Liver function abnormalities and outcome in patients with chronic heart failure: data from the Candesartan in Heart Failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity (CHARM) program.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
AIMS: The prevalence and importance of liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in a large contemporary cohort of heart failure patients have not been systematically evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We characterized the LFTs of 2679 patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure from the Candesartan in Heart failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and morbidity program (CHARM). We used multivariable modelling to assess the relationships between baseline LFT values and long-term outcomes. Liver function test abnormalities were common in patients with chronic heart failure, ranging from alanine aminotransferase elevation in 3.1% of patients to low albumin in 18.3% of patients; total bilirubin was elevated in 13.0% of patients. In multivariable analysis, elevated total bilirubin was the strongest LFT predictor of adverse outcome for both the composite outcome of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization (HR 1.21 per 1 SD increase, P<0.0001) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.19 per 1 SD increase, P<0.0001). Even after adjustment for other variables, elevated total bilirubin was one of the strongest independent predictors of poor prognosis (by global chi-square). CONCLUSION: Bilirubin is independently associated with morbidity and mortality. Changes in total bilirubin may offer insight into the underlying pathophysiology of chronic heart failure.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Allen, LA; Felker, GM; Pocock, S; McMurray, JJV; Pfeffer, MA; Swedberg, K; Wang, D; Yusuf, S; Michelson, EL; Granger, CB; CHARM Investigators,
Published Date
- February 2009
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 11 / 2
Start / End Page
- 170 - 177
PubMed ID
- 19168515
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC2639422
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1388-9842
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1093/eurjhf/hfn031
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- England