Aim. To investigate the difference in characteristics of patients admitted to the Tomsk National Research Medical Center with a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) in 2002 and 2016.

Methods. Medical charts of all patients hospitalised in a single centre, with a diagnosis of HF, were included. Two three‑month periods were compared from January 2002 (n=210) and January 2016 (n=378).

Results. Fewer patients with HF had symptoms or required diuretics in 2016 (63 % vs 98,6 %, p<0.001). During this period the percentage of patients with HFpEF increased from 58.6 % to 74.1 % (p=0.001) whereas those with HFrEF remained similar (19.5 % vs 14.0 %, p=0.1) and those with HFmrEF declined (21.9 % vs 11,9 %, p=0.007). In patients with HFrEF the prescription of ACEi / ARB remained similar (80.4 vs 88 %, p=0.3), beta‑blockers increased from 68 to 85 % (p=0.03) and aldosterone antagonists from 9.7 to 49 % (p<0.001).

Conclusion. Prescription rates for prognostic medications in HFrEF improved in 2016. The substantial percentage of patients diagnosed with HFpEF without symptoms or diuretic raises the question of whether a diagnosis of HF was appropriate in some cases.

Aim. Monitoring of concentrations of modern biomarkers to evaluate the efficacy of long‑term treatment of patients after acute decompensated HF (ADHF).

Materials and Methods. The study included 100 patients with severe decompensated FC II–IV CHF and LV EF <40 % due to IHD, DCMP or AH. At discharge from the hospital, patients were divided into groups of low (NT‑proBNP<1400 pg / ml) (control, n=30) and high (NT‑proBNP≥1400 pg / ml) risk (n=70). Patients at high risk were randomized to two treatment groups, a group of NT‑proBNP monitoring (NPM) (n=35) and a group of standard therapy (n=35). At the end of the study, noncompliant patients were isolated from these two groups into a separate group (n=10). The aim of the treatment was decreasing the NT‑proBNP concentration to less than 1000 pg / ml and / or ≥50 % of the baseline level. In addition to the soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) receptor, concentrations of copeptin, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NCAL), galectin 3, and high‑sensitivity troponin T were measured at discharge from the hospital (baseline) and at three and 6 months of treatment.

Results. The strongest correlations were found between changes in concentrations (Δ%) of NT‑proBNP, copeptin, and sST2 and changes in CHF FC, 6‑min walk distance, CCS, quality of life, LV EF, and Е / Е’ (р<0.001). The incidence of cardiovascular events was directly related with the degree of decrease and / or increase in biomarker concentration. Patients of the NPM group had the lowest risk of adverse clinical outcome upon a decrease in NT‑proBNP <988.5 pg / ml at 6 months of treatment or > 50 % of the baseline level at discharge from the hospital. For these patients, the mean Δ% was 60.7±8.5 % for NT‑proBNP, 34.03±17.6 % for sST2, and 32.41±8.8 % for copeptin [OR at 95 % CI 0.08 (0.02–0.36), р <0.0001]. A significant increase in the risk for cardiovascular events was observed only at a considerable increase in NT‑proBNP >50 % [OR at 95 % CI 3.8 (1.13–13.0), р=0.03], and the highest incidence of cardiovascular events was observed in the group of noncompliant patients (110 %). Besides NT‑proBNP, to significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular events, it was necessary to achieve a decrease in sST2 concentration to less than 30 ng / ml or by more than 24.9 % (Δ%) at the end of followup [ОR (95 % CI: 0.1 (0.02–0.5), р=0.004].

Conclusion. Among the modern biomarkers, changes in NT‑proBNP, sST2, and copeptin concentrations most accurately reflect changes in the clinical and functional status, quality of life, and EchoCG parameters in HF patients during long‑term monitoring. The lowest risk for adverse clinical outcomes was observed in post‑decompensation patients with a decrease in NT‑proBNP <988.5 pg / ml after 6 months of treatment or ≥50 % of baseline upon discharge from the hospital. The sST2 concentration has to be reduced by more than 24.9 % of baseline and less than 30 ng / ml in the course of long‑term treatment after decompensated HF.

The article discusses the clinical expedience of isolating into a separate classification subgroup of patients with heart failure and a mid‑range ejection fraction (EF) of 40–49 %. Analysis of studies 2017–2018 focusing on the issue of patients with mid‑range LV EF showed that this subgroup is highly heterogenous and by some clinical and demographic parameters takes an intermediate position between heart failure (HF) patients with reduced (<40 %) and preserved (>50 %) LV EF. However, patients with mid‑range LV EF positively respond to beta‑blocker and RAAS inhibitor therapy, and their response is close to that of patients with reduced LV EF. This is a principal difference between patients with mid‑range and preserved LV EF who generally do not display any beneficial effect of such therapy. One of the major causes for such difference is a dissimilarity of HF etiology and, hence, pathogenesis in patients with reduced and mid‑range LV EF: primarily IHD (so‑called “ischemic” phenotype) in patients with reduced and mid‑range LV EF and non‑cardiac causes (“non‑ischemic” phenotype) in patients with preserved LV EF. Since the nonischemic phenotype is also rather common among patients with mid‑range LV EF a new HF classification should definitely indicate, in addition to LV EF, the clinical phenotype of disease, which is particularly important for patients with mid‑range LV EF of 40–49 %. Further studies should focus on variants of HF clinical phenotypes.

Oncological diseases are the main causes of death in the world. Modern treatment of cancer patients contributes to an increase in survival rate due to strong chemotherapeutic drugs, the use of which is accompanied by toxic effects on cardiomyocytes. The main manifestations of cardiotoxicity are left ventricular dysfunction, myocardial ischemia, thromboembolic complications, chronic heart failure. As a result, the risk of cardiovascular mortality may be higher than the risk of death from the tumor process. An important task of oncologists and cardiologists is the early diagnosis of cardiotoxic complications in order to start treatment in time and reduce mortality from cardiovascular pathology in cancer patients.