451. Worsening renal function defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine is a biased metric for the study of cardio-renal interactions.
- Author
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Testani JM, McCauley BD, Chen J, Shumski M, and Shannon RP
- Subjects
- Aged, Female, Glomerular Filtration Rate, Heart Failure blood, Heart Failure therapy, Hospitals, University, Humans, Kidney Diseases complications, Kidney Diseases mortality, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Pennsylvania epidemiology, Prognosis, Creatinine blood, Heart Failure complications, Kidney physiopathology, Kidney Diseases blood, Kidney Function Tests standards
- Abstract
Objectives: Worsening renal function (WRF) during the treatment of decompensated heart failure, frequently defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine >or=0.3 mg/dl, has been reported as a strong adverse prognostic factor in several studies. We hypothesized that this definition of WRF is biased by baseline renal function secondary to the exponential relationship between creatinine and renal function., Methods: We reviewed consecutive admissions with a discharge diagnosis of heart failure. An increase in creatinine >or=0.3 mg/dl (WRF(CREAT)) was compared to a decrease in GFR >or=20% (WRF(GFR))., Results: Overall, 993 admissions met eligibility. WRF(CREAT) occurred in 31.5% and WRF(GFR) in 32.7%. WRF(CREAT) and WRF(GFR) had opposing relationships with baseline renal function (OR = 1.9 vs. OR = 0.51, respectively, p < 0.001). Both definitions had similar unadjusted associations with death at 30 days [WRF(GFR) OR = 2.3 (95% CI 1.1-4.8), p = 0.026; WRF(CREAT) OR = 2.1 (95% CI 1.0-4.4), p = 0.047]. Controlling for baseline renal insufficiency, WRF(GFR) added incrementally in the prediction of mortality (p = 0.009); however, WRF(CREAT) did not (p = 0.11)., Conclusions: WRF, defined as an absolute change in serum creatinine, is heavily biased by baseline renal function. An alternative definition of WRF should be considered for future studies of cardio-renal interactions., (Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.)
- Published
- 2010
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