title: Thirst trajectory and factors associated with persistent thirst in patients with heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thirst is often increased in patients with heart failure (HF) and can cause distress during the course of the condition. The aim of the present study was to describe the trajectory of thirst during an 18-month period and to identify variables associated with persistent thirst in patients with HF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were collected from 649 patients with HF with the use of the Revised Heart Failure Compliance Scale at 1, 6, 12, and 18 months after a period of hospital treatment for worsening HF. Thirst trajectory was described for the 4 follow-up visits and logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with persistent thirst. In total, 33% (n = 212) of the patients reported thirst on ≥1 occasions and 34% (n = 46) continued to have thirst at every follow-up visit. Nineteen percent (n = 121) of the patients had persistent thirst. Patients with persistent thirst were more often younger and male and had more HF symptoms. Higher body mass index and serum urea also increased the risk of persistent thirst.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with HF who were thirsty at the 1-month follow-up were more often also thirsty at subsequent visits. Assessment of thirst is warranted in clinical practice because one-fifth of patients suffer from persistent thirst.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Research, Södertälje Sjukhus, Södertälje, Sweden. Electronic address: waldreus@tele2.se.
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waldréus
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martje H L
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: van der Wal
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Södertälje Sjukhus, Södertälje, Sweden; Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: van Veldhuisen
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tiny
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jaarsma
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013894:Thirst / Q000502:physiology*; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014508:Urea
keywords: Thirst; heart failure; persistent thirst; trajectory