This article focuses on the significance of a unified approach to diagnosing heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF). The key hemodynamic index of HFpEF is increased left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) and its noninvasive marker, the E / e’ value obtained by tissue Doppler echocardiography (EchoCG). The modern verified algorithms for HFpEF diagnosis, HFA–PEFF and Н2FPEF, mandatorily take into account the E / e’ value. However, the routing use of these algorithms in the Russian practice may be complicated since even among “advanced” specialists who are interested in heart failure, 38% of the interviewed do not use or do not know how to use tissue Doppler EchoCG or the algorithm for diagnosing HFpEF with E / e’. In addition to the obvious way of overcoming this problem by equipping respective medical facilities with ultrasonic apparatuses with tissue Doppler EchoCG software and educating physicians, a possibility of using simplified HFA algorithm without the E / e’ value is being considered. However, such approach will inevitably lead to erroneous estimation of the probability of HFpEF and, at the best, to underestimation of this probability with ensuing mistakes in diagnosis and treatment. Simplifying the HFA–PEFF and H2FPEF algorithms by omitting one or more parameters is possible but this requires a special investigation to develop a new rating scale and actually a new algorithm, which, in turn, will require a new validation.

Aim      To evaluate clinical efficacy of the proactive anti-inflammatory therapy in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with pneumonia and a risk of “cytokine storm”.

Material and methods  The COLORIT study was a comparative study with randomization into 4 groups: colchicine (n=21) 1 mg for the first 3 days followed by 0.5 mg/day through day 12 or discharge from the hospital; secukinumab 300 mg/day, s.c., as a single dose (n=20); ruxolitinib 5 mg, twice a day (n=10); and a control group with no anti-inflammatory therapy (n=22). The effect was evaluated after 12±2 days of inpatient treatment or upon discharge, what comes first. For ethical reasons, completely randomized recruitment to the control group was not possible. Thus, for data analysis, 17 patients who did not receive any anti-inflammatory therapy for various reasons not related with inclusion into the study were added to the control group of 5 randomized patients. Inclusion criteria: presence of coronavirus pneumonia (positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA or specific clinical presentation of pneumonia; IDC-10 codes U07.1 and U07.2); C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration >60 mg/l or its threefold increase from baseline; at least 2 of 4 symptoms (fever >37.5 °C, persistent cough, shortness of breath with inspiratory rate >20 per min or blood saturation with oxygen <94 % by the 7^th–9^th day of disease. The study primary endpoint was changes in COVID Clinical Condition Scale (CCS-COVID) score. The secondary endpoints were the dynamics of CRP and changes in the area of lung lesion according to data of computed tomography (CT) of the lungs from the date of randomization to 12±2 days.

Results All three drugs significantly reduced inflammation, improved the clinical course of the disease, and decreased the disease severity as evaluated by the CCS score: in the ruxolitinib group, by 5.5 (p=0.004); in the secukinumab group, by 4 (p=0.096); in the colchicine group, by 4 (p=0.017), and in the control group, by 2 (р=0.329). In all three groups, the CCS-COVID score was 2–3 by the end of observation period, which corresponded to a mild process, while in the control group, the score was 7 (р=0.005). Time-related changes in CRP were significant in all three anti-inflammatory treatment groups with no statistical difference between the groups. By the end of the study, changes in CT of the lungs were nonsignificant.

Conclusion      In severe СOVID-19 with a risk of “cytokine storm”, the proactive therapy with ruxolitinib, colchicine, and secukinumab significantly reduces the inflammation severity, prevents the disease progression, and results in clinical improvement.

Aim      To evaluate functional changes in the heart in the long-term following COVID-19 in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Material and methods  Case reports of 54 patients aged 69.1±9.7 years who had COVID-19 from January 2021 through January 2022 and had been previously diagnosed with NYHA functional class II-III CHF were studied. Two comparison groups were isolated: HF with LV EF >50 % (n=39) and <50 % (n=15). Echocardiography was used to evaluate changes in LV EF and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) 5-6 months following COVID-19.

Results In all CHF patients after COVID-19 at 5.8 months on average, LV EF decreased (median difference, 2.5 %; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 6.99×10–5– 4.99) and PASP increased (median difference, 8 mm Hg; 95 % CI: 4.5–12.9). In the HF group with LV EF <50 %, the decrease in EF was greater than in the group with LV EF >50 % (6.9 and 0.7 %, respectively; p=0.037); furthermore, the CHF phenotype did not influence the change in PASP (p=0.4). The one-factor regression analysis showed that the dynamics of LV EF decrease was significantly influenced by the baseline decrease in LV EF, whereas the change in PASP was influenced by the dynamics of LV EF decrease, presence of dyslipidemia, and statin treatment. Furthermore, the multifactorial analysis showed that prognostically significant factors for long-term changes in LV EF following COVID-19 were male gender (odds ratio (OR), 5.92; 95 % CI: 1.31–26.75; p=0.014), LV EF at baseline <50 % (OR, 0.88; 95 % CI: 0.8–0.96; p<0.001); changes in PASP depended on the presence of dyslipidemia (OR, 0.08; 95 % CI: 0.01–0.84; p=0.018).

Conclusion      This study showed that COVID-19 in the long term can influence the course of CHF; in this process, HF patients with EF <50 % have progression of systolic dysfunction and PASP, whereas patients with EF >50 % have an isolated increase in PASP.

Aim      To determine the effect of major electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19.

Material and methods  One of systemic manifestations of COVID-19 is heart injury. ECG is the most simple and available method for diagnosing the heart injury, which influences the therapeutic approach. This study included 174 hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Major ECG parameters recorded on admission and their changes before the discharge from the hospital or death of the patient, were analyzed, and the effect of each parameter on the in-hospital prognosis was determined. Results were compared with the left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF), laboratory data, and results of multispiral computed tomography (MSCT) of the lungs.

Results ECG data differed on admission and their changes differed for deceased and discharged patients. Of special interest was the effect of the QRS complex duration at baseline and at the end of treatment on the in-hospital survival and mortality rate. The Cox regression analysis showed that the QRS complex duration (relative risk (RR) 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17–3.66; р=0.01), MSCT data (RR, 1.54; 95 % CI: 1.14–2.092; р=0.005), and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (RR, 0.98; 95 % CI: 0.96–0.99; р=0.001) had the highest predictive significance. In further comparison of these three indexes, the QRS duration and GFR retained their predictive significance, and a ROC analysis showed that the cut-off QRS complex duration was 125 ms (р=0.001). Patients who developed left bundle branch block (LBBB) in the course of disease also had an unfavorable prognosis compared to other intraventricular conduction disorders (р=0.038). The presence of LBBB was associated with reduced LV EF (р=0.0078). The presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly predetermines a worse outcome both at the start (р=0.011) and at the end of observation (р=0.034). A higher mortality was observed for the group of deceased patients with ST segment deviations, ST elevation (р=0.0059) and ST depression (р=0.028).

Conclusion      Thus, the QTc interval elongation, LBBB that developed during the treatment, AF, and increased QRS complex duration are the indicators that determine the in-hospital prognosis of patients with COVID-19. The strongest electrocardiographic predictor for an unfavorable prognosis was the QRS complex duration that allowed stratification of patients to groups of risk.

Aim      To assess the prevalence of heart failure (HF) in St. Petersburg from 2019 through 2021 based on medical reports.

Material and methods  Medical records of 146 912 patients with HF who were managed in St. Petersburg from 2019 through 2021 were analyzed. Prevalence of HF was assessed using a standard ICD-10 I 50.x code for this disease. Also, expanded HF coding was used with ICD-10 codes I09.9, I11.0, I13.0, I13.2, I25.5, I42.0, I42.9, I43.0, I43.1, I43.8, I42.5, I42.7, and I42.8. An additional analysis was performed for mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) as a whole and from HF in particular (n=192 133).

Results From 2019 through 2021, the number of both male and female patients with HF increased by 18.14 %. The greatest number of HF patients was in the age group of 75–89 years in 2019–2020 and 60–74 years in 2021, with females prevailing. The HF incidence increased in the age group of 45–59 years with a peak morbidity at age of 60-74 for men and 75-89 for women, which was consistent with the life expectancy of each gender. The expanded coding allowed a more complete presentation of HF prevalence and also to take into account patients with HF caused not only by myocardial infarction or acute cardiac pathology but also by rheumatic heart disease, arterial hypertension, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathies. Cardiovascular mortality significantly increased by 20.1% during the period from 2019 through 2021. The HF prevalence for deceased patients also was steadily increasing during 3 years. Analysis of associated pathology in HF patients revealed, in most cases, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and obesity.

Conclusion      The increase in HF prevalence and mortality draws attention and calls for managing measures to change the current situation in health care. A registry is required to characterize a typical patient with HF and to present an unbiased picture of HF prevalence. It is also necessary to develop programs for outpatient follow-up of patients in this category and for providing current, highly effective medicines. Education of patients and improving the knowledge of therapists in diagnosis and treatment of HF are most relevant for enhancing the quality and duration of patients’ life and for reducing the number of hospitalizations and the HF mortality.

Aim    To analyze long-term outcomes by results of the prospective part of the Kuban registry of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
Material and methods    A prospective analysis of the incidence of hard endpoints and changes in the condition was performed for 260 patients with ICD successively added to the Registry of Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator” from 2015 through 2019.
Results    At the time of ICD implantation, all patients had chronic heart failure (CHF), mostly of ischemic etiology with a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF); median LVEF was 30 (25; 36.5) %. 54 of 266 (21.9 %) patients died by 2021;  17 of them (31.5 %) died in the hospital; in 76.5 % of cases, death was caused by acute decompensated heart failure (HF). 139 (53.5%) patients were readmitted; 66 (25.4 %) hospitalizations were related with ICDs (lead revision or reimplantation); acute cardiovascular events developed in 38 (14.6 %) patients; 12 (4.6%) patients underwent percutaneous coronary interventions; orthotopic heart transplantation was performed for 4 patients. ICD shocks were recorded in 27 (10.4 %) patients. After the ICD implantation, median LVEF remained unchanged, 31 (25; 42) vs. 30 (25; 36.5) % (р>0.05). However, both objective and subjective HF symptoms worsened. Thus, the number of patients with IIB stage CHF increased from 29.6  to 88.8 % (р<0.01) and with NYHA III CHF from 24.2  to 34.5 % (p<0.05). 80 (30.8%) patients visited cardiologists on a regular basis. Only 7.3% of patients received an optimal drug therapy. During the observation period, the rate of beta-blocker treatment considerably decreased, from 90.6  to 64.3 % (р<0.01), and the rate of the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment decreased from 50.8  to 17.4 % (р<0.01). The rate of the diuretic treatment was inconsistent with the severity of patients’ condition.
Conclusion    Most of the problems the patients encountered after the ICD implantation were related with an inadequate treatment of the underlying disease. Since the majority of patients with ICD have a low LVEF, it is essential to focus on prescribing an optimal drug therapy and maintaining compliance with this therapy.

Aim      To evaluate cardiometabolic effects of empagliflozin in patients with ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) following elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Materials and methods Patients meeting the inclusion/non-inclusion criteria were randomized into two groups of equal number using simple randomization with successively assigned numbers. Group 1 included 37 patients (18 men and 19 women) who gave their consent for the treatment with empagliflozin 10 mg/day in addition to their previous hypoglycemic therapy. The drug administration started one month prior to the elective PCI and continued for the next 11 months (treatment duration, 12 months). Group 2 (comparison group) consisted of age- and DM duration-matched patients (37 patients; 18 men and 19 women) who continued on their hypoglycemic therapy previously prescribed by endocrinologists during the entire study period. Before the study, 36.11 % patients of the empagliflozin group and 27.03 % of the comparison group had unsatisfactory glycemic control as shown by the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).

Results At 6 and 12 months of the study, fasting glycemia and HbA1c were significantly lower in the empagliflozin treatment group. The groups were comparable by the incidence of adverse outcomes: 8 (22.24 %) patients in the empagliflozin group and 10 (27.04 %) patients in the comparison group (р=0.787). The 12-month empagliflozin treatment reduced total cholesterol (C) by 5.56 % (p<0.05), low density lipoprotein (LDL) C by 3.67 % (p<0.05), visceral adipose tissue area (VATA) by 5.83 % (p<0.05), and subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SATA) by 3.54 % (p<0.05).

Conclusion      The empagliflozin treatment for 30 days prior to and after elective PCI can enhance the effectiveness of myocardial revascularization due to the demonstrated beneficial cardiometabolic effects.

Aim      To determine predictors of acute kidney injury (AKI) related with surgeries for correction of acquired valvular heart disease (HD) and to evaluate the incidence of in-hospital complications in patients with postoperative AKI.

Material and methods  This study included 62 patients after surgery for correction of acquired valvular HD (mean age, 61±10.9 years) with a disease duration of 11±5.3 years. NYHA functional class (FC) 1 chronic heart failure (CHF) was observed in 1.6 % of patients, FC 2 in 64.5 %, and FC 3 in 33.9 %.17.7% of patients had chronic kidney disease (CKD). Coronary lesions of ≥50 % of vascular lumen were detected in 27.4 % of patients. Surgical correction of mitral valvular disease was performed in 32 cases, aortic valvular disease in 36 cases, tricuspid valvular disease in 8 cases, and combined operations for correction of valvular disease and coronary bypass in 8 cases. Creatinine concentrations were measured according to the Jaffe method; glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated with the CKD-EPI equation. AKI was diagnosed based on KDIGO (2012) criteria.

Results The AKI incidence related with surgeries for correction of valvular HD was 16.1 % (8.1 % of patients had stage 1 AKI, 3.2 % had stage 2 AKI, and 4.8 % had stage 3 AKI), and 3.2% required kidney replacement therapy. AKI was associated with the presence of CKD at baseline (р=0.044), development of hemopericardium requiring drainage (р=0.012), more pronounced coronary lesions (in the AKI group: stenoses from 50 to 70 % in 20% of patients, from 70 to 90 % in 30 % of patients, and ≥90 % in 0 %; without AKI: from 50 to 70 % in 13.4 % of patients, from 70 to 90 % in 3.8 %, and ≥90 % in 5.8 % of patients, respectively; р=0.032). Probability of postoperative AKI significantly increased with the development of hemopericardium requiring drainage. Patients with postoperative AKI compared to persons without AKI had higher mortality (20 % and 0 %; р=0.001), greater incidence of decompensated CHF (40 and 9.6 %; р=0.012) and hemopericardium requiring drainage (30 and 1.9 %; р=0.012).

Conclusion      The development of postoperative AKI is associated with CKD at baseline, more pronounced coronary injury, and hemopericardium requiring drainage.

A 37-year-old female patient was admitted 16 days after delivery in a hospital for infectious diseases with cough, shortness of breath, and infiltrative changes in the lungs that were interpreted as viral pneumonia. Considering the failure of therapy and the history, peripartum cardiomyopathy was suspected. Examination revealed a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction to 30 %, ultrasonic signs of lung congestion and bilateral hydrothorax. The patient was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy accompanied by functional class 4 heart failure. A specific feature of this case was fast positive dynamics with complete regression of the clinical picture of congestion and improvement of the left ventricular myocardial function associated with the treatment.