Demographical and clinicopathological characteristics in heart failure and outcome predictors: a prospective, observational study

AIMS 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. METHODS AND 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.