Background: Heart failure is common in the nursing-home population, with many diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is a bedside method that can be used to assess volume status more reliably than clinical examination. To date, POCUS has mostly been researched for dichotomous decision-making in acute heart failure to promptly adjust heart failure diuretic therapy. This trial was conceived to test whether POCUS-guided heart failure management improves a long-term outcome.
Aims: We aimed to determine the prevalence of heart failure in nursing homes and to test whether POCUS-guided heart failure management improves outcome in nursing-home residents. We also aimed to develop a novel algorithm for the management of heart failure patients in the nursing-home population.
Methods: This multicentre, prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled nursing home residents that were screened for heart failure. Screening followed the 2016 European Cardiology Society diagnostic algorithm for diagnosis of heart failure of non-acute onset. All diagnostic steps were performed in the nursing-home facilities.
Patients with heart failure were randomized in 1:1 fashion into the clinical management of heart failure (control) group versus POCUS-guided management of heart failure (POCUS) group. In the control group, the volume status was evaluated clinically. In the POCUS group, the volume status was additionally evaluated by the presence of B-lines, and vena cava diameter and collapsibility. During a 6-months follow-up of both groups, the diuretic therapy was optimised at regular intervals based on volume evaluation. The primary endpoint was a composite of the need for an intravenous diuretic therapy, emergency service intervention, unplanned hospitalization for a non-traumatic cause or all-cause death. Secondary endpoints were individual components of primary endpoint, a change in the quality of life, a change of the functional state, the number of days in hospital related to HF deterioration, and the number of days alive and out of hospital.
Results: In May 2018, a total of 532 residents from two nursing-home facilities were invited to heart failure screening. Of those, 203 responded and 198 completed the heart failure diagnostic procedure. Heart failure was diagnosed in 90 (46%) residents. In 61 (68%) residents the diagnosis of heart failure was previously unknown, while 14 (33%) had a previous diagnosis of HF in medical records which was not confirmed in our study.
Nursing-home residents with heart failure were elderly (86±5 years), predominantly female (71%), with several comorbidities and with an average of 10 regular medications. The average left ventricular ejection fraction was 60±12% and 7% had heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (LVEF <40%). The median NT-proBNP value in residents with HF was significantly higher than in those without HF (1670 pg/mL vs. 348 pg/mL, p<0.001). Based on our data, a cut-off value of NT-proBNP at 455 pg/mL was proposed to rule out heart failure in the nursing-home population as opposed to currently the recommended value of 125 pg/mL.
The primary endpoint occurred in 8 (18%) POCUS and 10 (22%) control group patients (p=0.793). Although the POCUS group patients had fewer events than control group patients (18 vs. 22, p=0.525), there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. The most frequent event was an unplanned hospitalization for a non-injury cause (5 in the POCUS group and 10 in the control group, p=0.258). There were also no statistically significant differences in quality of life outcomes or in the outcomes related to the workload of the nursing-home physicians due to the use of POCUS.
Discussion: This study found a high heart failure prevalence among nursing home residents, which was largely undiagnosed. We suggest to adjust the NT-proBNP cut-off for heart failure screening in nursing homes. POCUS-guided management of heart failure was feasible but did not improve clinical outcome in nursing home residents, likely due to low incidence of clinical events.
Conclusion: Heart failure is highly prevalent but often unrecognized in nursing home population. POCUS in addition to clinical examination was not superior to clinical examination only guided heart failure management. The findings of this study justify a modified approach to heart failure diagnostic process and management in the nursing-home population.
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