title: Contribution of right ventricular dysfunction to heart failure mortality: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Right ventricular systolic dysfunction (RVSD) has been related to prognosis in patients         with heart failure (HF) and/or left ventricular systolic dysfunction. However, most of         the studies addressing this issue are not large enough, have different inclusion criteria,         and use different methods to evaluate RV function to draw definite conclusions. We         sought to investigate the association between RVSD and outcomes in patients with left         ventricular dysfunction. Eleven studies of 40 (27.5%), with 4732 patients, were included         in the meta-analysis. RVSD was present in 2234 patients (47.2%). Four of the studies         had admission for HF as an endpoint. We found a significant association between RVSD         and overall mortality with significant between-studies heterogeneity and presence of         publication bias (funnel plot). A significant association was found between RVSD and         admission for HF. RVSD is associated with overall mortality and admission for HF during         follow-up. Significant between-studies heterogeneity and publication bias must be         taken into account when interpreting this information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital of the University of León, León, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Garriz
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olalla-Gómez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garrote
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Benito
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010343:Patient Admission; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right