| 11. |
- van der Wal, Martje H L, et al.
(författare)
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Unraveling the mechanisms for heart failure patients' beliefs about compliance.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Heart & Lung. - : Elsevier BV. - 0147-9563 .- 1527-3288. ; 36:4, s. 253-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Compliance with medication, diet, and monitoring symptoms is a problem in heart failure (HF) patients. Noncompliance can lead to worsening symptoms and is associated with personal beliefs about compliance. To intervene effectively, knowledge of factors related to patients' beliefs about compliance is needed. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to: (1) gain insight into patients' beliefs about compliance; (2) examine the association of demographic variables and depressive symptoms to beliefs; (3) assess compliance with medication, diet, and daily weighing; and (4) examine the association of compliance to patients' beliefs. METHODS: Nine hundred fifty-four HF patients completed questionnaires on beliefs about medication and diet; 297 patients also completed a questionnaire on beliefs about symptom monitoring. Most important barriers and benefits were assessed as well as differences in beliefs between subgroups and the association between compliance and beliefs. RESULTS: The most important barriers were diuresis during the night (57%), the taste of food (51%), and limited ability to go out (33%). A barrier related to failure to weigh daily was forgetfulness (26%). Patients with depressive symptoms and patients with a low level of HF knowledge experienced more barriers to compliance with the HF regimen. Self-reported compliance with medication was almost 99%, compliance with diet 77%, and with daily weighing 33%. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In order to improve compliance, it is important that interventions should be directed to those patients who experience more barriers to compliance, such as patients with depressive symptoms and patients with a low level of knowledge on the HF regimen. Improvement of knowledge, therefore, will remain an important issue in HF management programs.
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| 12. |
- Belonje, Anne M S, et al.
(författare)
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Endogenous erythropoietin and outcome in heart failure.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Circulation. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 121:2, s. 245-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Endogenous erythropoietin is increased in patients with heart failure (HF). Previous small-scale data suggest that these erythropoietin levels are related to prognosis. This study aims to analyze the clinical and prognostic value of erythropoietin levels in relation to hemoglobin in a large cohort of HF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In patients hospitalized for HF, endogenous erythropoietin levels were measured at discharge and after 6 months. In anemic patients, the relation between erythropoietin and hemoglobin levels was determined by calculating the observed/predicted ratio of erythropoietin levels. We studied data from 605 patients with HF. Mean age was 71+/-11 years; 62% were male; and mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.33+/-0.14. Median erythropoietin levels were 9.6 U/L at baseline and 10.5 U/L at 6 months. Higher erythropoietin levels at baseline were independently related to an increased mortality at 18 months (hazard ratio, 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.40 to 3.04; P<0.01). In addition, persistently elevated erythropoietin levels (higher than median at baseline and at 6 months) were related to an increased mortality risk (hazard ratio, 2.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 4.90; P=0.044). The observed/predicted ratio was determined in a subset of anemic patients, 79% of whom had erythropoietin levels lower than expected and 9% had levels higher than expected on the basis of their hemoglobin. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that a higher observed/predicted ratio was related to an increased mortality risk (hazard ratio, 3.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.53 to 8.12; P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Erythropoietin levels predict mortality in HF patients, and persistently elevated levels have an independent prognostic value. In anemic HF patients, the majority had a low observed/predicted ratio. However, a higher observed/predicted ratio may be related to an independent increased mortality risk.
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| 13. |
- Huzen, Jardi, et al.
(författare)
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Telomere length and psychological well-being in patients with chronic heart failure.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Age and Ageing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0002-0729 .- 1468-2834. ; 39:2, s. 223-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: psychological stress and depressive symptoms have been implicated with accelerated ageing and increased progression of diseases. Shorter telomere length indicates a more advanced biological age. It is unknown whether psychological well-being is associated with telomere length in patients with the somatic condition of chronic heart failure (CHF). DESIGN: a cross-sectional analysis was used. SETTING: patients were admitted to the hospital with signs and symptoms of CHF. OBJECTIVE: the study aimed to assess the association between telomere length and psychological well-being in patients with CHF. METHODS: telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 890 patients with New York Heart Association functional class II to IV CHF. We evaluated the perceived mental health by the validated RAND-36 questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), and the presence of type D personality was evaluated by the DS14. RESULTS: a lower perceived mental health on the RAND-36 score was associated with shorter telomere length. Adjustment for age and gender did not change our findings (standardised beta, 0.11; P-value, 0.002). Telomere length was not associated with the CES-D or DS14 score. CONCLUSION: decreased perceived mental health is associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length in patients with CHF. Future work should determine whether psychological stress accelerates biological ageing.
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| 14. |
- Kleijn, Lennaert, et al.
(författare)
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Inflammation and anaemia in a broad spectrum of patients with heart failure
- 2012
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Ingår i: Heart. - : BMJ Publishing Group. - 1355-6037 .- 1468-201X. ; 98:16, s. 1237-1241
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS: Anaemia in heart failure (HF) is associated with a poor prognosis. Although inflammation is assumed to be an important cause of anaemia, the association between anaemia and inflammatory markers in patients with HF has not been well established.METHODS: Data from a multicentre randomised clinical trial, in which patients were eligible if they were >18 years of age and admitted for HF (New York Heart Association II-IV), were used. In a subset of 326 patients, haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-(IL) 6, soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR)-1 and erythropoietin (Epo) were measured at discharge and the primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Follow-up was 18 months.RESULTS: Anaemia (Hb <13 g/dl (men) and <12 g/dl (women)) was present in 40% (130/326) of the study population. Median levels of IL-6, hsCRP and sTNFR-1 were significantly higher in anaemic patients than in non-anaemic patients. Logistic regression demonstrated that each increase in hsCRP values (OR 1.58 per SD log hsCRP; 95% CI 1.09 to 2.29; p=0.016) and each increase in sTNFR-1 values (OR 1.62 per SD log sTNFR-1; 95% CI 1.24 to 2.11; p<0.001) were independently associated with anaemia. Epo (HR 1.31 per log Epo; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.69; p=0.041) and sTNFR-1 (HR 1.47 per log sTNFR-1; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.86; p=0.001) levels were independently associated with outcome.CONCLUSION: Anaemia is present in 40% of patients hospitalised for HF and is independently associated with inflammation.
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| 15. |
- van der Harst, Pim, et al.
(författare)
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Telomere length and outcome in heart failure.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of Medicine. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0785-3890 .- 1365-2060. ; 42:1, s. 36-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Telomeres are causally involved in senescence. Senescence is a potential factor in the pathogenesis and progression of heart failure. In heart failure telomeres are shorter, but the prognostic value associated with telomere length has not been defined. METHODS: Telomere length was prospectively determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 890 patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II to IV heart failure. After 18 months, we examined the association between telomere length and the predefined primary end-point: time to death or hospitalization for heart failure. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 71 years, 39% were women, 51% were in NYHA class II, and 49% were in class III/IV. A total of 344 patients reached the primary end-point (130 deaths and 214 hospitalizations). Patients with shorter telomeres were at an increased risk of reaching the primary end-point (hazard ratio 1.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-2.63). In multivariate analysis shorter telomere length remained associated with a higher risk for death or hospitalization (hazard ratio, 1.74; 95% CI 1.07-2.95) after adjustment for age of heart failure onset, gender, hemoglobin, renal function, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level, a history of stroke, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter length of telomeres predicts the occurrence of death or hospitalization in patients with chronic heart failure.
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| 16. |
- Wong, Liza S M, et al.
(författare)
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Anaemia is associated with shorter leucocyte telomere length in patients with chronic heart failure.
- 2010
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Ingår i: European Journal of Heart Failure. - : Wiley. - 1388-9842 .- 1879-0844. ; 12:4, s. 348-53
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS: Anaemia is highly prevalent and associated with poor prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Reduced erythroid proliferation capacity of haematopoietic progenitor cells is associated with reduced telomere length, a marker of cellular ageing. We hypothesize that short telomere length contributes to the susceptibility to develop anaemia in patients with CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 875 CHF patients, of whom 254 (29%) fulfilled the WHO criteria of anaemia. Telomere length in DNA from peripheral leucocytes was measured with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Age, gender, and baseline differences adjusted telomere length was correlated with haemoglobin levels (partial r = 0.130; P = 0.011). One standard deviation shorter telomere length was associated with an increased risk of having anaemia [odds ratio (OR), 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-1.53; P = 0.001]. This observation was not affected by adjustment for potential confounders (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.05-1.81; P = 0.021 after adjustment for age, gender, erythropoietin levels, renal function, left ventricular ejection fraction, age of CHF onset, blood pressure, history of stroke, diabetes, and B-type natriuretic peptide levels). CONCLUSION: Shorter telomere length increases the odds of having anaemia in CHF patients. This finding supports the hypothesis that cellular ageing in CHF contributes to the susceptibility to develop anaemia.
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| 17. |
- Wong, Liza S M, et al.
(författare)
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Renal dysfunction is associated with shorter telomere length in heart failure.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0692. ; 98:10, s. 629-34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Renal dysfunction is a frequent comorbidity associated with high mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The intrinsic biological age might affect the ability of the kidney to cope with the challenging environment caused by CHF. We explored the association between leukocyte telomere length, a marker for biological age, and renal function in patients with CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Telomere length was determined by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 866 CHF patients. Renal function was estimated with the simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. The median age was 74 (interquartile range 64-79) years, 61% male, left ventricular ejection fraction of 30 (23-44)%, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was 53 (40-68) ml/min/1.73 m(2). Telomere length was associated with renal function (correlation coefficient 0.123, P < 0.001). This relationship remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, age of CHF onset (standardized-beta 0.091, P = 0.007). Also additionally adjusting for the severity of CHF and baseline differences did not change our findings. CONCLUSION: The association between shorter leukocyte telomere length and reduced renal function in heart failure suggests that intrinsic biological aging affects the ability of the kidney to cope with the systemic changes evoked by heart failure.
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| 18. |
- van Veldhuisen, Dirk J., et al.
(författare)
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B-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Prognosis in Heart Failure Patients With Preserved and Reduced Ejection Fraction
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. - : Elsevier. - 0735-1097 .- 1558-3597. ; 61:14, s. 1498-1506
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives This study sought to determine the prognostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF), in comparison to data in HF patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) EF (andlt;= 40%). less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanBackground Management of patients with HFPEF is difficult. BNP is a useful biomarker in patients with reduced LVEF, but data in HFPEF are scarce. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethods In this study, 615 patients with mild to moderate HF (mean age 70 years, LVEF 33%) were followed for 18 months. BNP concentrations were measured at baseline and were related to the primary outcome, that is, a composite of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization, and to mortality alone. The population was divided in quintiles, according to LVEF, and patients with reduced LVEF were compared with those with HFPEF. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults There were 257 patients (42%) who had a primary endpoint and 171 (28%) who died. BNP levels were significantly higher in patients with reduced LVEF than in those with HFPEF (p andlt; 0.001). BNP was a strong predictor of outcome, but LVEF was not. Importantly, if similar levels of BNP were compared across the whole spectrum of LVEF, and for different cutoff levels of LVEF, the associated risk of adverse outcome was similar in HFPEF patients as in those with reduced LVEF. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions BNP levels are lower in patients with HFPEF than in patients with HF with reduced LVEF, but for a given BNP level, the prognosis in patients with HFPEF is as poor as in those with reduced LVEF. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;61:1498-506)
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| 19. |
- Sturm, Heidrun B, et al.
(författare)
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Heart failure guidelines and prescribing in primary care across Europe
- 2005
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Ingår i: BMC health services research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Major international differences in heart failure treatment have been repeatedly described, but the reasons for these differences remain unclear. National guideline recommendations might be a relevant factor. This study, therefore, explored variation of heart failure guideline recommendations in Europe. METHODS: Treatment recommendations of 14 national guidelines published after 1994 were analyzed in relation to the heart failure treatment guideline of the European Society of Cardiology. To test potential relations between recommendations and prescribing, national prescribing patterns as obtained by a European study in primary care (IMPROVEMENT-HF) were related to selected recommendations in those countries. RESULTS: Besides the 14 national guidelines used by primary care physicians in the countries contacted, the European guideline was used in four countries, and separate guidelines for specialists and primary care were available in another four countries. Two countries indicated that no guideline was used up to 2000. Comprehensiveness of the guidelines varied with respect to length, literature included and evidence ratings. Relevant differences in treatment recommendations were seen only in drug classes where evidence had changed recently (beta-blockers and spironolactone). The relation between recommendation and prescribing for selected recommendations was inconsistent among countries. CONCLUSION: Differences in guideline recommendations are not sufficient to explain variation of prescribing among countries, thus other factors must be considered.
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