| 1. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Anaemia, but not iron deficiency, is associated with clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with severe heart failure and palliative home care : a substudy of the PREFER trial
- 2017
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Ingår i: European journal of internal medicine. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 0953-6205 .- 1879-0828. ; 46, s. 35-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: To explore the relationships between anaemia or iron deficiency (ID) and symptoms, quality of life (QoL), morbidity, and mortality.Methods: A post-hoc, non-prespecified, explorative substudy of the prospective randomized PREFER trial. One centre study of outpatients with severe HF and palliative need managed with advanced home care. Associations between anaemia, ID, and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), Euro QoL (EQ-5D), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questions (KCCQ) were examined only at baseline but at 6months for morbidity and mortality.Results: Seventy-two patients (51 males, 21 females), aged 79.2±9.1years. Thirty-nine patients (54%) had anaemia and 34 had ID (47%). Anaemia was correlated to depression (r=0.37; p=0.001), anxiety (r=0.25; p=0.04), and reduced well-being (r=0.26; p=0.03) in the ESAS; mobility (r=0.33; p=0.005), pain/discomfort (r=0.27; p=0.02), and visual analogue scale of health state (r=-0.28; p=0.02) in the EQ-5D; and physical limitation (r=-0.27; p=0.02), symptom stability; (r=-0.43; p<0.001); (r=-0.25; p=0.033), social limitation;(r=-0.26; p=0.03), overall summary score; (r=-0.24, p=0.046) and clinical summary score; (r=-0.27; p=0.02) in the KCCQ. ID did not correlate to any assessment item. Anaemia was univariably associated with any hospitalization (OR: 3.0; CI: 1.05-8.50, p=0.04), but not to mortality. ID was not significantly associated with any hospitalization or mortality.Conclusion: Anaemia, but not ID, was associated although weakly with symptoms and QoL in patients with advanced HF and palliative home care.
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| 2. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of atenolol or losartan on fibrinolysis and von Willebrand factor in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis. - : SAGE Publications. - 1076-0296 .- 1938-2723. ; 16:2, s. 146-152
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of the beta-blocker atenolol with the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) losartan on plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) activity and mass concentration, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity, tPA/PAI-1 complex, and von Willebrand factor (VWF). DESIGN: A prespecified, explorative substudy in 22 patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) performed within randomized multicenter, double-blind prospective study. RESULTS: After a median of 36 weeks of treatment, there were significant differences between the treatment groups, atenolol versus losartan, in plasma median levels of tPA mass (11.9 vs 7.3 ng/mL, P = .019), PAI-1 activity (20.7 vs 4.8 IU/mL, P = .030), and tPA/PAI-1 complex (7.1 vs 2.5 ng/mL, P = .015). In patients treated with atenolol, median levels of tPA mass (8.9-11.9 ng/mL, P = .021) and VWF (113.5%-134.3%, P = .021) increased significantly, indicating a change toward a more prothrombotic state. No significant changes occurred in the losartan group. CONCLUSION: Losartan treatment was associated with preserved fibrinolytic balance compared to a more prothrombotic fibrinolytic and hemostatic state in the atenolol group. These findings suggest different fibrinolytic and hemostatic responses to treatment in hypertensive patients with LVH.
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| 3. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Exercise and cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients in relation to structure and function of left ventricular hypertrophy : the LIFE study.
- 2009
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation. - 1741-8267 .- 1741-8275. ; 16:2, s. 242-248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Exercise lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular function, but little is known about whether exercise impacts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality independent of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and LV geometry. DESIGN: Observational analysis of prospectively obtained echocardiographic data within the context of a randomized trial of antihypertensive treatment. METHODS: A total of 937 hypertensive patients with ECG LVH were studied by echocardiography in the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension study. Baseline exercise status was categorized as sedentary (never exercise), intermediate (30 min twice/week). During 4.8-year follow-up, 105 patients suffered the primary composite endpoint of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or cardiovascular death. MI occurred in 39, stroke in 60, and cardiovascular death in 33 patients. RESULTS: Sedentary individuals (n = 212) had, compared with those physically active (n = 511), higher heart rate (P<0.001), weight (P<0.001), body surface area (P = 0.02), body mass index (P<0.001), LV mass (LVM, P = 0.04), LVM indexed for height or body surface area (P = 0.004); thicker ventricular septum (P = 0.012) and posterior wall (P = 0.016); and larger left atrium (P = 0.006). Systolic variables did not differ. In Cox regression analysis, physically active compared with sedentary patients had lower risk of primary composite endpoint [odds ratio (OR): 0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26-0.68, P < 0.001], cardiovascular death (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.22-0.1.10, NS), and stroke (OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.13-0.49, P < 0.001) without significant difference for MI (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.35-1.75, NS) independent of systolic blood pressure, LVM index, or treatment. CONCLUSION: In hypertensive patients with LVH, physically active patients had improved prognosis for cardiovascular endpoints, mortality, and stroke that was independent of LVM.
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| 4. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Healthcare resource utilisation and costs associated with a heart failure diagnosis : A retrospective, population-based cohort study in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2044-6055. ; 11:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To examine healthcare resource use (HRU) and costs among heart failure (HF) patients using population data from Sweden.Design: Retrospective, non-interventional cohort study.Setting: Two cohorts were identified from linked national health registers (cohort 1, 2005-2014) and electronic medical records (cohort 2, 2010-2012; primary/secondary care patients from Uppsala and Västerbotten).Participants: Patients (aged ≥18 years) with primary or secondary diagnoses of HF (≥2 International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision classification) during the identification period of January 2005 to March 2015 were included.Outcome measures: HRU across the HF phenotypes was assessed with logistic regression. Costs were estimated based on diagnosis-related group codes and general price lists.Results: Total annual costs of secondary care of prevalent HF increased from SEK 6.23 (€0.60) to 8.86 (€0.85) billion between 2005 and 2014. Of 4648 incident patients, HF phenotype was known for 1715: reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF): 64.5%, preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF): 35.5%. Within 1 year of HF diagnosis, the proportion of patients hospitalised was only marginally higher for HFrEF versus HFpEF (all-cause (95% CI): 64.7% (60.8 to 68.4) vs 63.7% (60.8 to 66.5), HR 0.91, p=0.14; cardiovascular disease related (95% CI): 61.1% (57.1 to 64.8) vs 60.9% (58.0 to 63.7), HR 0.93, p=0.28). Frequency of hospitalisations and outpatient visits per patient declined after the first year. All-cause secondary care costs in the first year were SEK 122 758 (€12 890)/patient/year, with HF-specific care accounting for 69% of the costs. Overall, 10% of the most expensive population (younger; predominantly male; more likely to have comorbidities) incurred ~40% of total secondary care costs.Conclusions: HF-associated costs and HRU are high, especially during the first year of diagnosis. This is driven by high hospitalisations rates. Understanding the profile of resource-intensive patients being at younger age, male sex and high Charlson comorbidity index scores at the time of the HF diagnosis is most likely a sign of more severe disease.
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| 5. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Healthcare resource utilization associated with heart failure with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction : a retrospective population-based cohort study in Sweden
- 2017
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Ingår i: European Journal of Heart Failure. - : European Society of Cardiology. - 1388-9842 .- 1879-0844. ; 19:S1, s. 346-346
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and purpose: To estimate healthcare resource utilization among patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved (HFpEF) versus reduced (HFrEF) ejection fraction using population data from two Swedish counties.Methods: Patients with HF were identified via electronic medical records (EMRs) from primary and/or secondary care in Uppsala and Västerbotten, linked via unique identifiers to data from the National Patient Register and Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Local echocardiography data were used to identify HFpEF (defined as ejection fraction ≥50%) and HFrEF (defined as <50%). Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥2 diagnoses of HF between 01/01/2010 and 31/03/2015 and an ICD-10 diagnostic code of I50 (inclusive of all granular codes), I42.0, I42.6, I42.7, I42.9, I110, I130 or I132 in any position were included. Patients were followed from date of first diagnosis (index date) to end of study period or EMR collection, date of death or loss to follow-up for other reasons, whichever came first. Unadjusted all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related hospitalization rates were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model, accounting for age, sex, setting of first diagnosis (primary vs secondary care), HF phenotype and NT-proBNP level.Results: In total, 8702 patients with HF were identified. HF phenotype was known in 3167 patients; 64.6% had HFrEF, 35.4% had HFpEF. Patients with HFrEF were younger (mean±SD: 69.9±13.7 vs 74.2±12.6 years) with a lower Charlson comorbidity index (1.65 vs 1.83) than those with HFpEF. All-cause hospitalization rates were marginally lower for HFrEF than for HFpEF (mean [95% CI] proportion of patients hospitalized within 1 year of diagnosis, 72.5 [70.1–74.8]% vs 73.8 [70.7–77.0]%; hazard ratio [HR] over whole follow-up period, 0.87 [0.79–0.97], p=0.0093). The proportion of patients hospitalized was higher for those diagnosed in secondary care than in primary care, particularly within 1 year of diagnosis (1-year rate, 69.6 [68.3–71.0]% vs 59.1 [56.8–61.4]%; HR, 1.15 [1.07–1.23], p=0.0002). Similar trends were observed for CVD-related hospitalization rates for HFrEF vs HFpEF (1-year rate, 69.5 [67.1–71.9]% vs 70.7 [67.5–74.0]%; HR, 0.89 [0.81–0.99], p=0.0309) and for patients diagnosed in secondary vs primary care (1-year rate, 66.6 [65.3–68.0]% vs 56.2 [53.8–58.5]%; HR, 1.15 [1.07–1.24], p=0.0001). Numbers of hospitalizations and outpatient visits decreased with time after diagnosis for HFrEF, but increased slightly for HFpEF after 2 years (Figure). The mean±SD total number of all-cause days of hospitalization during the first year after diagnosis was lower in patients with HFrEF vs HFpEF (19.9±26.1 vs 26.3±34.5 days), while the number of HF-related days of hospitalization was similar (16.0±22.4 vs 17.2±24.0 days).Conclusions: Number and duration of hospital stays were significantly lower over time in patients with HFrEF than HFpEF; this may be explained by the comorbidity burden in the latter group.
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| 6. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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NTproBNP and ST2 as predictors for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in elderly patients with symptoms suggestive for heart failure
- 2018
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Ingår i: Biomarkers. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1354-750X .- 1366-5804. ; 23:4, s. 373-379
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: A new biomarker, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) has been introduced as a marker for fibrosis and hypertrophy. Its clinical value in comparison with N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide /Amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) in predicting mortality in elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure (HF) is still unclear.Aim: To evaluate the prognostic value for all-cause- and cardiovascular mortality of ST2 or NTproBNP and the combination of these biomarkers.Patients and methods: One hundred seventy patients patients with clinical symptoms of HF (77 (45%) were with verified HF) were recruited from one selected primary health care center (PHC) in Sweden and echocardiography was performed in all patients. Blood samples were obtained from 159 patients and stored frozen at -70 degrees C. NTproBNP was analyzed at a central core laboratory using a clinically available immunoassay. ST2 was analyzed with Critical Diagnostics Presage ST2 ELISA immunoassay.Results: We studied 159 patients (mean age 778.3years, 70% women). During ten years of follow up 78 patients had died, out of which 50 deaths were for cardiovascular reasons. Continuous NTproBNP and ST2 were both significantly associated with all-cause mortality (1.0001; 1.00001-1.0002, p=0.04 and 1.03; 1.003-1.06, p=0.03), NTproBNP but not ST2 remained significant for cardiovascular mortality after adjustments (1.0001; 1.00001-1.0002, p=0.03 and 1.01; 0.77-1.06, p=0.53), respectively. NTproBNP above median (>328ng/L) compared to below median was significantly associated with all-cause mortality(HR: 4.0; CI :2.46-6.61; p<0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 6.1; CI: 3.11-11.95; p<0.001). Corresponding analysis for ST2 above median (25.6ng/L) was not significantly associated neither with all-cause mortality (HR; 1.4; CI: 0.89-2.77) nor cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1.3; CI: 0.73-2.23) and no significant interaction of NTproBNP and ST2 (OR: 1.1; CI: 0.42-3.12) was found.Conclusion: In elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure ST2 was not superior to NTproBNP to predict all cause or cardiovascular mortality. Furthermore, it is unclear if the combination of ST2 and NTproBNP will improve long-term prognostication beyond what is achieved by NTproBNP alone.
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| 7. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Remote-controlled robotic arm for real-time echocardiography : the diagnostic future for patients in rural areas?
- 2009
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Ingår i: Telemedicine journal and e-health. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1530-5627 .- 1556-3669. ; 15:2, s. 142-147
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There exists a great clinical need for improving specialist consultation and utilization of echocardiography in areas remote from hospital-based care. This paper presents the development and first technical assessment of a concept of cardiovascular consultation utilizing long distance, real-time echocardiography as a diagnostic tool in rural areas. The development of CARdiological consultation at a DISTance (CARDISTA) was achieved in three stages, comprising tests of different broadband infrastructures, videoconference systems, microphones, cameras, monitors, and loudspeakers. The CARDISTA concept includes a cardiologist and a sonographer, a robotic arm (Medirob), a portable ultrasound machine, and presently available information technology using an advanced broadband backbone. The three stages provided, with some remaining doubts, echocardiographic examination at a distance comparable to hospital-based examinations. A continuous broadband capacity of 20 megabits per second (Mbps) seemed to be a vital component of CARDISTA for achieving the highest-quality imaging. With this broadband capacity, it was possible to achieve a transmission delay below 200 ms. The technical tests of the CARDISTA concept revealed promising results in enabling long distance real-time echocardiography for specialist consultation. CARDISTA is now ready for clinical testing and evaluation in rural areas for patients with heart diseases, especially heart failure.
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| 8. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Robot-Assisted Remote Echocardiographic Examination and Teleconsultation : A Randomized Comparison of Time to Diagnosis With Standard of Care Referral Approach
- 2014
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Ingår i: JACC Cardiovascular Imaging. - : Elsevier BV. - 1936-878X .- 1876-7591. ; 7:8, s. 799-803
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The strategy using cardiological consultation in addition to the robot-assisted remote echocardiography at a distance was tested in a prospective, randomized open-Label trial to evaluate its feasibility and to define its clinical value in a rural area. The present study involved 1 primary healthcare center in the north of Sweden, 135 miles from the hospital where the echocardiograms and the cardiology teleconsultation were performed tong distance in real time. Nineteen patients were randomized to remote consultation and imaging, and 19 to the standard of care consultation. The total process time was significantly reduced in the former arm (median 114 days vs. 26.5 days; p < 0.001). The time from randomization until attaining a specialist consultation was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001). The patients satisfaction was reassuring; they considered that the remote consultation strategy offered an increased rapidity of diagnosis and the likelihood of receiving faster management compared with the standard of care at the primary healthcare center.
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| 9. |
- Boman, Kurt, et al.
(författare)
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Telemedicine improves the monitoring process in anticoagulant treatment
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. - : Royal Society of Medicine Press. - 1357-633X .- 1758-1109. ; 18:6, s. 312-316
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We compared the INR (International Normalized Ratio) monitoring process using a telemedicine device with the conventional approach in which blood samples were sent to the hospital for analysis. We conducted a randomized controlled trial. We enrolled 40 patients on chronic warfarin therapy from two primary healthcare centres (PHCs). Half were monitored using the telemedicine device and half were monitored conventionally. Each patient received three INR measurements. The total processing time was measured from blood sampling until warfarin dosing was performed in the anticoagulant clinic. The median total processing time was significantly shorter with telemedicine than usual care (34 vs. 260 min, P andlt; 0.001). This was mainly because sample transport was avoided using the point-of-care device and automatic data transmission. Telemedicine reduced the total processing time for INR monitoring and has the potential to improve the management of patients undergoing anticoagulant treatment at PHCs.
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| 10. |
- Ekman, Inger, 1952, et al.
(författare)
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Gender makes a difference in the description of dyspnoea in patients with chronic heart failure.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151. ; 4:2, s. 117-21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Dyspnoea is a common symptom of chronic heart failure (CHF). In the community setting, patients with CHF are most often women. Aim: To examine the impact of gender on the description of dyspnoea and to explore which clinical variables support a diagnosis of CHF. Methods: From four primary health care centres, 158 patients with CHF were included. Patients were examined with echocardiography and a cardiologist assessed the diagnosis of CHF. The patients filled in a questionnaire containing 11 descriptors of dyspnoea. Results: A diagnosis of CHF was confirmed in 87 (55%) patients (47 males and 40 females). One descriptor, I feel that I am suffocating, was significantly scored higher in CHF patients ( p=0.014) as compared to non-CHF patients. Three descriptors, My breath does not go in all the way ( p=0.006), I feel that I am suffocating ( p=0.040), and I cannot get enough air ( p=0.0327) were significantly scored higher among men with CHF, compared to no descriptor among women with CHF. Being male (OR=2.7; CI: 1.3–5.6, p=0.008), having diabetes (OR=5.6; CI: 1.7–18.2, p=0.004), IHD (OR=3.3; CI: 1.3–8.5, p=0.014), and a borderline significance for age (OR=1.04; CI: 0.99–1.08, p=0.058) predicted a confirmed diagnosis of CHF. Conclusion: Three descriptors of dyspnoea were associated with CHF among men, whereas no such association was found among women. Our results suggest that gender is an important factor and should—together with age, underlying heart disease, and diabetes—be taken into account when symptoms are evaluated in the diagnosis of CHF in primary care.
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