title: Prevalence of anaemia among patients with heart failure at the Brazzaville University Hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart failure (HF) is a frequent cause of ospitalisation in cardiology. Its prognosis depends on several risk factors, one of which is anaemia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia in patients with heart failure, and evaluate its impact on their prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article describes a cross-sectional study with prospective collection of data, carried out from 1 January to 31 December 2010 in the Department of Cardiology at Brazzaville University Hospital, Congo. Patients admitted for heart failure were included. Anaemia was defined as a haemoglobin level < 12 g/dl for men and < 11 g/dl for women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 130 men (47.8%) and 142 women (52.2%) were recruited, mean age 56.9 ± 16.5 years. The prevalence of anaemia was 42%. Average levels of haemoglobin were 9.4 ± 1.8 and 13.8 ± 4.9 g/dl for the anaemic (A) and non-anaemic (NA) patients, respectively (p = 0.0001). Two hundred and forty-nine patients (91.5%) were in NYHA functional class III-IV. Forty-seven patients (17.3%) were on oral anticoagulation and 15 (5.5%) were on aspirin. The average duration of hospital stay was 19.1 ± 16.7 days, without a significant difference between the A and NA groups (19.4 ± 12 vs 18.8 ± 13.8 days; p = 0.79, respectively). Total mortality rate was 17%, with a significant difference between the A and NA groups (26 vs 10%; p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study showed a high prevalence of anaemia in patients with heart failure, and it had a negative effect on the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Cardiologie, CHU de Brazzaville, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Méo Stéphane
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ikama
authors.affiliation: Cardiologie, CHU de Brazzaville, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Bernice Mesmer
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nsitou
authors.affiliation: Hématologie clinique, CHU de Brazzaville, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Innocent
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kocko
authors.affiliation: Cardiologie, CHU de Brazzaville, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Ngamami Solange
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Mongo
authors.affiliation: Cardiologie, CHU de Brazzaville, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Gisèle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kimbally-Kaky
authors.affiliation: Cardiologie, CHU de Brazzaville, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Jean Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Nkoua
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003223:Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins