Heart failure affects quality of life and life expectancy of tens of millions of individuals. There are no available economic and effective treatments for end-stage heart failure. Hydrogels are novel tissue engineering materials, which have the potential to ameliorate myocardium remodeling, increase cardiac output, improve quality of life and prolong life span by implantation into myocardium. The preclinical experiments and clinical trials have greatly explored the function of hydrogels in heart failure. In this review, we summarized the approaches of implantation, mechanism and clinical outcomes of the hydrogels.
Congestive heart failure is a complication of myocardial infarction threatening human health. Although the pharmacotherapy is effective, it is still a worldwide challenge to thoroughly repair the injured myocardium induced by myocardial infarction. It has been demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can repair infarcted myocardium. Much evidence shows that MSCs can generate new myocardial cells in both human and animals' hearts. This review aims at discussing the therapeutic progress of the congestive heart failure treated with MSCs.
Implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has become an essential treatment for end-stage heart failure, and its effect has been continuously improved. In the world, magnetic levitation LVAD has become mainstream and is increasingly used as a destination treatment. China has also entered the era of ventricular assist device. The continuous improvement of the ventricular assist device will further improve the treatment effect. This article reviews the current situation and development trend of LVAD treatment in China and abroad.
Objective To assess the efficiency and safety of pulsatile catheter (PUCA) pump support during acute ischemic heart failure in sheep. Methods After heart failure model was induced successfully in 10 sheep, PUCA pump was inserted through aorta and the aortic valve orifice with its tip located in the left ventricle. It was then activated to support the hemodynamics for 3 hours. Hemodynamic parameters were monitored and recorded before thoracotomy, heart failure, and every 60 min after the support. Platelet and plasma free hemoglobin were tested during the experiment. Thrombosis in kidney, membrane-pump, and catheter were examined at the end of study. Results PUCA pump support was successful in 7 sheep for 3 hours and failed in 3 due to technical problems. During support with the PUCA pump, mean arterial pressure(MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) increased gradually and close to the baseline at the end of experiment. No significant change in platelet and plasma free hemoglobin were found during the whole period of the PUCA pump support. No thrombosis was found as well by means of examining kidney, membrane-pump and catheter. Conclusions PUCA pump can successfully maintain the hemodynamics in a sheep acute heart failure model associated with few blood destruction and thrombosis. It is thus suitable for clinical application to heart failure patients for the maintenance of hemodynamics.
ObjectiveTo investigate the role of mindfulness-based stress reduction in improving anxiety and depression in elderly patients with chronic heart failure.MethodsFrom August 2016 to August 2018, a total of 196 elderly patients with chronic heart failure were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group, with 98 cases in each group. The control group received routine care. The treatment group received routine care plus mindfulness-based stress reduction in two 60-minute sessions a week for 8 weeks. The level of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by echocardiography before intervention and at week 8 of intervention; the effective rate was calculated. Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and General Well-Being scale (GWB) were used to assess the degree of anxiety, depression, and well-being of patients before intervention and at week 8 of intervention.ResultsThe serum NT-proBNP levels at week 8 of intervention in the two groups were lower than those before intervention, and the LVEFs were higher than those before intervention (P<0.05). The treatment group showed significant changes when compared with the control group (P<0.05). The effective rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (89.80% vs. 69.39%, P<0.05). Before intervention, the SAS scores in the treatment group and the control group were 56.61±8.25 and 55.98±6.32, respectively, the SDS scores were 59.98±7.21 and 58.86±6.17, respectively, and the GWB scores were 53.19±12.38 and 54.06±10.93, respectively; at week 8 of intervention, the SAS scores in the treatment group and the control group were 40.56±8.17 and 46.25±5.43, respectively, the SDS scores were 42.85±5.77 and 48.34±8.01, respectively, and the GWB scores were 76.17±9.63 and 68.58±13.30, respectively. At week 8 of intervention, the SAS and SDS scores of the two groups were both lower than those before intervention, and the GWB scores were higher than those before intervention (P<0.05). The treatment group showed significant changes when compared with the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionMindfulness-based stress reduction can improve the anxiety and depression of elderly patients with chronic heart failure, improve their well-being and promote the recovery of heart function.
Objective To investigate the 30-day mortality risk factors in elderly patients (≥70 years) with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and to construct a nomogram for predicting mortality risk. Methods A retrospective analysis of elderly HFrEF patients undergoing isolated CABG at Tianjin Chest Hospital from 2010 to 2024. Simple random sampling in R was used to divide the dataset into training and validation sets in a 7 : 3 ratio. The training set was further divided into survivors and non-survivors. Univariate logistic regression was performed to identify differences between groups, followed by multivariate logistic stepwise regression to select independent risk factors for death and to establish a death-risk nomogram, which underwent internal validation. The predictive value of the nomogram was assessed by plotting receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision-curve analyses for both the training and validation sets. ResultsA total of 656 patients were included. The training set consisted of 458 patients (survivors 418, deaths 40); the validation set consisted of 198 patients (survivors 180, deaths 18). In the training cohort, univariate analysis showed significant differences between survivors and deaths for creatinine (Cr) level, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), maximum Cr, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) use, assisted ventilation, reintubation, hyperlactatemia, low cardiac output syndrome, and renal failure (P<0.05). After multivariable logistic regression with stepwise selection, five independent risk factors were identified: IABP use (OR=3.391, 95%CI 1.065–11.044, P=0.038), reintubation (OR=15.991, 95%CI 4.269–67.394, P<0.001), hyperlactatemia (OR=8.171, 95%CI 2.057–46.089, P=0.007), Cr (OR=4.330, 95%CI 0.997–6.022, P=0.024), and BNP (OR=1.603, 95%CI 1.000–2.000, P=0.010). Accordingly, a nomogram predicting mortality risk was constructed. The ROC and calibration analyses indicated good predictive value: training set AUC was 0.898 (95%CI 0.831–0.966); validation set AUC 0.912 (95%CI 0.805–1.000). Calibration and decision-curve analyses showed good agreement and clinical utility. Conclusion The nomogram incorporating IABP use, reintubation, hyperlactatemia, creatinine, and BNP provides good predictive value for 30-day mortality after CABG in elderly patients with HFrEF and demonstrates potential clinical utility.
The fundamental reason why the organic lesions of chronic heart failure are difficult to reverse is ventricular remodeling. Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is an important pathological basis of ventricular remodeling. Its development process involves complex biological mechanisms and neuroendocrine system. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is a classic pathway for the treatment of tumors. It is found that the inhibition of the ERK pathway can also slow down the progressive aggravation of MF. Therefore, exploring the mechanism of ERK pathway in MF may provide a new idea for the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure. In this paper, the mechanism of ERK pathway in the occurrence and development of MF and its inhibition drugs were described, in order to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of MF in chronic heart failure based on this pathway.
We propose a control model of the cardiovascular system coupled with a rotary blood pump in the present paper. A new mathematical model of the rotary heart pump is presented considering the hydraulic characteristics and the similarity principle of pumps. A seven-order nonlinear spatial state equation adopting lumped parameter is used to describe the combined cardiovascular-pump model. Pump speed is used as the control variable. To achieve sufficient perfusion and to avoid suction, a feedback strategy based on minimum (diastolic) pump flow is used in the control model. The results showed that left ventricular assist device (LVAD) could improve hemodynamics of the cardiovascular system of the patient with heart failure in open loop. When rotation speed was 9,000 r/min, cardiac output reached 82 mL/s while the initial cardiac output was only 34 mL/s without the LVAD support. When the rotation speed was above 12 800 r/min, suction was found because the high rotating speed resulted in insufficient venous return volume. Suction was avoided by adopting the feedback control. The model reveals the interaction of LVAD and the cardiovascular system, which provides theoretical basis for the therapy of heart failure in the left ventricular and for the design of a physiological control strategy.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation for elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) combined with left heart failure. MethodsA total of 152 patients (70-85 years old) diagnosed with COPD combined with left heart failure and treated in our hospital between June 2011 and January 2015 were randomly divided into trial group (noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation with routine treatment, n=76) and control group (routine treatment, n=76). Respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, pH, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were analyzed and compared between the two groups after treatment. We did t-test to analyze the difference of these indexes between the two groups statistically. ResultsRespiratory rate, heart rate and PaCO2 in both of the two groups after the treatment were significantly lower than those before the treatment (P<0.001), while PaO2 and LVEF in both of the two groups after the treatment were significantly higher than those before the treatment (P<0.001). The systolic pressure and diastolic pressure in both of the two groups after the treatment didn't differ much from those before the treatment (P>0.05). The pH value after the treatment increased only in the trial group compared with that before the treatment (P<0.05). The respiratory rate, heart rate, pH value, PaO2, PaCO2 and LVEF after the treatment in trial group were meliorated compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionTreatment with noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation for elderly patients with COPD combined with left heart failure is more efficient than the routine treatment.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and/or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in the treatment of patients with diastolic heart failure (DHF). MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 11, 2014), CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and CBM were electronically searched from inception to November 2014 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ACEI/ARB for DHF patients. References of included studies were also retrieved. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 software. ResultsA total of 22 RCTs involving 9 557 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis indicated that, compared with the control group, the ACEI/ARB group had significant improvements in exercise capacity (6-minute walk distance:SMD=0.02, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.38, P=0.01; Exercise time:MD=40.58, 95% CI 14.06 to 67.10, P=0.003) and diastolic function (E/A ratio:MD=0.20, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.31, P=0.000 4; E/E' ratio:MD=-1.69, 95% CI -2.11 to -1.27, P<0.000 01). In addition, compared with the control treatment, ACEI/ARB could significantly decrease the serum BNP level (SMD=-0.44, 95% CI -0.72 to -0.16, P=0.002) and NT-proBNP level (SMD=-0.68, 95% CI -1.24 to -0.12, P=0.02). ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that ACEI/ARB can improve the exercise capacity and diastolic function, and reduce the levels of serum BNP and NT-proBNP in DHF patients. Due to the limited quality of the included studies and discrepancies in the diagnostic criteria of DHF, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.