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Screenings, targeted care reduced HF in at-risk patients
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SAN FRANCISCO — Researchers for the STOP-HF trial found that low-cost screening and targeted patient management prevented HF in at-risk patients.
The 5-year study included 1,374 asymptomatic patients aged older than 40 years who had risk factors for HF. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. Intervention participants were screened annually for CV risk and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels and received specialized care, if needed. Control participants received standard care.
Kenneth M. McDonald
New-onset HF requiring hospitalization or left ventricular dysfunction — the primary endpoint — was significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group (5.3% vs. 8.7%; P=.01).
About 42% of participants in the intervention group had elevated B-type natriuretic peptide levels. These patients received an echocardiogram and continued care under both their physicians and a specialist cardiology service, according to information in a press release.
In addition, the intervention group also had lower rates of emergency hospitalization for major CV events (22.3 per 1,000 patient-years vs. 40.4 per 1,000 patient years; P<.001).
"Our study shows that a simple blood-test screening, followed by targeted care of people at heightened risk of HF, can result in a dramatic reduction in CV events," Kenneth M. McDonald, MD, director of the heart failure unit at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, said in a press release.
For more information:
McDonald KM. Late-breaking clinical trials V: Heart failure. Presented at: American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions; March 9-11, 2013; San Francisco.
Disclosure: The study was funded by the Health Services Executive and the Health Research Board of the Irish government, the European Commission Framework Programme 7 and the Heartbeat Trust. McDonald reports consulting fees/honoraria from Alere, BG Medicine, Menarini, Novartis and Servier; ownership/partnership/principal from Solvotrin; and research grants from MSD, Pfizer, Roche and Takeda.