Malnutrition assessed with phase angle and mortality risk in heart failure - a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Nutritional Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Malnutrition is a significant risk factor for adverse outcomes in cardiovascular patients.
• Assessing nutritional status is crucial for managing heart failure.
• Phase angle (PhA) from bioelectrical impedance analysis is a reliable nutritional assessment tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis on the association between malnutrition, assessed by PhA, and mortality in heart failure patients.
• To evaluate PhA as a predictor of mortality in this population.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis was performed on data from 7 studies, including 1070 heart failure patients.
• Literature search covered studies published between 2012 and 2024.
• Statistical analyses included heterogeneity assessment, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias evaluation using RStudio.

Main Results:

• Decreased PhA, indicating malnutrition, was found to be a significant predictor of mortality in heart failure patients (Hazard Ratio = 2.10, p = 0.002).
• An optimal cut-off value for PhA predicting increased mortality was identified at 4.65°.
• The analysis pooled data from 1070 patients across 7 studies.

Conclusions:

• Phase angle (PhA) derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis is a valuable parameter for predicting mortality in heart failure.
• This non-invasive measurement aids in identifying high-risk patients, potentially improving clinical management and outcomes.
• PhA offers a reliable method for nutritional assessment in cardiovascular care.