Incidence, clinical and etiologic features, and outcomes of advanced chronic heart failure: The EPICAL study

OBJECTIVES Characterize the incidence, clinical and etiologic features and outcomes of advanced congestive heart failure. BACKGROUND This condition is frequent; severe and costly, yet no population-based epidemiological data are available that take into account modern advances in diagnosis and therapy. Published by EIsevier Science Inc. METHODS The EPICAL (EPidemiologie de l'Insuffisance Cardiaque Avancee en Lorraine) study was based on a comprehensive registration of patients with ACHF (defined as hospital admission for presence of NYHA class III or IV symptoms, radiological and/or clinical signs of pulmonary congestion and/or signs of peripheral edema, left ventricular ejection fraction <30% or a cardiothoracic ratio >60%) in patients aged 20-80 years during year 1994, in the community of the Lorraine region in France (n = 1,592,263), Average follow-up for readmission to hospital and mortality was 18 months (12-24 months). RESULTS From 2,576 registered patients, 499 were enrolled into the study among which, 358 were new presentations. This represents a crude incidence rate of 225 per million. 46.3% had a coronary heart disease. One-year mortality rate was 35.4% and the rate of mortality and/or readmission to hospital was 81%. Patients were admitted to hospital 2.05 times per year (64% of these for worsening heart failure), spending 27.6 days per year in hospital. Twenty received a heart transplant (4%). On discharge, 74.8% were using ACE inhibitors and 49.6% digitalis. CONCLUSIONS Mortality and hospitalization rate of advanced CHF remain very high despite recent therapeutic progress. Major therapeutic and managed-care research is required. (C) 1999 by the American College of Cardiology.