title: Prevalence and impact of worsening renal function in patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure: results of the prospective outcomes study in heart failure (POSH).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and risk factors for worsening renal function (WRF) among patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure (HF) and the association with subsequent re-hospitalization and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We prospectively enrolled 299 patients across eight European countries (mean age 68, 74% men). HF was defined using the European Society of Cardiology criteria, but only patients with a history of ejection fraction < or =40% on echocardiography were recruited. WRF was defined as an increase in serum creatinine >26 micromol/L ( approximately 0.3 mg/dL) from admission. Follow-up was 95% complete to 6 months. Nearly one-third of patients [72 of 248 patients, 29% (95% CI 26-32%)] developed WRF during hospitalization, excluding patients who had a major in-hospital complication likely to compromise renal function. The risk of WRF in this group was independently associated with serum creatinine levels on admission [odds ratio (OR) 3.02 (95% CI 1.58-5.76)], pulmonary oedema [OR 3.35 (1.79-6.27)], and a history of atrial fibrillation [OR 0.35 (0.18-0.67)]. Although the mortality of WRF patients was not increased significantly, the length of stay was 2 days longer [median 11 days (90% range (4-41) vs. 9 days (4-34), P=0.006]. The re-hospitalization rate was similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WRF is common in patients admitted to European hospitals with decompensated HF. Such patients have longer duration admissions, but a similar mortality and re-hospitalization rate to those without WRF (if patients experiencing a major in-hospital complication are excluded).
authors.affiliation: National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK. m.cowie@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cowie
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komajda
authors.forename: Tarita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murray-Thomas
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Underwood
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ticho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors