Ventriculo-arterial coupling in acute heart failure: prognostic and therapeutic insights - a systematic review and meta-analysis of multivariable-adjusted data.
In acute heart failure (AHF), non-invasive ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) surrogates, including right ventricular-pulmonary arterial (RV-PA) and left ventricular-arterial (LV-Ao) coupling, have emerged as practical bedside indices, but their prognostic significance remains largely unknown systematically. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic significance of non-invasive VAC assessment, in patients hospitalized with AHF. Outcomes included all-cause mortality, HF hospitalization, length of hospital stay, use of therapies, the composite of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization, and in-hospital adverse cardiovascular events. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and odds ratios (aORs) were pooled using random-effects. Subgroup-analyses were performed according to follow-up duration and left ventricular ejection fraction. Thirty-six studies comprising 36,989 patients were analysed. Twenty-eight studies evaluated RV-PA coupling, predominantly the TAPSE/PASP ratio, and eight evaluated LV-Ao coupling, mainly using non-invasive Ea/Ees estimates. RV-PA uncoupling was independently associated with increased all-cause mortality (aHR 1.90; 95% CI 1.42-2.56; I²=49%), with consistent associations at 12 months (aHR 2.03; 95% CI 1.44-2.85) and long-term follow-up (aHR 1.67; 95% CI 1.06-2.64). Associations with HF hospitalization, hospital stay, and the composite endpoint were directionally consistent but not statistically significant. LV-Ao uncoupling was associated with increased in-hospital adverse cardiovascular events (aOR 1.70; 95% CI 1.29-2.24). Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness of these findings. RV-PA uncoupling predicts mortality, whereas LV-Ao uncoupling identifies patients at increased risk of in-hospital adverse cardiovascular events, supporting VAC-risk-stratification in AHF and future evaluation of VAC-guided therapeutic strategies.
Authors
Guz Guz, Filipescu Filipescu, Davison Davison, Antohi Antohi, Ambrosy Ambrosy, Mihaileanu Mihaileanu, Geavlete Geavlete, Collins Collins, Radu Radu, Adamo Adamo, Girerd Girerd, Filipescu Filipescu, Monzo Monzo, Biegus Biegus, Cotter Cotter, Chioncel Chioncel
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