Background-Acute declines in kidney function occur in approximately 20-30% of patients with acute decompensated heart failure, but its significance is unclear and importance of its context is not known. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of a decline in kidney function in the context of decongestion among patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure. Methods-Using data from patients enrolled in the Ultrafiltration in Decompensated Heart Failure with Cardiorenal Syndrome Study (CARRESS) and Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation (DOSE) trials, we used multivariable Cox regression models to evaluate the association between decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and change in N-terminal pro-btype natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with the composite outcome, as well as testing for an interaction between the two. Results-Among 435 patients, in-hospital decline in eGFR was not significantly associated with death and re-hospitalization (HR=0.89 per 30% decline, 95% CI 0.74, 1.07) while decline in NT-proBNP was associated with lower risk (HR=0.69 per halving, 95% CI 0.58, 0.83). There was a significant interaction (p = 0.003 unadjusted; p = 0.03 adjusted) between decline in eGFR and change in NT-proBNP where a decline in eGFR was associated with better outcomes when NT-proBNP declined (HR=0.78 per 30% decline in eGFR, 95% CI 0.61, 0.99), but not when NT-proBNP increased (HR=0.99, 95% CI 0.76, 1.30). Conclusions-Decline in kidney function during therapy for acute decompensated heart failure is associated with improved outcomes as long as NT-proBNP levels are decreasing as well,
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are beneficial in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We sought to describe longitudinal trends in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in HFrEF and how ACE-inhibitor therapy influences these changes.
The appropriate blood pressure (BP) target for dialysis patients remains controversial. Although there have been remarkable advances in this area in the general population, extrapolation of these data to dialysis patients is not possible. Observational studies in dialysis patients suggest that low BP is associated with worse outcomes. However, this is likely a result of confounding, considering that among dialysis patients with fewer cardiovascular comorbidities and longer survival, a more linear relationship exists between BP and mortality. Use of home BP measurements and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) measurements are more useful from a prognostic standpoint than in‐center predialysis BP measurements. Large clinical trial data are, however, lacking and firm recommendations on BP targets for dialysis patients are not possible.
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