Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)

Background: Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 64.3 million people worldwide. Despite notable progress over the past two decades in advancing the understanding of heart failure in Africa–a condition often more lethal than many cancers–important knowledge gaps persist. These include outdated da...

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Main Authors: Karen Sliwa, Simon Stewart, Charle Viljoen, Shaazia Allie, Julia Hahnle, Albertino Damasceno, Neusa Jessen, Mahmoud Sani, George Nel, Duard Smith, Beth Davison, Gad Cotter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2025-07-01
Series:Global Heart
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Online Access:https://account.globalheartjournal.com/index.php/up-j-gh/article/view/1449
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author Karen Sliwa
Simon Stewart
Charle Viljoen
Shaazia Allie
Julia Hahnle
Albertino Damasceno
Neusa Jessen
Mahmoud Sani
George Nel
Duard Smith
Beth Davison
Gad Cotter
author_facet Karen Sliwa
Simon Stewart
Charle Viljoen
Shaazia Allie
Julia Hahnle
Albertino Damasceno
Neusa Jessen
Mahmoud Sani
George Nel
Duard Smith
Beth Davison
Gad Cotter
author_sort Karen Sliwa
collection DOAJ
description Background: Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 64.3 million people worldwide. Despite notable progress over the past two decades in advancing the understanding of heart failure in Africa–a condition often more lethal than many cancers–important knowledge gaps persist. These include outdated data on access to care and a lack of information regarding the incidence, aetiology, availability, and affordability of HF medications. Objectives: To prospectively characterise the contemporary incidence, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and health outcomes of acute HF among a large, representative cohort of patients presenting to hospitals across diverse communities in Africa. Methods: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II) is a pragmatic, multicentre, observational cohort study coordinated by the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR). All 27 PASCAR member countries were invited to participate, along with over 5,000 clinicians from the PASCAR database. The survey comprises two components. First, a platform collecting data on each hospital’s catchment population, human resources, presence of specialised cardiology services, availability of diagnostic tools, and access to essential heart failure treatments. Second, a prospective observational study capturing all acute heart failure presentations to participating hospitals over seven weekdays within an 8-week period (from the start of surveillance). Data were collected on clinical characteristics and outcomes to discharge, 30 days, and six months. The study commenced in mid-2024 and includes approximately 50 hospitals across 16 countries spanning all major regions of the African continent. Conclusions: When completed, THESUS-HF II will be the largest and most comprehensive study of acute HF to date in Africa. It will provide invaluable insights into the contemporary characteristics and burden of acute HF in Africa, whilst indicating what is needed to improve health care planning and, ultimately, patient outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-a7633dcb5f234cd1bc75dceaef3326252025-08-21T12:35:35ZengUbiquity PressGlobal Heart2211-81792025-07-01201646410.5334/gh.14491430Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)Karen Sliwa0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8272-0911Simon Stewart1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9032-8998Charle Viljoen2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7246-4136Shaazia Allie3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3342-2790Julia Hahnle4https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6178-4893Albertino Damasceno5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0925-494XNeusa Jessen6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6304-7557Mahmoud Sani7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8946-129XGeorge Nel8Duard Smith9Beth Davison10https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2374-6449Gad Cotter11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9613-3339Cape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine & Cardiology, University of Cape TownCape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine & Cardiology, University of Cape Town, ZA; Institute of Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WACape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine & Cardiology, University of Cape TownCape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine & Cardiology, University of Cape TownCape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine & Cardiology, University of Cape TownDepartment of Medicine, Maputo Central Hospital, Eduardo Mondlane UniversityDepartment of Medicine, Maputo Central Hospital, Eduardo Mondlane UniversityDepart of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Bayero UniversityPan-African Society of Cardiology, Cape TownPan-African Society of Cardiology, Cape TownMomentum Research Inc. Durham, NCMomentum Research Inc. Durham, NCBackground: Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 64.3 million people worldwide. Despite notable progress over the past two decades in advancing the understanding of heart failure in Africa–a condition often more lethal than many cancers–important knowledge gaps persist. These include outdated data on access to care and a lack of information regarding the incidence, aetiology, availability, and affordability of HF medications. Objectives: To prospectively characterise the contemporary incidence, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and health outcomes of acute HF among a large, representative cohort of patients presenting to hospitals across diverse communities in Africa. Methods: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II) is a pragmatic, multicentre, observational cohort study coordinated by the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR). All 27 PASCAR member countries were invited to participate, along with over 5,000 clinicians from the PASCAR database. The survey comprises two components. First, a platform collecting data on each hospital’s catchment population, human resources, presence of specialised cardiology services, availability of diagnostic tools, and access to essential heart failure treatments. Second, a prospective observational study capturing all acute heart failure presentations to participating hospitals over seven weekdays within an 8-week period (from the start of surveillance). Data were collected on clinical characteristics and outcomes to discharge, 30 days, and six months. The study commenced in mid-2024 and includes approximately 50 hospitals across 16 countries spanning all major regions of the African continent. Conclusions: When completed, THESUS-HF II will be the largest and most comprehensive study of acute HF to date in Africa. It will provide invaluable insights into the contemporary characteristics and burden of acute HF in Africa, whilst indicating what is needed to improve health care planning and, ultimately, patient outcomes.https://account.globalheartjournal.com/index.php/up-j-gh/article/view/1449acute heart failureepidemiologyprognosisclinical profilehealth economicscardiomyopathyafrica
spellingShingle Karen Sliwa
Simon Stewart
Charle Viljoen
Shaazia Allie
Julia Hahnle
Albertino Damasceno
Neusa Jessen
Mahmoud Sani
George Nel
Duard Smith
Beth Davison
Gad Cotter
Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)
Global Heart
acute heart failure
epidemiology
prognosis
clinical profile
health economics
cardiomyopathy
africa
title Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)
title_full Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)
title_fullStr Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)
title_full_unstemmed Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)
title_short Generating Important Insights into the Spectrum and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure Across the African Continent: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS-HF II)
title_sort generating important insights into the spectrum and outcomes of acute heart failure across the african continent the sub saharan africa survey of heart failure thesus hf ii
topic acute heart failure
epidemiology
prognosis
clinical profile
health economics
cardiomyopathy
africa
url https://account.globalheartjournal.com/index.php/up-j-gh/article/view/1449
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