Hyponatremia is an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients due to worsening heart failure

Hyponatremia as a predictor of cognitive deterioration in hospitalized post-stroke patients

PURPOSE

Evidence is scarce regarding the association between hyponatremia and alterations in cognitive function among hospitalized older patients. We aimed to investigate the associations between hyponatremia and the baseline cognitive status, as well as the improvement in cognitive function, in hospitalized post-stroke patients.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included consecutive hospitalized post-stroke patients. Serum sodium concentrations were extracted from medical records based on blood tests performed within 24 h of admission, with hyponatremia defined as a serum sodium concentration < 135 mEq/L. The main outcomes included admission and discharge scores for cognitive levels, assessed through the cognitive domain of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-cognition), as well as the score changes observed during the hospitalization period. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to determine the association between hyponatremia and outcomes of interest, adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Data from 955 patients (mean age 73.2 years; 53.6 % men) were included in the analysis. The median baseline blood sodium level was 139 [137, 141], and 84 patients (8.8 %) exhibited hyponatremia. After full adjustment for confounders, the baseline hyponatremia was significantly and negatively associated with FIM-cognition values at admission (β = -0.009, p = 0.016), discharge (β = -0.038, p = 0.043), and the gain during hospital stay (β = -0.040, p = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

Baseline hyponatremia has demonstrated a correlation with decline in cognitive level over the course of rehabilitation in individuals after stroke. Assessing hyponatremia at the outset proves to be a pivotal prognostic indicator.

Associations between Baseline Hyponatremia and Activities of Daily Living and Muscle Health in Convalescent Stroke Patients

Objectives

Evidence is scarce regarding the association between hyponatremia and functional outcomes among older hospitalized patients. We aimed to evaluate the associations between baseline hyponatremia and improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) and muscle health in hospitalized post-stroke patients.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included hospitalized post-stroke patients. Serum sodium concentrations were extracted from medical records based on blood tests performed within 24 h of admission, with hyponatremia defined as a serum sodium concentration below135 mEq/L. Primary outcome was the discharge ADL as assessed by the motor domain of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-motor) and its corresponding gain during hospitalization. Other outcomes encompassed the discharge scores for skeletal muscle mass (SMI) and handgrip strength (HGS). Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to determine the association between hyponatremia and outcomes of interest, adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

Data from 955 patients (mean age 73.2 years; 53.6% men) were analyzed. The median baseline blood sodium level was 139 [interquartile range: 137, 141] mEq/L, and 84 patients (8.8%) exhibited hyponatremia. After full adjustment for confounders, baseline hyponatremia was significantly and negatively associated with FIM-motor at discharge (β=-0.036, P=0.033) and its gain during hospital stay (β=-0.051, P=0.033). Baseline hyponatremia exhibited an independent and negative association with discharge HGS (β=-0.031, P=0.027), whereas no significant association was found between baseline hyponatremia and discharge SMI (β=-0.015, P=0.244).

Conclusions

Baseline hyponatremia demonstrated a correlation with compromised ADL and muscle health in individuals undergoing rehabilitation after stroke.

[Effectiveness of urea administration for the treatment of hyponatremia in heart failure]

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety of urea in patients with hyponatremia and heart failure (HF).

METHODS AND RESULTS

This is a retrospective observational analytical study of patients with HF and hyponatremia (Na+ <135mmol/L). Forty-nine patients treated with urea and 47 patients who did not receive urea, all under standard treatment (according to usual clinical practice) for HF, were included and followed up at Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital in Vigo (Spain) between January 2013 and May 2022. The study evaluated the normalization of sodium levels (Na >135mmol/L). The initial natremia at the start of oral urea treatment was 127±5.22 mmol/L, at 24h the sodium level was 128±2.47 (P<.009), and the mean on the day of normalization was 135.19±4.23mmol/L (P<.005). The average number of days to achieve sodium normalization was 5.03±2.37 days. The initial uremia at the start of urea treatment was 73±46.93mg/dL, and the mean on the day of Na+ normalization was 116.05±63.64mg/dL (P<.002). The average oral urea dose was 22.5g/day. No relevant adverse effects were observed, nor were there significant changes in creatinine levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral urea treatment, when added to standard treatment for short periods of time, is safe and effective in correcting natremia in patients with hypervolemic HF with hyponatremia.

Tolvaptan's Association with Low Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

INTRODUCTION

Furosemide, a loop diuretic, is often empirically used to treat acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) initially. Conversely, decongestion using tolvaptan, an aquaretic, is thought to maintain renal function compared to furosemide. However, it has not been investigated in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) at high risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). This study aimed to investigate AKI incidence using tolvaptan add-on treatment, compared to increased furosemide treatment for patients with ADHF complicated by advanced CKD.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied patients with advanced CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] <45 mL/min/1.73 m2) who developed ADHF under outpatient furosemide treatment. The exposure was set to tolvaptan add-on treatment, and the control was set to increased furosemide treatment.

RESULTS

Of the 163 patients enrolled, 79 were in the tolvaptan group and 84 in the furosemide group. The mean age was 71.6 years, the percentage of males was 63.8%, the mean eGFR was 15.7 mL/min/1.73 m2, and patients with CKD stage G5 were 61.9%. AKI incidence was 17.7% in the tolvaptan group and 42.9% in the furosemide group (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.34 [0.13-0.86], p = 0.023 in multivariate logistic regression analysis). Persistent AKI incidence was 11.8% in the tolvaptan group and 32.9% in the furosemide group (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.34 [0.10-1.06], p = 0.066 in the multinomial logit analysis).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that tolvaptan may be better than furosemide in patients with ADHF experiencing complicated advanced CKD.

The combined impact of hyponatremia and hematocrit on the risk for 90-day readmission and death in patients with heart failure: dilutional hyponatremia versus depletional hyponatremia

BACKGROUND

Hyponatremia is common in hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) and predicts a poor prognosis after discharge. In general, hyponatremia can be divided into two types: dilutional or depletional.

OBJECTIVE

Assess the impact of hyponatremia type on short-term outcomes.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort SETTINGS: Single center in China PATIENTS AND METHODS: We sorted patients by hyponatremia into two types: dilutional hyponatremia (DiH, with hematocrit <35%) and depletional hyponatremia (DeH, with hematocrit ≥35%). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to identify the impact of hyponatremia types on the risk for 90-day readmission and death.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

90-day readmission and death combined.

SAMPLE SIZE

1770 patients.

RESULTS

Hyponatremia was present in 324/1770 patients with 182 cases classified as DiH versus 142 as DeH. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed a higher incidence of poor short-term outcomes in hyponatremia compared with normonatremia (log-rank P<.001), and the risk was higher in DiH than DeH although the difference was not statistically significant (log-rank P=.656). Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that only DiH was independently associated with short-term outcomes (HR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.02-1.77, P=.038), but not DeH (HR=1.32, 95%CI: 0.97-1.80, P=.081). Analysis of the secondary endpoints showed that DiH increased the risk of readmission but not death (HR=1.36, P=.035 for readmission; HR=1.13, P=.831 for all-cause death).

CONCLUSIONS

Low hematocrit, rather than high hematocrit, with hyponatremia was associated with a risk of 90-day readmission in patients with HF.

LIMITATIONS

Single center, nonrandomized.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

Association between serum sodium level trajectories and survival in patients with heart failure

AIMS

The effect of changes in serum sodium levels on the survival of patients with heart failure (HF) is unclear. We aimed to analyse the impact of serum sodium level trajectories on survival in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with HF.

METHODS

A total of 4760 patients diagnosed with HF between 2001 and 2012 from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database were extracted. Of these patients, 1132 patients who died within 48 h of ICU admission were excluded, and 3628 patients were included in this retrospective cohort study. Sodium levels were measured at baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48 h. Patients were divided into hyponatremia, normal, and hypernatremia groups based on baseline sodium levels, and trajectory modelling was performed for each group separately. Group-based trajectory model (GBTM) method was utilized to identify serum sodium levels trajectories.

RESULTS

The number of patients with hyponatremia (<135 mmol/L), normal sodium levels (135-145 mmol/L), and hypernatremia (>145 mmol/L) at baseline were 594 (16.37%), 2,738 (75.47%), and 296 (8.16%), respectively. A total of seven trajectory groups were identified, including hyponatremia-slow rise group [initial levels (IL), 128.48 ± 5.42 mmol/L; end levels (EL), 131.23 ± 3.83 mmol/L], hyponatremia-rapid rise to normal group (IL, 132.13 ± 2.18 mmol/L; EL, 137.46 ± 3.68 mmol/L), normal-slow decline group (IL, 137.65 ± 2.15 mmol/L; EL, 134.50 ± 2.54 mmol/L), normal-steady-state group (IL, 139.20 ± 2.26 mmol/L; EL, 139.04 ± 2.58 mmol/L), normal-slow rise group (IL, 140.94 ± 2.37 mmol/L; EL, 143.43 ± 2.89 mmol/L), hypernatremia-rapid decline to normal group (IL, 146.31 ± 1.98 mmol/L; EL, 140.71 ± 3.61 mmol/L), and hypernatremia-slow decline group (IL, 148.89 ± 5.54 mmol/L; EL, 146.28 ± 3.90 mmol/L). The results showed that hyponatremia-slow rise group [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.80, P = 0.040], hyponatremia-rapid rise to normal group (HR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.11-1.71, P = 0.004), hypernatremia-rapid decline to normal group (HR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.08-1.97, P = 0.014), and hypernatremia-slow decline group (HR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.07-2.07, P = 0.018) trajectories were associated with an increased risk of 1-year mortality in HF patients compared with normal-steady-state group. After adjustment for all confounders, hyponatremia-rapid rise to normal group (HR = 1.26, 95% CI; 1.01-1.57, P = 0.038) and hypernatremia-rapid decline to normal group (HR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.84, P = 0.047) trajectories were still related to an increased risk of 1-year mortality in patients with HF.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum sodium level trajectories were associated with mortality in patients with HF. Association between serum sodium level trajectories and prognosis in patients with HF deserve further study.

Do we need a simplified model to predict outcomes in patients hospitalized with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure? Results from The Role of Sodium in Heart Failure Outcomes Prediction ('SHOUT-PREDICTION') study

Context

Hyponatremia is associated with high in-hospital mortality in patients with acute decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF) and is one of the components in various risk scores in heart failure (HF). However, some risk scores predict outcomes in these patients without using hyponatremia as its component.

Aim

The study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum sodium levels at admission and clinical outcomes during the in-hospital course and three months’ follow-up, in patients admitted in the intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) with ADHF.

Methods and material

This was a single-center prospective, observational study in which 130 consecutive patients admitted with ADHF were observed for clinical characteristics and blood investigation at admission and their clinical outcomes during the in-hospital course and follow-up of 3 months.

Results

Hyponatremia and systolic blood pressure (SBP) both were found to be the independent predictor of in-hospital mortality. The SXS score (calculated as a product of SBP and serum sodium, divided by 1000) as a new prediction variable was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality and was compared with the Get with the guideline HF (GWTG-HF) score and ADHF national registry (ADHERE) score. The SXS score showed the best overall accuracy in predicting in-hospital mortality [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.899] as compared to the ADHERE (AUC = 0.780) and the GWTG (AUC = 0.815).

Conclusions

A score derived from the product of serum sodium and SBP (SXS score) had a significant association with in-hospital mortality, and better predictive value as compared to GWTG and ADHERE risk score in these patients.

Association between clinic physician workforce and avoidable readmission: a retrospective database research

BACKGROUND

To reduce hospitalization costs, it is necessary to prevent avoidable hospitalization as well as avoidable readmission. This study aimed to examine the relationship between clinic physician workforce and unplanned readmission for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs).

METHODS

The present study was a retrospective database research using nationwide administrative claims database of acute care hospitals in Japan. We identified patients aged ≥65 years who were admitted with ACSCs from home and discharged to home between April 2014 and December 2014 (n = 127,209). The primary outcome was unplanned readmission for ACSCs within 30 or 90 days of hospital discharge. A hierarchical logistic regression model was developed with patients at the first level and regions (secondary medical service areas) at the second level.

RESULTS

The 30-day and 90-day ACSC-related readmission rates were 3.7 and 4.6%, respectively. The high full-time equivalents (FTEs) of clinic physicians per 100,000 population were significantly associated with decreased odds ratios for 30-day and 90-day ACSC-related readmissions. This association did not change even when sensitivity analyses was conducted.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients who had history of admission for ACSCs, greater clinic physician workforce prevented the incidence of readmission because of ACSCs. Regional medical plans to prevent avoidable readmissions should incorporate policy interventions that focus on the clinic physician workforce.

Construction of a Heart Failure Database Collating Administrative Claims Data and Electronic Medical Record Data to Evaluate Risk Factors for In-Hospital Death and Prolonged Hospitalization

Background: Clinical studies on heart failure (HF) using diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) databases have attracted attention recently, but data obtained from such databases may lack important information essential for determining the severity of HF.

Methods and Results: Using a HF database that collates DPC data and electronic medical records from 3 hospitals in Japan, we investigated factors contributing to prolonged hospitalization and in-hospital death, based on clinical characteristics and data obtained early during hospitalization in 2,750 Japanese patients with HF hospitalized between 2011 and 2015. Mean age was 77.0±13.0 years; 55.3% (n=1,520) were men, and 39.1% (n=759) had left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. In-hospital mortality was 6.0% (n=164) and mean length of stay for patients who were discharged alive was 18.2±13.7 days (median, 15 days). Factors contributing to in-hospital death were advanced age, higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, low albumin and sodium, and high creatinine and C-reactive protein (CRP). Factors contributing to prolonged hospitalization were higher NYHA class, low Barthel index, low albumin, and high B-type natriuretic peptide, lactate dehydrogenase, and CRP.

Conclusions: We have constructed a database of HF hospitalized patients in acute care hospitals in Japan. This approach may be helpful to address clinical parameters of HF patients in any acute care hospital in Japan.

Sex-specific risks of death in patients hospitalized for hyponatremia: a population-based study

PURPOSE

Several studies have reported an association between hyponatremia and lethality. However, it remains elusive whether hyponatremia independently contributes to lethality. The aim of the study was to investigate associations between hyponatremia and lethality and differences in lethality between men and women hospitalized due to hyponatremia.

METHODS

Four registries were utilized in this population-based retrospective study: The National Patient Registry, the Cause of Death Register, the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Total Population Register (NPR) from which the controls were sampled. All hospitalized patients with a first-ever principal ICD10 diagnosis of hyponatremia or syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion in the NPR between 1 October 2005 and 31 December 2014 were defined as cases. Cox regression with adjustment for potential confounders was used.

RESULTS

14,359 individuals with a principal diagnosis of hyponatremia, and 57,382 matched controls were identified. Median age was 76 years and the majority were women (72%). Median age for women and men was 79 and 68 years, respectively. Adjusted hazard ratios (and 95% CI) for lethality in those with hyponatremia compared with controls were for the entire population 5.5 (4.4-7.0) and in the subgroup free from previously known underlying disease 6.7 (3.3-13.3). Lethality in women with hyponatremia was lower compared with men: HR: 0.56 (0.49-0.64). In the healthier group the lethality remained lower for women: HR: 0.49 (0.34-0.71).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients hospitalized due to hyponatremia faced an increased subsequent lethality that was independent of concomitant disease. This increase was nearly twice as large among men compared with women.

Hyponatremia in Heart Failure: Pathogenesis and Management

Hyponatremia is a very common electrolyte abnormality, associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Two opposite processes can result in hyponatremia in this setting: Volume overload with dilutional hypervolemic hyponatremia from congestion, and hypovolemic hyponatremia from excessive use of natriuretics. These two conditions require different therapeutic approaches. While sodium in the form of normal saline can be lifesaving in the second case, the same treatment would exacerbate hyponatremia in the first case. Hypervolemic hyponatremia in HF patients is multifactorial and occurs mainly due to the persistent release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the setting of ineffective renal perfusion secondary to low cardiac output. Fluid restriction and loop diuretics remain mainstay treatments for hypervolemic/dilutional hyponatremia in patients with HF. In recent years, a few strategies, such as AVP antagonists (Tolvaptan, Conivaptan, and Lixivaptan), and hypertonic saline in addition to loop diuretics, have been proposed as potentially promising treatment options for this condition. This review aimed to summarize the current literature on pathogenesis and management of hyponatremia in patients with HF.

The prognosis of heart failure patients: Does sodium level play a significant role?

INTRODUCTION

Heart failure (HF), a major cardiovascular disorder, remains a grievous clinical condition regardless of advances in medical care. Hyponatremia is classified as a serum sodium concentration of <135 mEq/L, and the prevalence, clinical impact and prognostic factor of hyponatremia in heart failure patients varies widely. The current study was conducted with the aim of assessing the prevalence of hyponatremia in patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of HF and comparing baseline clinical characteristic of HF patients based on their sodium status. Survival difference between patients with hyponatremia and normonatremia was also assessed and the clinical prognostic indicators of overall mortality in HF patients were evaluated.

METHOD

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to assess medical records of heart failure patients who were admitted to Gondar University Referral Hospital. Patients were categorized based on their sodium level status at their first admission to the internal medicine department. Each patient was assigned to either of the following groups: hyponatremia if sodium < 135 mmol/L, or normonatremia if sodium ≥ 135 mmol/L.

RESULT

Among 388 participants, the prevalence of hyponatremia in the study cohorts was 51.03%. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that there was a significant difference in survival status of HF patients among the two cohorts (Log-Rank test, P <0.0001). Hence, patients with normal sodium levels had a higher chance of survival over hyponatremic patients. Multivariate Cox regression has revealed a statistically significant association of mortality with the following variables: advanced age (AHR = 1.035 (1.012-1.058), P = 0.003), hyponatremia (AHR = 4.003 (1.778-9.009), P = 0.001), higher creatinine level (AHR = 1.929 (1.523-2.443), P = <0.0001) and, prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (AHR = 0.410 (0.199-0.842), P = 0.015) and spironolactone (AHR = 0.511 (0.275-0.949), P = 0.033.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, hyponatremia is one of the crucial factors in the clinical prognosis of heart failure patients. However, as other prognostic factors (i.e. medication, creatine level, and age) also played vital roles in overall survival, well-controlled clinical trials (complete with medication dosing, laboratory outputs and long-term prospective follow up) are required to further study the impact of hyponatremia in HF patient's prognosis in low income nations.

Hyponatremia is a potential predictor of progression in radiation-induced brain necrosis: a retrospective study

Background

To investigate the prognostic value of hyponatremia, defined as serum sodium level < 135 mEq/L, in radiation-induced brain necrosis (RN) patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of the RN patients (The patients included in our study had a history of primary cancers including nasopharyngeal carcinoma/glioma/oral cancer and received radiotherapy previously and then were diagnosed with RN) treated in Sun yat-sen Memorial Hospital from January 2013 to August 2015. Patients without cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and serum sodium data were excluded. Progression was identified when the increase of edema area ≥ 25% on the MRI taken in six months comparing with those taken at the baseline. Factors that might associate with prognosis of RN were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify potential predictors.

Results

We total included 135 patients, 32 (23.7%) of them with hyponatremia and 36 (26.7%) with RN progression. Percentage of progression was roughly three fold in hyponatremia patients compared with nonhyponatremia patients (53.1% versus 18.4%), translating into a 5-fold increased odds ratio (P <  0.001). Multivariable analyses identified hyponatremia as a potential predictor of progression (OR, 4.82; 95% CI [1.94–11.94]; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Hyponatremia was identified as a potential predictor for the progression of patients with RN. Hyponatremia management in patients with RN should be paid much more concern in clinical practice.

Relationship Between Serum Sodium Level Within the Low-Normal Range on Admission and Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Although hyponatremia during hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is reportedly related with poor prognosis, the available data regarding the impact of serum sodium level within the low-normal range at admission on clinical events in patients with ADHF is limited.We studied eligible patients admitted to our institution in 2007-2011. All the patients were categorized into 3 groups according to the admission serum sodium levels of < 135 mmol/L (hyponatremia), ≥ 135 and < 140 mmol/L (low-normal range), or ≥ 140 mmol/L (normal range). The association between admission serum sodium levels and long-term clinical events, a composite of all-cause deaths and re-hospitalizations for ADHF, was assessed by multivariable Cox proportional analysis.Of the 584 eligible patients, 208 (35.6%) were in the low-normal range and 99 (16.9%) had hyponatremia on admission. On multivariable analysis, compared with those with a sodium level ≥ 140 mmol/L, patients with hyponatremia were at increased risk for clinical events (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53; P = 0.041), whereas the HR of those in the low-normal range was attenuated and insignificant (HR, 1.08; P = 0.625). However, the HR of each category increased significantly as sodium level decreased (P value for HR trend, 0.024). In addition, when serum sodium level was treated as a continuous variable, the lower the serum sodium level, the greater the risk of clinical events (P = 0.012). The cut-off value of serum sodium level to predict mortality was < 138 mmol/L.In conclusion, a low serum sodium level on admission for ADHF, even if low-normal, can increase the risk of long-term mortality and/or re-hospitalization for ADHF.

Is hyponatremia associated with mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension?

Hyponatremia is associated with poor prognosis in left heart failure and liver disease. Its prognostic role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not well defined. We investigated the association between hyponatremia and one-year mortality in two large cohorts of PAH. This study is a secondary analysis evaluating the association between hyponatremia and one-year mortality in patients treated with subcutaneous treprostinil (cohort 1). The results are validated using a PAH registry at a tertiary referral center (cohort 2). Eight-hundred and twenty patients were enrolled in cohort 1 (mean age = 47 ± 14 years) and 791 in cohort 2 (mean age = 55 ± 15 years). Sodium level is negatively correlated with mean right atrial pressure (r = -0.09, P = 0.018; r = -0.089, P = 0.015 in cohorts 1 and 2, respectively). In unadjusted analyses of cohort 1, the sodium level (as a continuous variable) is associated with one-year mortality (hazard ratio = 0.94; P = 0.035). Hyponatremia loses its significance (as a continuous variable and when dichotomized at ≤ 137 mmol/L; P = 0.12) when adjusted for functional class (FC), which is identified as the variable whose presence turns the effect of sodium level into non-significant. Secondary analyses using a cut-off value of < 135 mmol/L showed similar results. These results are validated in cohort 2. Although the sample size for patients with sodium < 130 mmol/L is small (n = 31), severe hyponatremia is associated with higher overall mortality (47% versus 23%; P = 0.01), even when adjusting for age, FC, and baseline 6-min walk distance ( P < 0.001). Although baseline hyponatremia is associated with one-year mortality, it loses its significance when adjusted for FC.

Current Management of Hyponatremia in Acute Heart Failure: A Report From the Hyponatremia Registry for Patients With Euvolemic and Hypervolemic Hyponatremia (HN Registry)

Background

Hyponatremia (HN) occurs commonly in patients with acute heart failure and confers a worse prognosis. Current HN treatment varies widely, with no consensus. This study recorded treatment practices currently used for patients hospitalized with acute heart failure and HN.

Methods and Results

Data were collected prospectively from 146 US sites on patients hospitalized with acute heart failure and HN (serum sodium concentration [Na⁺] ≤130 mEq/L) present at admission or developing in the hospital. Baseline variables, HN treatment, and laboratory values were recorded. Of 762 patients, median [Na⁺] was 126 mEq/L (interquartile range, 7) at baseline and increased to 130 mEq/L at discharge. Fluid restriction was the most commonly prescribed therapy (44%), followed by no specific HN treatment beyond therapy for congestion (23%), isotonic saline (5%), tolvaptan (4%), and hypertonic saline (2%). Median rate of change in [Na⁺] varied by treatment (0.5 [interquartile range, 1.0] to 2.3 [8.0] mEq/L/d) and median treatment duration ranged from 1 (interquartile range, 1) to 6 (5) days. Fluid restriction and no specific HN treatment resulted in similar changes in [Na⁺], and were least effective in correcting HN. Few patients (19%) had [Na⁺] ≥135 mEq/L at discharge.

Conclusions

The most commonly used treatment approaches for HN (fluid restriction and no specific treatment) in acute heart failure increased [Na⁺] minimally, and most patients remained hyponatremic at discharge.

On admission serum sodium and uric acid levels predict 30 day rehospitalization or death in patients with acute decompensated heart failure

AIMS

A considerable proportion of hospitalized patients for acute decompensated heart failure will be readmitted or die in short-term follow-up. In the present study, we aimed to assess the role of admission sodium (Na) and uric acid (UA) levels in the prediction of 30 day post-discharge heart failure readmission or all-cause mortality in advanced heart failure patients admitted with acute decompensation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

One hundred and forty consecutive advanced heart failure patients who were admitted for a recent cardiac decompensation were enrolled in this prospective study. Serum Na and UA levels remained statistically unchanged during index admission (P = 0. 54 and 0.19, respectively). Within 30 days post-discharge, composite end point of heart failure rehospitalization or all-cause death occurred in 62 (44.3%) patients (event group). Length of stay was statistically similar between patients in the event and non-event groups (P = 0.38). No correlations were also found between length of stay and left ventricular ejection fraction, serum Na, UA, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), creatinine, and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels (all P > 0.05). Lower left ventricular ejection fraction and Na and higher UA on admission were significantly associated with 30 day event both in univariate and multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the predictive role of baseline Na and UA for early post-discharge outcome and the absence of significant changes in their levels during initial hospitalization, admission Na and UA can be considered as prognosticators of acute decompensated heart failure, which their prognostic significance cannot be affected by routine acute heart failure therapy.

Effects of Hyponatremia Normalization on the Short-Term Mortality and Rehospitalizations in Patients with Recent Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: A Retrospective Study

Background: Several studies have shown that hyponatremia is associated with increased risk of rehospitalization and death in patients with heart failure. In these studies, chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with persistent hyponatremia were compared only with CHF patients with a normal sodium level at hospital admission. Aims: In the present retrospective study, conducted in a cohort of patients with recent acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), all with hyponatremia ascertained at the time of hospital admission, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the normalization of serum sodium on the composite endpoint of short-term rehospitalization and mortality. Methods: A retrospective study centered on medical records of patients hospitalized for ADHF in the period April 2013 to April 2016 was performed. Data regarding serum sodium measurements had to be collected from medical records of cardiology wards of two hospitals, and were then processed for statistical analysis. As an inclusion criterion for enrollment, patients had to be suffering from heart failure that had required at least one hospitalization. Moreover, they had to be suffering from a state of hyponatremia (serum sodium < 135 mEq/L) at admission on the occasion of the index hospitalization. Patients with hyponatremia at admission were divided into two groups, one comprising patients with hyponatremia that persisted at the time of discharge (persistent hyponatremia) and a second including patients who had achieved normalization of their serum sodium levels (serum Na⁺ ≥ 135 mEq/L) during hospitalization until discharge. For both groups, the risk of mortality and rehospitalization during a 30-day follow-up was assessed. Results: One hundred and sixty CHF patients with various degrees of functional impairment were enrolled in the study. Among them, 56 (35%) had persistent hyponatremia over the course of hospitalization. At multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, the risk of having a 30-day unplanned readmission or death was significantly higher in patients with persistent hyponatremia compared to those who exhibited a sodium level normalized at discharge (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.0743; 95% CI: 1.3981–6.7601; p = 0.0054). Among the other variables included in the Cox regression model, the number of admissions in the last 12 months (p < 0.0001), the length of stay of the index admission (p = 0.0015) and the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III at discharge (p = 0.0022) were also identified as risk factors associated with the composite endpoint of 30-day unplanned readmission or death. Conclusions: In the present retrospective study, the risk of 30-day rehospitalization or death was significantly higher in patients with recent ADHF and persistent hyponatremia in comparison with ADHF patients who had had their serum sodium normalized during the hospital stay. This association seemed to be independent of the heart failure severity.

Relation between serum sodium levels and clinical outcomes in Turkish patients hospitalized for heart failure: a multi-center retrospective observational study

Objective:

The purpose of the study was to analyze the prevalence of hyponatremia and related 1-year outcomes of patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in Turkish patients.

Methods:

A total of 500 hospitalized patients with HFrEF were consecutively included in a retrospective study at 19 participating hospitals. Patients were categorized according to their serum sodium levels (sNa) on admission day as normonatremic (135–145 mEq/L) and hyponatremic (<135 mEq/L). One-year all-cause mortality, re-hospitalization rates, and the impact of the changes in sNa at the time of discharge to clinical outcomes were examined.

Results:

Hyponatremia was observed in 29% of patients. Patients with hyponatremia had lower blood pressures, creatinine clearance, and left ventricular ejection fraction and higher serum creatinine and BUN levels on admission compared with those with normonatremia. Hyponatremia was associated with higher 1-year all-cause mortality (14% vs. 2.6%, p<0.001) and re-hospitalization rates (46.9% vs. 33.7%, p=0.005). After adjustment for covariates, hyponatremia was independently associated with 1-year all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 4.762; 95% CI, 1.941–11.764; p=0.001). At discharge, only 50.8% of hyponatremic patients were corrected to normonatremia (≥135 mEq/L). Those with persistent hyponatremia had the highest all-cause mortality (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

In this study, it is demonstrated that hyponatremia is relatively common and is associated with increased 1-year all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization rates among Turkish patients hospitalized with HFrEF. Approximately 50% of the patients with initial low sNa had persistent hyponatremia at discharge, and these patients had the worst clinical outcomes.

Hyponatremia and Worsening Sodium Levels Are Associated With Long-Term Outcome in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure

Background

Hyponatremia predicts poor prognosis in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). However, the association of the severity of hyponatremia and changes of serum sodium levels with long‐term outcome has not been delineated.

Methods and Results

The study population was drawn from the HARVEST registry (Heart Failure Registry of Taipei Veterans General Hospital), so that patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF) composed this study. The National Death Registry was linked to identify the clinical outcomes of all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular death, with a follow‐up duration of up to 4 years. Among a total of 2556 patients (76.4 years of age, 67% men), 360 had on‐admission hyponatremia, defined as a serum sodium level of <135 mEq/L on the first day of hospitalization. On‐admission hyponatremia was a predictor for all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio and 95% CI: 1.43, 1.11–1.83) and cardiovascular mortality (1.50, 1.04–2.17), independent of age, sex, hematocrit, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, and prescribed medications. Subjects with severe hyponatremia (<125 mEq/L) would even have worse clinical outcomes. During hospitalization, a drop of sodium levels of >3 mEq/L was associated with a marked increase of mortality than those with minimal or no drop of sodium levels. In addition, subjects with on‐admission hyponatremia and drops of serum sodium levels during hospitalization had an incremental risk of death (2.26, 1.36–3.74), relative to those with normonatremia at admission and no treatment‐related drop of serum sodium level in the fully adjusted model.

Conclusions

On‐admission hyponatremia is an independent predictor for long‐term outcomes in patients hospitalized for AHF. Combined the on‐admission hyponatremia with drops of serum sodium levels during hospitalization may make a better risk assessment in AHF patients.

STEMI complicated with serum sodium of 113 mmol/L from syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion: How worse could it be?

Hyponatremia commonly occurs in acute coronary syndrome and has been recognized as a worse prognostic indicator in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However STEMI with preexisting hyponatremia from syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) has never been described in the literature. We describe a case of 59-year-old woman who presented with STEMI and received emergent percutaneous coronary intervention who also had SIADH with the lowest serum sodium measurement of 113 mmol/L. Initially, she was treated with hypertonic saline to reduce central nervous system complications. Then, vasopressin receptor 2 antagonist and demeclocycline were started as well as fluid restriction and salt tablet. Her sodium level and clinical symptoms improved. Subsequently, we found cavitary right upper lung mass and a biopsy report revealed small cell lung cancer as a cause of SIADH. Severe hyponatremia from SIADH complicated with STEMI could potentially have reduced adverse outcomes by normalizing sodium level through vasopressin receptor 2 antagonist or demeclocycline. <Learning objective: Hyponatremia in STEMI from SIADH, prognosis, and treatment options.>.

Novel diuretic strategies for the treatment of heart failure in Japan

Fluid management is of paramount importance in the treatment strategy of heart failure (HF), but the therapeutic efficacy of loop diuretic-based treatment for HF patients is limited by insufficient response and adverse effects. Clinical data establishing the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan, a selective oral vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist that induces aquaresis, have recently been accumulated over 3 years of daily clinical experience in Japan. Intravenous infusion of carperitide, a synthetic α-human atrial natriuretic peptide, has also been widely used as acute-phase therapy for acute decompensated HF in Japan. Combination therapy using loop diuretics, tolvaptan, and carperitide with differing and complementary mechanisms of action may maximize therapeutic activity, to minimize the dosage of loop diuretics and thereby reduce the adverse effects not only for volume removal but also for the stability of cardiorenal hemodynamics.