Hypoalbuminaemia predicts outcome in adult patients with congenital heart disease.
BACKGROUND
In patients with acquired heart failure, hypoalbuminaemia is associated with increased risk of death. The prevalence of hypoproteinaemia and hypoalbuminaemia and their relation to outcome in adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD) remains, however, unknown.


METHODS
Data on patients with ACHD who underwent blood testing in our centre within the last 14 years were collected. The relation between laboratory, clinical or demographic parameters at baseline and mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.


RESULTS
A total of 2886 patients with ACHD were included. Mean age was 33.3 years (23.6-44.7) and 50.1% patients were men. Median plasma albumin concentration was 41.0 g/L (38.0-44.0), whereas hypoalbuminaemia (<35 g/L) was present in 13.9% of patients. The prevalence of hypoalbuminaemia was significantly higher in patients with great complexity ACHD (18.2%) compared with patients with moderate (11.3%) or simple ACHD lesions (12.1%, p<0.001). During a median follow-up of 5.7 years (3.3-9.6), 327 (11.3%) patients died. On univariable Cox regression analysis, hypoalbuminaemia was a strong predictor of outcome (HR 3.37, 95% CI 2.67 to 4.25, p<0.0001). On multivariable Cox regression, after adjusting for age, sodium and creatinine concentration, liver dysfunction, functional class and disease complexity, hypoalbuminaemia remained a significant predictor of death.


CONCLUSIONS
Hypoalbuminaemia is common in patients with ACHD and is associated with a threefold increased risk of risk of death. Hypoalbuminaemia, therefore, should be included in risk-stratification algorithms as it may assist management decisions and timing of interventions in the growing ACHD population.
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Adult Congenital and Valvular Heart Disease Center, University Hospital of Münster, Muenster, Germany.
Aleksander
A
Kempny
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Adult Congenital and Valvular Heart Disease Center, University Hospital of Münster, Muenster, Germany.
Gerhard-Paul
GP
Diller
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Rafael
R
Alonso-Gonzalez
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Anselm
A
Uebing
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Isma
I
Rafiq
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Wei
W
Li
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Lorna
L
Swan
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
James
J
Hooper
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Jackie
J
Donovan
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Stephen J
SJ
Wort
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Michael A
MA
Gatzoulis
Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK NIHR Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Konstantinos
K
Dimopoulos
D000328:Adult; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D034141:Hypoalbuminemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult