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AimsThe aim of this study was to evaluate whether neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) predict outcome in heart failure (HF) patients undergoing heart transplantation (HTX).Methods and resultsData from 111 HF patients undergoing HTX 2010–2015 were retrospectively reviewed. NLR and PLR were calculated before HTX, immediately after HTX, and at 6 and 24 hours. Primary endpoint was in‐hospital mortality, and secondary endpoints were 1 year mortality and renal replacement therapy (RRT). Prognostic factors were assessed by multivariate analysis, and the predictive values of NLR and PLR for mortality were compared. The discriminatory performance for predicting in‐hospital mortality was better for NLR [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.644, 95% confidence interval 0.492–0.797] than for PLR (AUC = 0.599, 95% confidence interval 0.423–0.776). Best cut‐off value was 2.41 for NLR (sensitivity 86%, specificity 67%) and 92.5 for PLR (sensitivity 86%, specificity 68%). When divided according to best cut‐off value, in‐hospital mortality was significantly higher in the high NLR group (17.5% vs. 3.2%, P < 0.05), but not in the high PLR group (16.5% vs. 6.3%, P = ns). One year mortality was not significantly higher for either group (37.5% vs. 6.5% for NLR; 36.7% vs. 9.4% for PLR, P = ns for both), while RRT was significantly higher in both the NLR and PLR high groups (33.8% vs. 0%; 32.9% vs. 3.1%, respectively, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that only high NLR (hazard ratio = 3.403, P < 0.05) and pre‐transplant diabetes (hazard ratio = 3.364, P < 0.05) were independent prognostic factors for 1 year mortality.ConclusionsHigh NLR was a predictor for in‐hospital mortality, and an independent prognostic factor for 1 year mortality. Both high NLR and high PLR were predictors for RRT.

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This study demonstrated that early administration of amiodarone in low doses to patients with an acute myocardial infarction may be used only if life-threatening arrhythmia justify its prescription. Conversely, when given in high doses, it might increase mortality.

Anemia is common in heart failure patients but its prevalence varies widely according to various sources. There is no agreement regarding the definition of anemia to be used and several risk factors have been found to be associated with higher prevalence of anemia in heart failure patients. The prevalence of anemia depends on its definition and the clinical characteristics of the patients included in the studies. Anemia is associated with adverse prognosis in the general population, in patients with end-stage renal disease, chronic diseases, coronary artery disease and also in patients with heart failure; however, despite all the information available, the issue of whether anemia is an independent predictor of mortality and the nature of the risk between anemia and mortality in heart failure patients are not yet fully understood.

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FeU is useful as an early biomarker to predict AKI after CS and it is comparable to the new biomarker NGAL.