title: [Predictors of in-hospital lethality in patients with advanced heart failure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe the clinical characteristics and identify potential risk factors for in-hospital lethality in patients with decompensated heart failure admitted to an intensive care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Decompensated heart failure patients consecutively admitted to an intensive care unit between June 2001 and December 2003 were selected and followed during hospitalization until discharge or death. Clinical characteristics at admission were recorded and evaluated as independent risk predictors for in-hospital mortality by multiple logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 299 patients (69+/-13 years of age and 54% men) were enrolled. Coronary artery disease was the main cause of heart failure in 49% of the cases. Diabetes mellitus and systemic arterial hypertension occurred in 37.5% and 78% of the patients, respectively. At admission, 22% of them had atrial fibrillation, 21.5% had renal dysfunction, and 48% anemia (16.5% with severe anemia). Severe systolic dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction <30%) affected 44% of the patients. In-hospital mortality was 17.4%. After the multivariate analysis had been performed, previous history of stroke, atrial fibrillation, renal failure, age > 70 years, and hyponatremia were independently associated with in-hospital mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients admitted to an intensive care unit due to decompensated heart failure have high in-hospital lethality. In this study, variables recorded at admission, such as previous stroke, atrial fibrillation, hyponatremia, renal failure, and age > 70 years were predictors of in-hospital lethality.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Português e Universidade Federal de Bahia, Salvador, BA. adrianalatado@cardiol.br
authors.forename: Adriana Lopes
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Latado
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos Santana
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.forename: Julio C V
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guedes
authors.forename: Simone S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors