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Updated: Aug 22, 2025

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
Prognostic Impact of Echocardiographic Congestion Grade in HFpEF With and Without Atrial Fibrillation
Haruhiko Abe1, Shumpei Kosugi1, Tatsuhisa Ozaki1
1Cardiovascular Division, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
Background:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Objectives:
This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of echocardiographic markers of congestion that can be applied to both AF and patients without AF with HFpEF.
Methods:
We conducted a multicenter study of 505 patients with HFpEF admitted to hospitals for acute decompensated heart failure. The ratio of early diastolic transmitral flow velocity to mitral annulus velocity (E/e'), the tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity, and the collapsibility of the inferior vena cava were obtained at discharge. Congestion was determined by echocardiography if any one of E/e' ≥14 (E/e' ≥11 for AF), tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity ≥2.8 m/s, or inferior vena cava collapsibility <50% was positive. We classified patients into grade A, grade B, and grade C according to the number of positive congestion indices. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization.
Results:
During the follow-up period (median: 373 days), 162 (32%) patients experienced the primary endpoint. Grade C patients had a higher risk for the primary endpoint than grade A (HR: 2.98; 95% CI: 1.97-4.52) and grade B patients (HR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.29-2.86) (log-rank P < 0.0001). Echocardiographic congestion grade improved the predictive value when added to the age, sex, New York Heart Association functional class, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, not only in sinus rhythm (Uno C-statistic: 0.670 vs 0.655) but in AF (Uno C-statistic: 0.667 vs 0.639).
Conclusions:
Echocardiographic congestion grade has prognostic value in patients with HFpEF with and without AF.
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