Impact of body temperature on in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients with acute heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
Body temperature (BT) was shown to have impact on outcome in several medical conditions. This study investigated the prognostic impact of BT in patients with acute heart failure (HF).


METHODS
The B-type natriuretic peptide for Acute Shortness of breath EvaLuation (BASEL) study prospectively enrolled 452 consecutive patients presenting with acute dyspnoea to the emergency department. Among these, 170 patients had a final discharge diagnosis of acute HF and a documented BT on presentation. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular mortality during long-term follow-up. Morbidity was documented as secondary endpoint.


RESULTS
BT on presentation was 37.2 degrees C (SD 0.9) and ranged from 34.8-40.4 degrees C. Patients were divided into quartiles of BT. Initial morbidity as reflected by intensive care unit admission rate was significantly higher among patients in the highest quartile (38% versus 13% in the first quartile, p <0.05). Length of stay in hospital was significantly increased by 2.7 days per one degree rise in BT. A total of 64 cardiovascular deaths occurred (38%). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no apparent difference in long-term cardiovascular mortality among quartiles of BT. Cardiovascular mortality rate was 47% in the first (<36.6 degrees C), 26% in the second (36.7-37.2 degrees C), 44% in the third (37.3-37.8 degrees C) and 35% in the fourth quartile ( 37.9 degrees C; P = 0.31) at 720 days. In addition, Cox regression analysis adjusted for age and sex showed no association between BT and either in-hospital (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.26-1.35; P = 0.21) or long-term cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.67-1.24; P = 0.55).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with acute HF, BT on presentation is not associated with in-hospital or long-term cardiovascular mortality, but is associated with short-term morbidity. However, it is important to stress that our findings relate to central BT and do not negate the undisputed value of assessing peripheral BT, which reflects peripheral hypoperfusion.
Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Theresia
T
Klima
Christian
C
Schindler
Michael
M
Christ
Andrew
A
Rosser
Tobias
T
Breidthardt
Willibald
W
Hochholzer
Kirsten
K
Laule
Christian
C
Mueller
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001831:Body Temperature; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology