| 1. |
- van der Wal, Martje H L, et al.
(författare)
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Qualitative examination of compliance in heart failure patients in The Netherlands.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Heart & Lung. - : Elsevier BV. - 0147-9563 .- 1527-3288. ; 39:2, s. 121-30
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Noncompliance with pharmacological and nonpharmacological recommendations is a problem in many heart failure (HF) patients, leading to worse symptoms and readmission. Although knowledge is available regarding factors related to compliance with HF regimens, little is known about patients' perspectives. We investigated patients' reasons and motivations for compliance with HF regimens from their perspective, and we studied how patients manage these recommendations in daily life. The health belief model was used as a framework for this study. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was used, and 15 HF patients were interviewed about reasons for compliance, barriers to compliance, interventions that helped them comply with medications, sodium restriction, fluid restriction, and daily weighing. RESULTS: The most commonly reported reasons for compliance included fear of hospitalization and HF symptoms. Barriers to compliance were mainly related to the negative aspects of a regimen, e.g., taste of the food and thirst. Most patients tried to make their lifestyle changes part of the daily routine. Several problems and misunderstandings with the regimen were evident. Patients themselves offered many tips that helped them comply with the regimen. CONCLUSIONS: To improve compliance in HF patients, patient-tailored interventions must be targeted at specific problems and patients' beliefs regarding the regimen, and aim at implementing the regimen into daily life. Healthcare providers need to emphasize the benefits of compliance, motivate patients to comply, and focus on individual barriers to compliance, knowledge deficits, and misunderstandings regarding the regimen. More specific advice about medications and diet is needed. Group interventions, including tips patients themselves provide, might also be useful in helping patients implement the HF regimen in their daily lives.
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| 2. |
- 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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| 3. |
- 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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| 4. |
- 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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| 5. |
- 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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