[Prognostic value of discharge hemoglobin level in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure].
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies show that the prevalence of anemia in patients with heart failure is high and indicate that its presence leads to increased mortality and morbidity. Our aims were to determine the prevalence of anemia in patients hospitalized for heart failure and to study the long-term prognostic significance of anemia by evaluating its relationship with mortality (total and due to heart failure) and readmission for heart failure.


METHODS
The study included 242 consecutive patients admitted to our cardiology department and discharged with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure. The Kaplan-Meier technique and Cox regression modeling were used to determine whether anemia is an independent predictor of death or readmission for heart failure. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin level <12 g/dL. The mean follow-up period was 23.5 (10.9) months.


RESULTS
Overall, 79 patients (32.6%) were anemic. During follow-up, 77 died (53 due to heart disease) and 117 were readmitted for heart failure. Multivariate analysis showed that anemia was an independent predictor of death (hazard ratio [HR]=1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-3.06), death due to heart disease (HR=1.88, 95% CI, 1.03-3.45), and readmission for heart failure (HR=1.87, 95% CI, 1.28-2.74).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of anemia was high in patients hospitalized for heart failure. Moreover, a discharge hemoglobin level less than 12 g/dL was a predictor of all-cause death, cardiac death, and readmission for heart failure.
Sánchez-Torrijos
Jorge
J
Servicio de Cardiología, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
Gudín-Uriel
Margarita
M
Nadal-Barangé
Mercedes
M
Jacas-Osborn
Victoria
V
Trigo-Bautista
Alberto
A
Giménez-Alcalá
Mónica
M
Payá-Serrano
Rafael
R
Ridocci-Soriano
Francisco
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D006441:Hemoglobin A / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010359:Patient Readmission; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012737:Sex Factors
D006441:Hemoglobin A