Characterisation of heart failure with normal ejection fraction in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
The study aimed to determine the frequency and characteristics of heart failure with normal EF in a native African population with heart failure.


METHODS
It was a hospital cohort study. Subjects were 177 consecutive individuals with heart failure and ninety apparently normal control subjects. All the subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography. The group with heart failure was further subdivided into heart failure with normal EF (EF > or = 50) (HFNEF) and heart failure with low EF(EF <50)(HFLEF).


RESULTS
The subjects with heart failure have a mean age of 52.3 +/- 16.64 years vs 52.1 +/- 11.84 years in the control subjects; p = 0.914. Other baseline characteristics except blood pressure parameters and height were comparable between the group with heart failure and the control subjects. The frequency of HFNEF was 39.5%. Compared with the HFLEF group, the HFNEF group have a smaller left ventricular diameter (in diastole and systole): (5.2 +/- 1.22 cm vs 6.2 +/- 1.39 cm; p < 0.0001 and 3.6 +/- 1.24 cm vs 5.4 +/- 1.35 cm;p < 0.0001) respectively, a higher relative wall thickness and deceleration time of the early mitral inflow velocity: (0.4 +/- 0.12 vs 0.3 +/- 0.14 p < 0.0001 and 149.6 +/- 72.35 vs 110.9 +/- 63.40 p = 0.001) respectively. The two groups with heart failure differed significantly from the control subjects in virtually all echocardiographic measurements except aortic root diameter, LV posterior wall thickness(HFLEF), and late mitral inflow velocity(HFNEF). HFNEF accounted for 70(39.5%) of cases of heart failure in this study. Hypertension is the underlying cardiovascular disease in 134(75.7%) of the combined heart failure population, 58 (82.9%) of the subjects with HFNEF group and 76(71%) of the HFLEF group. Females accounted for 44 (62.9%) of the subjects with HFNEF against 42(39.3%) in the HFLEF group (p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of heart failure with normal EF in this native African cohort with heart failure is comparable with the frequency in other populations. These groups of patients are more likely female, hypertensive with concentric pattern of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Adebayo
Adedeji K
AK
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. akbayo53972@yahoo.com
Adebiyi
Adewole A
AA
Oladapo
Olulola O
OO
Ogah
Okechukwu S
OS
Aje
Akinyemi
A
Ojji
Dike B
DB
Falase
Ayodele O
AO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left