Approximately 30% of patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) do not achieve favourable response. The purpose of the present study was to identify echocardiographic and clinical predictors of a positive response to CRT.

Background and objectives: There has been an increasing interest in the role of inflammation in thrombosis complications in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. The incidence of thrombosis in HF has been shown to be the highest in patients classified as NYHA IV (New York Heart association). It is stated that inflammation is regulated by platelet-induced activation of blood leukocytes. We aimed to compare the platelet and cell count readings in chronic HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients according to NYHA functional class and to evaluate the correlation between those readings. Materials and methods: A total of 185 patients were examined. The results of heart echoscopy (TEE) testing; fibrinogen, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), C reactive protein (CRP), and cortisol concentrations; complete blood counts; and a 6 min walking test were assessed and platelet aggregation was determined. Results: Mean platelet volume (MPV) increased with deterioration of a patient’s state (p < 0.005). Lymphocyte count and percentage were the lowest in the NYHA IV group (p < 0.005). Neutrophil and monocyte percentage and count were the highest (p < 0.045) in the NYHA IV group. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)- and ADR-induced platelet aggregation was higher in the NYHA III group compared to NYHA II and I groups (p < 0.023). NYHA functional class correlated with mean platelet volume (MPV) (r = 0.311, p = 0.0001), lymphocyte count (r = −0.186, p = 0.026), monocyte count (p = 0.172, p = 0.041), and percentage (r = 0.212, p = 0.011). CRP concentration correlated with NT-proBNP (r = 0.203, p = 0.005). MPV correlated with fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.244, p = 0.004). Conclusions: (1) MPV could be considered as an additional reading reflecting a patient’s condition, however the use of MPV to identify patients at risk of hypercoagulable state should be evaluated in more extensive studies; (2) increased neutrophil and monocyte counts could indicate a higher inflammatory state in chronic HFrEF.

Background and Objectives: It is known that neutrophils are involved in the pro-inflammatory processes and thus, can have a great impact on the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF). Moreover, hypercholesterolemia heightens neutrophil production, thereby accelerating cardiovascular inflammation. However, there is a lack of information about the relation of low inflammation to the state of stress, hypercholesterolemia, and pro-thrombotic statement in patients with chronic HF. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether platelet, cholesterol and cortisol levels differ in a different inflammatory condition groups according to the neutrophil count in patients diagnosed with CHF with reduced ejection fraction (CHFrEF), and whether there is a correlation between those readings. Materials and Methods: The average of neutrophil count was 4.37 × 10⁹ L; therefore, 180 patients were separated into two groups: one with relatively a higher inflammatory environment (neutrophil count ≥ 4.37 × 10⁹ L (n = 97)) and one with a relatively lower inflammatory environment (neutrophil count < 4.38 × 10⁹ L (n = 83)). We also determined the levels of lymphocytes, monocytes, platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet aggregation, the levels of cortisol and cholesterol and the concentrations of C reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen. Results: We found that CRP, fibrinogen and cortisol concentrations were statistically significantly higher in the group with higher neutrophil counts. However, there were no differences among cholesterol concentration and other markers of platelet function between the groups. We also showed that PLT, leukocyte and monocyte counts were higher in the group with a higher neutrophil count, and the PLT correlated with other cell type count and CRP. In addition, the neutrophil count correlated with concentrations of fibrinogen, evening cortisol and CRP. Conclusions: Cortisol, fibrinogen and CRP levels, PLT and monocyte counts were higher in the CHFrEF patient group with higher neutrophil counts. The cholesterol levels and platelet function readings did not differ between the groups. The neutrophil count correlated with evening cortisol concentration.

Background and objective: One of the reasons for thrombosis in chronic heart failure (CHF) might be reactive forms of oxygen activating platelets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oxidant hypochlorous acid (HOCl) on platelet aggregation and dityrosine concentration in CHF patients and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: CHF patients (n = 67) and healthy (n = 31) were investigated. Heart echoscopy, 6-min walking test, complete blood count, platelet aggregation, and dityrosine concentration were performed. Platelet aggregation and dityrosine concentration were measured in plasma samples after incubation with different HOCl concentrations (0.15, 0.0778, and 0.0389 mmol/L). Results: Platelet aggregation without oxidant was lower (p = 0.049) in CHF patients than in controls. The spontaneous platelet aggregation with oxidant added was higher in CHF patients (p = 0.004). Dityrosine concentration was also higher (p = 0.032) in CHF patients. Platelet aggregation was the highest in samples with the highest oxidant concentration in both healthy controls (p = 0.0006) and in CHF patients (p = 0.036). Platelet aggregation was higher in NYHA III group in comparison to NYHA II group (p = 0.0014). Concentration of dityrosine was significantly higher in CHF samples (p = 0.032). The highest concentration of dityrosine was obtained in NYHA IV group samples (p < 0.05). Intensity of platelet aggregation, analyzed with ADP, was correlated with LV EF (r = 0.42, p = 0.007). Dityrosine concentration was correlated with NYHA functional class (r = 0.27, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The increase in platelet aggregation in CHF and healthy controls shows the oxidant effect on platelets. The increase in dityrosine concentration in higher NYHA functional classes shows a higher oxidative stress in patients with worse condition.

Background and Objectives: Inflammation is a recognized factor in disease progression in both heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Neutrophils take part in maintaining the pro-inflammatory state in HF. Hypercholesterolemia is stated to heighten neutrophil production, which contributes to accelerated cardiovascular inflammation. HF pathogenesis differences in the different HF phenotypes are yet to be investigated. Aim: To determine differences in complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and lipidogram between chronic HF patients with an absence/presence of myocardial infarction (MI) history and preserved/reduced EF. Materials and Methods: We separated the patients (n = 266) according to chronic HF phenotype: (1) HFrEF patients (n = 149) into groups according to presence of MI: those who had had no MI (n = 91) and those with MI (n = 58); (2) chronic HF without MI according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): LVEF ≥ 50%, n = 117; LVEF < 50%, n = 91. Laboratory and clinical readings (age, weight, pulse, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI)) were taken from the patients’ medical histories. Results: Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was lower and red cell distribution width—coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) was higher in the lower EF group without a history of MI (337.32 (10.60) and 331.46 (13.13), p = 0.004; 13.6 (11.5–16.9), and 14.7 (12.6–19.1), p = 0.001). Lymphocyte percentage and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LYM/MON) were lower in the lower EF group without a history of MI (30.48 (10.87), 26.98 (9.08), p = 0.045; 3.33 (1.22–9.33), 3 (0.44–6.5), p = 0.011). In the group according to LVEF without MI neutrophil count positively correlated with weight (r_p = 0.196, p = 0.024); lymphocyte count correlated with RDW-CV (r_s = −0.223; p = 0.032) and body mass index (r_p = 0.186, p = 0.032). RDW-CV and monocyte count correlated with NT-proBNP and serum creatinine (r_s = 0.358, p = 0.034; r_s = 0.424, p < 0.001 and r_s = 0.354, p = 0.012; r_s= 0.205, p = 0.018 respectively). CRP concentration (6.9 (1.46–62.97), 7 (1–33.99), p = 0.012) was higher and HDL concentration was lower (0.96 (0.44–2.2), 0.92 (0.56–1.97), p = 0.010) in HFrEF with MI in comparison with the group without MI. LVEF correlated with MCHC and RDW-CV (r_s = 0.273, p = 0.001; r_s = −0.404, p < 0.001). HDL cholesterol concentration was lower (0.96 (0.44–2.2); 0.92 (0.56–1.97, p = 0.010) and CRP concentration (6.9 (1.46–62.97), 7 (1–33.99), p = 0.012) was higher in the HFrEF with MI group. Uric acid concentration correlated with platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and LYM/MON (r_s = 0.321, p = 0.032; r_s = −0.341, p = 0.023). Creatinine concentration correlated with monocyte percentage and count (r_p = 0.312, p = 0.001; r_p = 0.287, p = 0.003). A correlation between CRP and MCHC (r_s = 0.262, p = 0.008) was observed. Conclusions: Our findings revealed the higher pro-inflammatory condition in HFrEF group without MI in comparison with HFpEF without MI. LYM/MON can be appropriate as additional reading for evaluation of functional condition in HFrEF group without MI. It seems inflammation environment could be higher in HFrEF with MI in disease history in comparison with those without MI. HDL concentration inversely correlated with monocyte count and the percentages could show the relationship between the low-grade inflammation and lipid metabolism in HFrEF. Both MCHC and RDW-CV may be relevant in assessing the chronic HF patients’ condition.

Background and Objectives: Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) remains a challenge due to its low rates worldwide. Adherence to GDMT in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (rEF) in the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) has been unknown. This is the first study to describe the characteristics of patients with HFrEF and their treatment patterns in the Baltics. Materials and Methods: The EVOLUTION-HF study was a longitudinal, real-world evidence study that enrolled patients with HFrEF following newly initiated sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) dapagliflozin therapy. In total, 12 study sites (four from each country) were included. Patients were followed up for 12 months. A pooled data set including adherence to GDMT, dapagliflozin’s usage, and patients’ profiles was evaluated. Results: Between April and December 2022, 178 patients with a median left ventricular ejection fraction of 32% were enrolled. At baseline, 155 (87%) patients received renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi), 168 (94%) received beta-blockers (BB), and 106 (60%) received mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA); however, only 47.8% of the study population were found to be treated with GDMT (including RAASi, BB, MRA, and dapagliflozin) at the beginning of the study. At the end of the follow-up, the percentage of GDMT users decreased to 42.3%. The number of dapagliflozin discontinuations per 100 patient-years was found to be 13.2 (95% CI 8.2–18.2). Conclusions: The findings indicate a low rate of dapagliflozin discontinuation (13%) and an overall suboptimal proportion of patients receiving GDMT for HFrEF (almost half of the patients). The low rate of GDMT use in the Baltics prompts great attention. Additional research and incremental joint efforts are needed to ensure an increase in GDMT use across diverse HF patient populations.