Transient and persistent worsening renal function during hospitalization for acute heart failure

Transient and persistent worsening renal function (WRF) may be associated with different risks during hospitalization for acute heart failure. We compared outcomes of patients hospitalized for acute heart failure with transient, persistent, or no WRF.

We identified patients 65 years or older hospitalized with acute heart failure from a clinical registry linked to Medicare claims data. We defined WRF as an increase in serum creatinine of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL after admission. We further classified patients with WRF by the difference between admission and last recorded serum creatinine levels into transient WRF (< 0.3 mg/dL) or persistent WRF (≥ 0.3 mg/dL). We examined unadjusted rates and adjusted associations between 90-day outcomes and WRF status.

Among 27,309 patients, 18,568 (68.0%) had no WRF, 3,205 (11.7%) had transient WRF, and 5,536 (20.3%) had persistent WRF. Patients with WRF had higher observed rates of 90-day postdischarge all-cause readmission and 90-day postadmission mortality (P < .001). After multivariable adjustment, transient WRF (hazard ratio [HR] 1.19, 99% CI 1.05-1.35) and persistent WRF (HR 1.73, 99% CI 1.57-1.91) were associated with higher risks of 90-day postadmission mortality (P < .001 for both). Compared with transient WRF, persistent WRF was associated with a higher risk of 90-day postadmission mortality (HR 1.46, 99% CI 1.28-1.66, P < .001).

Transient and persistent WRF during hospitalization for acute heart failure were associated with higher adjusted risks for 90-day all-cause postadmission mortality. Patients with persistent WRF had worse outcomes.