Prognostic impact of hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia at admission and discharge in heart failure patients with preserved, mid-range and reduced ejection fraction

Intern Med J. 2021 Jun;51(6):930-938. doi: 10.1111/imj.14836.

Abstract

Background: Hyponatraemia is common in patients with acute heart failure (HF).

Aims: To determine the impact of sodium disturbances on mortality and readmissions in HF with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF), preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF).

Methods: This study was a prospective multicentre consecutive registry in 20 hospitals, including patients admitted due to acute HF in cardiology departments. Sodium <135 mmol/L was considered hyponatraemia, >145 mmol/L hypernatraemia and 135-145 mmol/L normal.

Results: A total of 1309 patients was included. Mean age was 72.0 ± 11.9 years, and 810 (61.9%) were male. Mean serum sodium level was 138.6 ± 4.7 mmol/L at hospital admission and 138.1 ± 4.1 mmol/L at discharge. The evolution of sodium levels was: normal-at-admission/normal-at-discharge 941 (71.9%), abnormal-at-admission/normal-at-discharge 127 (9.7%), normal-at-admission/abnormal-at-discharge 155 (11.8%) and abnormal-at-admission/abnormal-at-discharge 86 (6.6%). Hyponatraemia at discharge was more common in HFrEF (109 (20.7%)) than in HFpEF (79 (13.9%)) and HFmrEF (27 (12%)), P = 0.003. The prevalence of hypernatraemia at discharge was similar in the three groups: HFrEF (10 (1.9%)), HFpEF (12 (2.1%)) and HFmrEF (4 (1.9%)), P = 0.96. In multivariate analysis, abnormal sodium concentrations at hospital admission (hazard ratio (HR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-1.76, P = 0.001) and discharge (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08-1.64, P = 0.007) were both independently associated with increased mortality and readmissions at 12 months.

Conclusions: Hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia at admission and discharge predict a poor outcome in patients with acute HF regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction. Hyponatraemia at discharge is more frequent in HFrEF than in the other groups.

Keywords: heart failure; hypernatraemia; hyponatraemia; mortality; readmissions; sodium.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Heart Failure* / diagnosis
  • Heart Failure* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Hypernatremia* / diagnosis
  • Hypernatremia* / epidemiology
  • Hyponatremia* / diagnosis
  • Hyponatremia* / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Discharge
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Registries
  • Stroke Volume
  • Ventricular Function, Left