Nutrition in chronic heart failure with coexisting chronic kidney disease.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with heart failure (HF) may be predisposed to malnutrition. Little is known about the nutritional status of patients with HF, particularly patients who have coexisting major medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease. The purposes of this study were to (1) describe the nutritional status of 211 patients with chronic HF, (2) examine relationships between nutrition variables and health-related quality of life, and (3) evaluate the nutritional status of the subset of HF patients with coexisting chronic kidney disease.


METHODS
The sample included 211 patients with chronic HF recruited for a larger study about health-related quality of life. Clinical data were retrieved retrospectively from the computerized medical records system at the study site.


CONCLUSIONS
Mean body mass index of the 122 patients for which height was available was 31.4, and no differences in body mass index were noted among patients with varying New York Heart Association class functional status. Evaluation of the mean laboratory values indicated that patients had abnormal elevations of serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C, creatinine, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Higher hemoglobin A1C levels were significantly correlated with poorer health-related quality-of-life scores, although the magnitude of the correlations was modest. Estimated glomerular filtration rate indicated that 54 (27%) of the HF patients likely had coexisting chronic kidney disease, and these patients had significantly lower serum albumin and worsening anemia. The results indicate the need for future prospective studies that incorporate evaluation of nutritional status and the ways in which coexisting chronic kidney disease influences outcomes.
Bennett
Susan J
SJ
Indiana University School of Nursing, 1111 Middle Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. sbennet@iupui.edu
Welch
Janet L
JL
Eckert
George J
GJ
Oldridge
Neil B
NB
Murray
Michael D
MD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015897:Comorbidity; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D003404:Creatinine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D012709:Serum Albumin