NOVICA: Characteristics and outcomes of patients who have a first episode of heart failure (de novo)

Background and objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics and prognosis (hospital mortality at 30 days and 12 months and emergency department readmission at 30 days for acute heart failure) of patients treated in hospital emergency departments for new-onset or de novo acute heart failure (NOAHF) and to compare the patients with those who consult for chronic decompensated heart failure (CDHF).

Patients: NOVICA is a secondary analysis of the Epidemiology of Acute Heart Failure in Emergency Departments registry. We compared demographic variables, baseline characteristics and data from acute episodes and follow-up at 30 days and 12 months of patients with NOAHF and CDHF.

Results: We analysed 8647 patients, with 3288 cases of NOAHF (38%) and 5359 cases of CDHF (62%). NOAHF was associated with lower comorbidity, better baseline state, less severe acute episode data, less use of diuretics in intravenous infusion and oxygen therapy and lower hospitalization rates. The patients with NOAHF were admitted more often to cardiology and intensive care units, and the patients with CDHF were admitted more often to short-stay units. Rates of crude mortality at 30 days and 12 months and readmission at 30 days were higher for the patients with NOAHF. In the adjusted analysis, however, only the rate of readmission at 30 days was lower for NOAHF (p<.001).

Conclusions: Patients admitted to hospital emergency departments for NOAHF show a different clinical profile from patients with CDHF. In the adjusted analysis, there were no differences between the 2 groups regarding hospital mortality, 30-day mortality or 12-month mortality.