Prevalence and Clinical Implications of Anemia in Congestive Heart Failure Patients Followed at a Specialized

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia and to investigate its association with comorbidities and its impact on clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure. The association of predefined anemia, as well as the correlation of serum hemoglobin level as a continuous variable, with outcomes of emergency department visits, hospitalization, and mortality was investigated. There were fewer anemic patients in New York Heart Association classes I and II than in classes III and IV. Anemia was associated with higher rates of emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and all-cause mortality. Multivariable analysis showed that anemia is independently associated with mortality. When hemoglobin level was considered as a continuous variable, the authors noted that the mortality risk correlated with hemoglobin level disappears when hemoglobin level exceeds 140 g/L. The authors conclude that anemia has strong impacts on functional class and other clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure.