title: Demographical and clinicopathological characteristics in heart failure and outcome predictors: a prospective, observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to study the demographical and clinicopathological characteristics of patients presenting with heart failure and evaluate the 1 year outcomes and to identify risk predictors if any.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A prospective observational study was conducted in consecutive patients of systolic heart failure. The study was divided into two parts-an initial 6 month enrolment phase followed up for 1 year for major adverse cardiovascular events. All patients were treated according to the Institutional Heart Failure Protocol. Demographical and clinicopathophysiological characteristics were studied, and results were analysed. A total of 143 patients were enrolled. The mean age of subjects was 56.4 years with male subjects constituting almost two-thirds of the study population. The commonest aetiology of heart failure was ischemic with valvular heart disease being the commonest cause of non-ischemic heart failure. Bendopnea, a recently described symptom of heart failure, was found in a significant number of subjects. By univariate analysis, male sex (P= 0.042) and cardiomegaly (P= 0.035) were predictors of rehospitalization, whereas the univariate predictors of mortality were ischemic aetiology (P= 0.000), age > 50 years (P= 0.007), hypertension (P= 0.012), worsening NYHA class (P= 0.003), diabetes mellitus (P= 0.009), and hypokalaemia (P= 0.006). Multivariate analysis performed showed age > 50 years [P= 0.007; OR (CI) = 13.547 (2.034-90.238)], NYHA class [P= 0.002; OR (CI) = 32.300 (3.733-276.532)], and hypokalaemia [P= 0.031; OR (CI) = 7.524 (1.208-46.862)] as significant predictors of mortality during long-term follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study will definitely help us to throw more light in identifying risk predictors of heart failure and help in improving clinical outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology Government Medical College Calicut India.
authors.forename: Chakanalil Govindan
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Sajeev
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology Government Medical College Calicut India.
authors.forename: Shreetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajan Nair
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine Government Medical College Calicut India.
authors.forename: Biju
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology Government Medical College Calicut India.
authors.forename: Gopalan Nair
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Rajesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology Government Medical College Calicut India.
authors.forename: Mangalath Narayanan
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Krishnan
keywords: Bendopnea; Heart failure; Hypokalaemia; Hyponatraemia; Prognosis; Risk factors