Changes in Kidney Function After Diagnosis of Advanced Heart Failure

Abstract

Background: Kidney function and its association with outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure (HF) has not been well-defined.

Methods and results: We conducted a retrospective cohort study comprising all adult residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, with HF who developed advanced HF from 2007 to 2017. Patients were grouped by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at advanced HF diagnosis using the 2021 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. A linear mixed effects model was fitted to assess the relationship between development of advanced HF and longitudinal eGFR trajectory. A total of 936 patients with advanced HF (mean age 77 years, 55% male, 93.7% White) were included. Twenty-two percent of these patients had an eGFR of <30 at advanced HF diagnosis, 22% had an eGFR of 30-44, 23% had an eGFR of 45-59, and 32% had an eGFR of ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m². The eGFR decreased faster after advanced HF (7.6% vs 10.9% annual decline before vs after advanced HF), with greater decreases after advanced HF in those with diabetes and preserved ejection fraction. An eGFR of <30 mL/min/1.73 m² was associated with worse survival after advanced HF compared with an eGFR of ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m² (adjusted hazard ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.07-1.57).

Conclusions: eGFR deteriorated faster after patients developed advanced HF. An eGFR of <30 mL/min/1.73 m² at advanced HF diagnosis was associated with higher mortality.

Keywords: Advanced heart failure; Kidney disease; Kidney function; Mortality; Outcomes.