Incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in COPD patients during acute exacerbation in Ain Shams University Hospitals

Background Cardiovascular comorbidities are frequent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are associated with a worse prognosis, and the presence of COPD has a negative impact on cardiovascular disease and heart failure The available estimates of the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction vary widely, probably due to different diagnostic approaches and small sample sizes. Aim Perspective analytical comparison of ECHO findings (done or will be done) within a 3-month interval of acute exacerbations. Outcomes Previous or prospective comparison of EF with current findings at the examination station or grade of diastolic dysfunction, Left atrial dimension, E/A, E/e′ ratios, and slope findings among the 3-month follow-up period perceptively (incidence) in the following two groups, namely Group A: the patient group with prior EHCO findings showing no heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) before enrollment but develop HFpEF during acute exacerbations. Group B: the patient group with ECHO findings of HFpEF following acute exacerbations within 3 months or thereafter. Patients and methods Patients with confirmed COPD by spirometry were evaluated by echocardiography initially as baseline and 3 months after for the assessment of diastolic dysfunction grades. Those patients are divided into two groups as inpatients and outpatients. Results An observational cross-sectional study including 36 COPD diagnosed patients: 33 males and 3 females with a mean age of (58.5 ± 7.7 years). The patients were divided into 17 inpatients and 19 outpatients. These patients were divided according to COPD severity into groups A, B, and C (outpatient group) and D (inpatient group) as 7, 9, 3, and 17 patients, respectively. Comparisons between baseline echocardiographic findings and after 3 months’ follow-up were processed. There were significant increases of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and diastolic dysfunction in COPD group D compared with the other group at baseline and in the same group after a 3-month follow-up and significant correlation with COPD grade D cases and high-grade diastolic dysfunction. There were significant decrease of TR and decrease of diastolic dysfunction grades after a 3-month follow-up of acute exacerbations compared with baseline. It was found that spirometry parameters were nonstatistically different at baseline concerning the existing diverse diastolic dysfunction. However, only a significant negativecorrelation was found between baseline left atrial dimension and forced expiratory volume in first second/percentage of forced vital capacity. Conclusion COPD severity influences the HFpEF with tendency to increase diastolic dysfunction and TR, which could be improved with COPD management. Assessment of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is pivotal.