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Anaemia is an independent predictor of death in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure

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Abstract

Background

Acute heart failure is associated with a poor prognosis. It is important to identify patients at increased risk of adverse events. The presence of anaemia could help in this regard.

Methods and results

Admission charts of 627 patients (325 female) with acute heart failure were analysed; 182 patients (29%) fulfilled the World Health Organization criteria of anaemia [haemoglobin (Hb) < 13.0 in men, <12.0 g/dl in women], 87 (48%) of them were female. Anaemic patients were older than non-anaemics (p = 0.04), had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure (both p < 0.05), had higher creatinine (p < 0.01), and stayed longer in hospital (p = 0.0005). Patients were followed-up for a mean of 61 months or until death. A total of 387 patients (61.7%) died during follow-up. Anaemia was an independent predictor of death in this cohort. Patients with moderate or severe anaemia (Hb < 12 in men or <11 g/dl in women) had a significantly increased 12-month mortality after adjusting for age, New York Heart Association class, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and creatinine (hazard ratio 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1–2.0, p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Anaemia is a frequent co-morbidity in patients with acute heart failure. Moderate to severe anaemia is an independent predictor of death in these patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Cachexia Research, Department of Cardiology, Charité Medical School, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    Stephan von Haehling, Wolfram Doehner & Stefan D. Anker

  2. Department of Nephrology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité Medical School, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

    Joerg C. Schefold

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Murska Sobota, Murska Sobota, Slovenia

    Lea Majc Hodoscek & Mitja Lainscak

  4. Center for Stroke Research (CSB), Charité Medical School, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

    Wolfram Doehner

  5. Department of Immunology, Charité Medical School, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany

    Marwan Mannaa

  6. Centre for Clinical and Basic Research, IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome, Italy

    Stefan D. Anker

  7. Division of Cardiology, University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Golnik, Slovenia

    Mitja Lainscak

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  1. Stephan von Haehling
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  2. Joerg C. Schefold
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  3. Lea Majc Hodoscek
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  4. Wolfram Doehner
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  5. Marwan Mannaa
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  6. Stefan D. Anker
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Correspondence to Stephan von Haehling.

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von Haehling, S., Schefold, J.C., Majc Hodoscek, L. et al. Anaemia is an independent predictor of death in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure. Clin Res Cardiol 99, 107–113 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-009-0092-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-009-0092-3

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