The prognostic importance of lung function in patients admitted with heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to determine the prognostic importance for all-cause mortality of lung function variables obtained by spirometry in an unselected group of patients admitted with heart failure (HF).


RESULTS
This was a prospective prognostic study performed as part of the EchoCardiography and Heart Outcome Study (ECHOS). This analysis included 532 patients admitted with a clinical diagnosis of HF. All patients underwent spirometry and echocardiography and the diagnosis of HF was made according to established criteria. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) was 65% of the predicted value [95% confidence interval (CI) 63-67%], mean forced vital capacity (FVC) was 71% of predicted (95% CI 69-72%), and FEV(1)/FVC was 0.72 (95% CI 0.71-0.73). FEV(1), FVC, and FEV(1)/FVC were all significant prognostic factors for all-cause mortality in univariate analyses. In a multivariate analysis, FEV(1) had independent prognostic value (hazard ratio 0.86 per 10% change, P < 0.001) after adjusting for demographic variables, known risk factors, ejection fraction, and self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Pulmonary function provides significant prognostic information for all-cause mortality in patients admitted with HF. Spirometry therefore seems to be worth considering for all patients admitted with HF in order to identify patients at high risk.
Iversen
Kasper Karmark
KK
The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kjaergaard
Jesper
J
Akkan
Dilek
D
Kober
Lars
L
Torp-Pedersen
Christian
C
Hassager
Christian
C
Vestbo
Jorgen
J
Kjoller
Erik
E
D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013147:Spirometry