Cholesterol levels and in-hospital mortality in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.
BACKGROUND
In chronic heart failure (HF), lower total cholesterol (TC) levels have been associated with increased mortality. However, the relationship between lipid levels and outcomes in acute HF has not been studied. This study investigates the relationship between cholesterol levels and in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with acute HF.


METHODS
The Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure registry prospectively collects data on patients hospitalized with HF. We analyzed data on 17,791 patients admitted between January 2005 and June 2007 at 236 participating hospitals who had TC levels recorded. Baseline patient characteristics, treatment regimens, and in-hospital mortality were examined by TC level (mg/dL) quartiles (Q) as follows: Q1 (TC < or =118), Q2 (TC 119-145), Q3 (TC 146-179), and Q4 (TC > or =180).


RESULTS
Mean TC level was 150 +/- 47 mg/dL. Patients with lower TC were older and had higher prevalence of ischemic heart disease. Of the patients, 46% were on a lipid-lowering drug, including 58%, 50%, 43%, and 34% of patients in TC Q1 to Q4, respectively. In-hospital mortality in TC Q1 to Q4 was 3.3%, 2.5%, 2.0%, and 1.3%, respectively (P < .0001). On multivariable adjusted analyses, each 10-mg/dL increase in TC level was associated with 4% decreased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.98).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients hospitalized with HF, lower TC levels independently predict increased in-hospital mortality risk. Further evaluation of optimal cholesterol levels and influence of lipid-lowering medication use on outcomes in this population is warranted.
Horwich
Tamara B
TB
Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679, USA.
Hernandez
Adrian F
AF
Dai
David
D
Yancy
Clyde W
CW
Fonarow
Gregg C
GC
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol