Patterns of heart failure patients – Data from a single East-European centre

Abstract

Objectives. The present study aims to describe the clinical and biological profile of heart failure patients from central Romania. Material and method. A single centre-based retrospective, observational, descriptive study involving heart failure patients admitted from January 2018 to March 2020 was conducted. Only patients who had echocardiographic data determined by the same examiner were included. Patients were classified according to LVEF at admission in three subgroups: preserved LVEF subgroup (HFpEF, LVEF ≥ 50%), moderate LVEF subgroup (HFmrEF, LVEF 40-49%), reduced LVEF subgroup (HFrEF, LVEF < 40%) and their clinical and biological profile was assessed. Comorbidities were recorded using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). Outcomes. A total of 175 patients (57.7% males) were included in our study, with a mean age of 65.3 ± 11.7 years. 44% of patients had more than one hospital admission during the studied timeframe. Mean calculated left ventricular ejection fraction was 47.1% ± 12.1%. According to LVEF 62.8% of patients were in HFpEF group, 20.5% in the HFrEF group and 16.5% in the HFmrEF group. Dyspnoea was the most common presenting symptom in 65.7% of patients, being accompanied by fatigue in majority of cases (63.4%). Charlson comorbidity index mean value for the study population was 4.6 ± 2.1, 4.6 ± 2 in the HFpEF group, 5.2 ± 1.9 in the HFmrEF group and 4.03 ± 2.2 in the HFrEF group. Arterial hypertension was the most frequent comorbid condition and risk factor at the same time, in both men and women. Conclusions. The clinical and biological profile of the heart failure patients is complex, diverse and further research is needed for improving therapeutic and follow-up management of these patients.

Keywords

• heart failure
• clinical profile
• charlson comorbidity index