title: TNM-like classification: a new proposed method for heart failure staging.
abstract: Heart Failure (HF) is an acute or chronic syndrome, that causes a lot of damaging effects to every system. The involvement of different systems is variably related to age and others comorbidities. The severity of organ damage is often proportional to the duration of heart failure. The typology of HF and the duration determine which organs will be affected and vice versa the severity of organ damage supplies precious information about prognosis and outcome of patients with heart failure. Moreover, a classification based not only on symptomatic and syndromic typical features of heart failure, but also on functional data of each system, could allow us to apply the most appropriate therapies, to obtain a more accurate prognosis, and to employ necessary and not redundant human and financial resources. With an eye on the TNM staging used in oncology, we drawn up a classification that will consider the different involvement of organs such as lungs, kidneys, and liver in addition to psychological pattern and quality of life in HF patients. For all these reasons, it is our intention to propose a valid and more specific classification available for the clinical staging of HF that takes into account pathophysiological and structural changes that can remark prognosis and management of HF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Nephrology, Anesthesiology and Geriatric Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Nephrology, Anesthesiology and Geriatric Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Nephrology, Anesthesiology and Geriatric Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Nephrology, Anesthesiology and Geriatric Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancone
mesh_terms: D059347:Cardio-Renal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D002309:Cardiology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D019468:Disease Management; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk; D012720:Severity of Illness Index