Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure
Published on: June 10, 2025
Simple clinical criteria to determine the prognosis of heart failure
J Thomas Heywood1, Wafaa Elatre, Ramdas G Pai
1Department of Cardiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
Insights
Ejection fraction improvement is key for heart failure survival. In patients without improvement, age and renal function predict outcomes, guiding prognostic assessments.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) survival prediction is crucial for patient management.
- Existing scoring systems often focus on specific populations (e.g., transplant recipients) or neglect treatment response.
- Easily obtainable clinical parameters are needed for accessible prognostic models in CHF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify simple clinical parameters predicting survival in patients with CHF and reduced ejection fraction.
- To develop a prognostic model incorporating patient response to therapy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 680 patients with ejection fraction <40%, followed for up to 5 years.
- Utilized univariate and multivariate Cox regression models to identify survival predictors.
- Constructed Kaplan-Meier survival functions and calculated 1- and 5-year mortality rates.
Main Results:
- Ejection fraction improvement, age, diabetes mellitus, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were univariate predictors.
- Ejection fraction improvement, age, and BUN emerged as significant multivariate predictors.
- A model demonstrated improved ejection fraction (>15 units) correlated with 2% 1-year and 11% 5-year mortality.
Conclusions:
- Ejection fraction improvement is the strongest predictor of survival in systolic dysfunction.
- Serial echocardiograms to monitor ejection fraction changes offer significant prognostic value.
- In patients without ejection fraction improvement, age and renal function (BUN) are critical survival determinants.
Objective:
To determine whether easily obtained clinical parameters serve as predictors of survival in patients with congestive heart failure. Several scoring systems to predict heart failure survival have been developed; however, many of these deal principally with transplant recipients or do not account for a patient's response to therapy.
Methods:
A total of 680 patients with an ejection fraction of less than 40% were included in the analysis. Baseline assessments were performed and treatment regimens were identified; patients were then followed for up to 5 years. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine clinically important predictors of survival. Kaplan-Meier survival functions for patients with and without the prognostic variable were constructed and mortality was calculated at 1 year and 5 years.
Results:
Ejection fraction improvement at 6 months, diabetes mellitus, age, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were significant predictors for survival in the univariate model. Ejection fraction improvement, age, and BUN were significant predictors in the multivariate model. These findings were used to construct a model for predicting patient mortality. Improved ejection fraction (>15 ejection fraction units) gave a 1-year mortality of 2% and a 5-year mortality of 11%. Mortality rates according to patient age and BUN levels were also calculated.
Conclusion:
Ejection fraction improvement was the most important predictor for survival in patients with systolic dysfunction; monitoring ejection fraction changes through repeat echocardiograms has important prognostic value. In patients without ejection fraction improvement, age and renal function are important survival determinants.
Related Concept Videos
Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions
Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
Heart Failure I: Introduction
Heart Failure V: Medical Management