Aims Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) including beta-blockers and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors is shown to reduce mortality risk in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, there is little evidence about the efficacy of additional administration of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) with GDMT in patients ≥80 years presenting with HF. We aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of GDMT with MRA in relation to the age of patients with HF. Methods and results This observational study included patients admitted for HF with reduced LVEF who were discharged alive; among them, 224 patients were ≥80 years, and 661 patients were <80 years. Both populations were divided into three groups depending on whether they received GDMT with or without MRA or single/no GDMT drugs (GDMT+MRA+, GDMT +MRAÀ, or non-GDMT, respectively). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. In patients ≥80 years, all-cause mortality was the lowest in the GDMT+MRA+ group (log-rank trend, P = 0.034), and no significant differences were observed between the GDMT+MRAÀ and non-GDMT groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that GDMT+MRA+ was superior to GDMT+MRAÀ, even after adjusting for parameters at discharge (hazard ratio: 0.32, 95% confidence interval: 0.11-0.99). In patients <80 years, GDMT reduced all-cause mortality; however, additional MRA was not associated with an improved outcome. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that additional MRA to GDMT at discharge is one of the therapeutic options for elderly HF patients with reduced LVEF. This finding is not well documented in previous clinical trials.

Background: Extracorporeal CPR (E-CPR) using a veno-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) is effective for patients with refractory cardiac arrest. Intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) is often combined with VA-ECMO to increase coronary perfusion. However, this combination significantly increases left ventricular afterload. Recent studies showed VA-ECMO combined with IMPELLA pump (ECPELLA) had beneficial effect on refractory cardiogenic shock. Objective: Evaluate outcome of ECPELLA patients who underwent E-CPR as compared to ECMO with IABP. Method: We retrospectively reviewed 140 consecutive patients who underwent E-CPR from January 2012 through May 2020 in our institute. Thirty-eight patients who received ECMO alone were excluded, and 102 patients were recruited. Twenty-four patients underwent ECPELLA (ECPELLA group) and 78 patients underwent ECMO with IABP (IABP group). The 30-day survival rate and the rate of grades 1 and 2 Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) as the neurological prognosis were assessed. Result: ECPELLA group showed significantly shorter time from cardiac arrest to ECMO placement compared to IABP group (24 min [IQR; 13-41] vs. 49 min [IQR; 28-75]; P=0.0003). The rate of favorable neurological prognosis were significantly higher in the ECPELLA group (38% vs. 13% ; P=0.01). The 30-day all-cause mortality of ECPELLA was significantly lower than IABP (P=0.005 by log-rank test). Multivariate cox proportional hazard analysis including the age, Out of hospital cardiac arrest, shockable rhythm, Acute coronary syndrome, Collaapse-to-ECMO under 60min, and ECPELLA revealed that the age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34 (10 years increase), 95%CI, 1.11-1.63, P=0.002), Collapse-to-ECMO under 60 min (HR, 0.45, 95%CI, 0.23-0.87, P=0.02) and ECPELLA (HR, 0.48, 95%CI, 0.22-0.95, P=0.035) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Conclusion: ECPELLA improves mortality and favorable neurological outcome in patients who underwent E-CPR.

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Guidelines recommend ventricular rate control to &#x3c;130 bpm during atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) to avoid aggravating deteriorations in cardiac outputs. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of landiolol in patients with ADHF and AF. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This observational study included 60 patients who were urgently hospitalized with ADHF and presented with AF and a heart rate (HR) ≥130 bpm at admission. The patients were assigned to the landiolol group (<i>n</i> = 37) or the reference group (<i>n</i> = 23) based on their intravenous landiolol use within 24 h after admission. The primary endpoint was death from any cause. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The groups’ baseline characteristics were similar. A significant HR reduction occurred in the landiolol group at 2 h after admission. Compared with the reference group, the HR was significantly lower (111.6 vs. 97.9 bpm, <i>p</i> = 0.02) and the absolute HR reduction was greater (−32.2 vs. −50.0 bpm, <i>p</i> = 0.006) in the landiolol group at 48 h after admission. The landiolol group’s mortality rate was significantly lower than that in the reference group (log-rank test, <i>p</i> = 0.032). landiolol use within 24 h after admission was independently associated with lower all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.02–0.92). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Patients with ADHF and AF who received landiolol for rate control during the acute phase had better prognoses than those who did not receive landiolol.

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