Clinical features, and in-hospital and 1-year mortalities of patients with acute heart failure and severe renal dysfunction. Data from the Italian Registry IN-HF Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Chronic renal dysfunction (RD) frequently coexists with heart failure (HF) and influences outcome. Patients with acute HF (AHF) and severe RD are frequently excluded in the trials. We characterized these subjects and assessed incidence and predictors of in-hospital and one-year mortalities.

METHODS: We selected the 455 patients included in the "IN-HF Outcome" Italian registry belonging to the lowest quartile of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR<40 ml/min/1.73 m(2)).

RESULTS: Mean eGFR at entry in severe RD patients was 28±9 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Compared to 1368 patients with more preserved eGFR, they were older, with more co-morbidities and more frequently ischemic etiology of HF. In-hospital and one-year all-cause mortality rates were 14% and 44% respectively, twice higher than the entire population. Predictors of in-hospital mortality were an abnormal status of consciousness, older age, hyponatremia, lower systolic blood pressure and eGFR. The same conditions (except eGFR) predicted one-year mortality together with the absence of diabetes and no treatment with beta-blockers or diuretics.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with AHF and severe RD, in-hospital and one-year all-cause mortality rates are very high. Independent predictors such as older age, and signs of hypoperfusion and hyponatremia may be identified but preventing and reversing RD remain the key targets for the clinical management of these patients.