Incidence, clinical predictors, and prognostic impact of worsening renal function in elderly patients with chronic heart failure on intensive medical therapy

Micha T. Maeder*, Hans Rickli, Matthias E. Pfisterer, Stefano Muzzarelli, Peter Ammann, Thomas Fehr, Dietrich Hack, Daniel Weilenmann, Thomas Dieterle, Stephanie Kiencke, Werner Estlinbaum, Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background Incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of worsening renal function (WRF) in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (HF) undergoing intensive contemporary medical therapy are unknown. Methods and Results In 566 patients (age 77 +/- 8 years) included in the TIME-CHF, serum creatinine (sCr) was repeatedly measured up to 6 months. Worsening renal function was classified as increase in sCr by 0.2 to 0.3 (WRFI), 0.3 to 0.5 (WRFII), or >= 0.5 mg/dL (WRFIII) within the first 6 months. Outcome events were assessed for 18 months. Results The incidence of WRF I, II, and III was 12%, 19%, and 22%, respectively. Worsening renal function III was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio 1.98 [95% CI 1.27-3.07, P = .002] vs no WRF), whereas WRF I/II was not. History of renal failure, spironolactone treatment, higher baseline dose, and higher maximal increase in loop diuretic dose were independently associated with the occurrence of WRF III, whereas angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin receptor blocker, and beta-blocker use and allocation to N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide-guided management were not. Worsening renal function III was an independent predictor of death, death or hospitalization, and death or HF hospitalization also after adjusting for baseline characteristics. Conclusions One fifth of elderly patients with chronic HF experienced WRF III on 6-month intensive HF treatment. These patients had higher mortality, whereas patients with smaller sCr rises did not. Occurrence of WRF III was associated with high doses of loop diuretics and spironolactone use but not with other treatments. (Am Heart J 2012;163:407-414.e1.)
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)407-U353
JournalAmerican Heart Journal
Volume163
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2012

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