variables, wear protocol (waking hour or 24 h), and absolute bias. The kappa index was used to evaluate the concordance between IPAQ-SF and accelerometry for classifying patients as active or non-active. All analyses were re-run using non-bouted metrics to investigate the effect of bouted versus non-bouted analysis. The IPAQ-SF and accelerometry showed low to negligible correlation (ρ = 0.12 to 0.37), depending on the cut-point used. The regression analysis showed that the absolute bias was higher in participants following the waking-hour protocol at all cut-points except Dibben's (P ≤ 0.007). The concordance between the two methods to classify patients as active and non-active was low when using Mark (κ = 0.23) and Barnett (κ = 0.34) cut-points and poor for the remaining cut-points (κ = 0.03 to 0.18). The results of the sensitivity analysis showed negligible to low correlation using non-bouted metrics (ρ = 0.27 to 0.33). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to vigorous PA measures using IPAQ-SF and accelerometers are not equivalent, and we do not encourage researchers to use IPAQ-SF alone when assessing PA in HF patients. Moreover, applying personalized collection and processing criteria is important when assessing PA in HF patients. We recommend following the 24 h protocol and selecting cut-points calibrated in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Finally, it is necessary to develop a new tailored questionnaire that considers walking intensity and is adjusted to the current World Health Organisation recommendations, which use non-bouted metrics.

• Klíčová slova
• Activity monitor, Agreement, Device-based measures, HF, MVPA, Self-reported measures,
• MeSH
• akcelerometrie MeSH
• cvičení * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• srdeční selhání * diagnóza   MeSH
• zpráva o sobě MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH