title: Predictors of in-hospital mortality present at admission among patients hospitalised because of decompensated heart failure.
abstract: Chronic heart failure (HF) is associated with a poor prognosis and causes considerable mortality. The aim of this study was to identify the admission characteristics useful to predict in-hospital mortality in patients admitted because of decompensation of HF. We evaluated 414 patients (age 76.2 years, 57% women). The hospital mortality rate was 11.1%. We identified 4 independent predictors of mortality: low Barthel index (odds ratio 1.03; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.04), creatinine level >200 mumol/l (odds ratio 3.40; 95% confidence interval 1.51-7.66), peripheral oedema (odds ratio 3.12; 95% confidence interval 1.28-7.58) and the protective effect of the new onset of the disease (odds ratio 0.2; 95% confidence interval 0.08-0.77). In conclusion, the mortality of patients admitted to the hospital with an exacerbation of HF can be predicted if either poor functional capacity, renal insufficiency, peripheral oedema or previous diagnoses of HF are present. This clinical finding may help clinicians in their decision making in HF in the emergency room.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. fformiga@csub.scs.es
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chivite
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manito
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pujol
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010343:Patient Admission; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003404:Creatinine