title: Diagnostic rules and algorithms for the diagnosis of non-acute heart failure in patients 80 years of age and older: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study.
abstract: Different diagnostic algorithms for non-acute heart failure (HF) exist. Our aim was to compare the ability of these algorithms to identify HF in symptomatic patients aged 80 years and older and identify those patients at highest risk for mortality.
  
  
  
  Diagnostic accuracy and validation study.
  
  
  
  General practice, Belgium.
  
  
  
  365 patients with HF symptoms aged 80 years and older (BELFRAIL cohort). Participants underwent a full clinical assessment, including a detailed echocardiographic examination at home.
  
  
  
  The diagnostic accuracy of 4 different algorithms was compared using an intention-to-diagnose analysis. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) definition of HF was used as the reference standard for HF diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier curves for 5-year all-cause mortality were plotted and HRs and corresponding 95% CIs were calculated to compare the mortality risk predicting abilities of the different algorithms. Net reclassification improvement (NRI) was calculated.
  
  
  
  The prevalence of HF was 20% (n=74). The 2012 ESC algorithm yielded the highest sensitivity (92%, 95% CI 83% to 97%) as well as the highest referral rate (71%, n=259), whereas the Oudejans algorithm yielded the highest specificity (73%, 95% CI 68% to 78%) and the lowest referral rate (36%, n=133). These differences could be ascribed to differences in N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide cut-off values (125 vs 400 pg/mL). The Kelder and Oudejans algorithms exhibited NRIs of 12% (95% CI 0.7% to 22%, p=0.04) and 22% (95% CI 9% to 32%, p<0.001), respectively, compared with the ESC algorithm. All algorithms detected patients at high risk for mortality (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.5; Kelder) to 2.3 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.1; Oudejans). No significant differences were observed among the algorithms with respect to mortality risk predicting abilities.
  
  
  
  Choosing a diagnostic algorithm for non-acute HF in elderly patients represents a trade-off between sensitivity and specificity, mainly depending on differences between cut-off values for natriuretic peptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Miek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smeets
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.|Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Degryse
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Universitair Ziekenhuis Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matheï
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analytical Biochemistry, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wallemacq
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vanoverschelde
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aertgeerts
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.|Institute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vaes
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
keywords: GERIATRIC MEDICINE; PRIMARY CARE