B-type natriuretic peptide/ferritin ratio as a predictor of the risk of developing acute renal injury in acute decompensated heart failure

OBJECTIVES:

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is a clinical condition that requires urgent diagnosis and treatment. Patients present with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, and venous pressure elevation. Along with the progressive deterioration observed in the clinical picture, impairment or deterioration of kidney function may also occur. In this study, we evaluated the B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)/ferritin ratio as a predictor of the risk of developing acute renal injury (ARI) in ADHF.

METHODS:

A total of 157 patients with a diagnosis of ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy for more than 6 months that presented to our clinic with ADHF were included in this cohort study. After the treatment protocol was applied, the sample was divided into two groups as patients with and without ARI. The BNP and ferritin levels were examined along with the routine blood parameters (BNP), and the BNP, ferritin, and BNP/ferritin values were compared between the groups.

RESULTS:

ARI was present in 34.3% (n = 54) of the patients, who were also found to have higher BNP (892.76 vs. 817.54), lower ferritin (86.78 ± 57.2 vs. 105.46 ± 38.3), and higher BNP/ferritin (10.48 ± 2.14 vs. 7.89 ± 1.89). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the BNP/ferritin ratio as an independent risk factor for ARI (odds ratio = 3.19; 95% CI, 1.92-6.54; P = 0.001). Using the receiver operating characteristic curve, a cutoff value of 9.32 for BNP/ferritin ratio had a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 93.5% (area under the curve 0.842, P < 0.001) for the prediction of ARI.

CONCLUSION:

The BNP/ferritin ratio is a new parameter that can be used to draw attention to the severity of the treatment and renal function in ADHF cases in emergency situations.

Short-term prognostic factors in elderly patients seen in emergency departments for acute heart failure

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

To investigate factors associated with short-term mortality in elderly patients seen in emergency departments for an episode of acute heart failure.

METHODS

A prospective, non-interventional, multicenter, cohort study was carried out in patients aged 65 years and older who were treated in the emergency department of one of eight tertiary hospitals in Spain. Twenty-eight independent variables that could influence mortality at 30 days were assessed. They covered epidemiological and clinical factors and daily functioning. Data were obtained by reviewing medical records or by interviewing the patient or a relative. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The study included 623 patients, 42 of whom (6.7%) died within 30 days of visiting the emergency department. Four variables were significantly associated with higher mortality: functional dependence at baseline (i.e., Barthel index=60; odds ratio [OR]=2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-6.5), New York Heart Association class III-IV (OR=3; 95% CI, 1.3-7), systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg (OR=4.8; 95% CI, 1.6-14.5) and blood sodium <135 mEq/l (OR=4.2; 95% CI, 1.8-9.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Several factors evaluated on initial assessment in the emergency department, including the level of functional dependence, were found to determine a poor short-term prognosis in elderly patients who present with an episode of acute heart failure.

The prevalence of anemia in chronic heart failure and its impact on the clinical outcomes

This review article summarizes the current medical literature reporting on the prevalence and prognostic significance of anemia in patients with heart failure. Almost all currently available data indicate that anemia is common in heart failure populations, with the majority of studies indicating prevalence >20%. Anemia appears to be more highly prevalent in patients with advanced age, with more severe limitations in functional capacity, and with greater severity of co-morbid chronic kidney disease. In most reported studies anemia is an independent predictor of increased mortality risk and increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure. These data provide the rationale for interventional treatment trials to determine if anemia is in the causal pathway for disease progression and increased mortality risk in HF patients.

[Clinical determinants and prognostic value of hemoglobin in hospitalized patients with systolic heart failure]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Anemia is a common finding in outpatients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality. The aims of this study were to identify determinants of the hemoglobin level in a large group of hospitalized patients with systolic HF and to investigate the medium-term prognostic value of the hemoglobin level.

METHODS

The study included 460 consecutive patients (age 68.3 [12.3] years, 74% male) who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of HF and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (i.e., a left ventricular ejection fraction <45%). At hospital discharge, biochemical and hematological parameters were measured and clinical and echocardiographic variables were recorded. Patients were followed up for 16.8[9.7] months.

RESULTS

Anemia, as defined by World Health Organization criteria, was present in 189 (41.1%) patients. The following independent determinants of the hemoglobin level were identified: age (relative risk [RR]=1.035, 95% CI, 1.011-1.060; P=.004), female sex (RR=1.843, 95% CI, 1.083-3.135; P=.024), diabetes mellitus (RR=1.413, 95% CI, 1.087-1.838; P=.010), plasma urea level (RR=1.013, 95% CI, 1.005-1.022; P=.001), and loop diuretic use (RR=2.801, 95% CI, 1.463-5.364; P=.002). A decrease in hemoglobin level was associated with increased risks of death (RR per g/dL=1.232, 95% CI, 1.103-1.375; P<.001) and death or HF readmission (RR per g/dL=1.152, 95% CI, 1.058-1.255; P<.001), but not with readmission for non-fatal HF (RR per g/dL=1.081, 95% CI, 0.962-1.215; P=.265). Blood transfusion during hospitalization did not alter the increased risk of death (RR=2.19, 95% CI 1.40-3.41; P=.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In hospitalized patients with systolic HF, the hemoglobin level at hospital discharge was an independent predictor of death in the medium term, but not of readmission for non-fatal HF. The main determinants of the hemoglobin level were age, sex, renal function, diabetes, and the need for diuretics.