Trajectory of Congestion Metrics by Ejection Fraction in Patients With Acute Heart Failure (from the Heart Failure Network).

Differences in the clinical course of congestion by underlying ejection fraction (EF) have not been well-characterized in acute heart failure (AHF). A post hoc analysis was performed using pooled data from the Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure, Cardiorenal Rescue Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, and Renal Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure trials. All patients were admitted for a primary diagnosis of AHF. Patients were grouped as reduced EF ≤40%, borderline 40% < EF < 50%, or preserved EF ≥50%. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association among measures of congestion and the composite of unscheduled outpatient visits, rehospitalization, or death. Mean age was 68 ± 13 years and 74% were male. Patients with a preserved EF were older, more likely to be female, less likely to have an ischemic etiology of HF, and had a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation/flutter and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Compared with patients with a reduced EF, preserved EF patients had lower amino-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide levels at baseline (i.e., reduced: 5,998 pg/ml [3,009 to 11,414] vs borderline: 4,420 pg/ml [1,740 to 8,057] vs preserved: 3,272 pg/ml [1,687 to 6,536]) and experienced smaller changes during hospitalization. In general, there were few differences between EF groups in the clinical course of congestion as measured by signs and symptoms of HF, body weight change, and net fluid loss. After adjusting for potential confounders, a greater improvement in global visual analog scale was associated with lower risk of unscheduled outpatient visits, rehospitalization, or death at day 60 (hazard ratio 0.94 per 10 mm increase, 95% confidence interval 0.89 to 0.995). This relation did not differ by EF (p = 0.54). In conclusion, among patients hospitalized for AHF, there were few differences in the in-hospital trajectory or prognostic value of routine markers of congestion by EF.