TY - JOUR
T1 - Three year mortality in heart failure patients with very low left ventricular ejection fractions
AU - Niebauer, Josef
AU - Clark, Andrew L.
AU - Anker, S. D.
AU - Coats, Andrew J S
PY - 1999/8/31
Y1 - 1999/8/31
N2 - Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction is a predictor of the outcome in patients with chronic heart failure. Some treatments cause a small increase in ejection fraction and may, thereby, improve prognosis. Method: We studied 99 patients with heart failure and very low left ventricular ejection fractions (all ≤20%). Seventy-four patients had ejection fractions of 11-20% and 25 had ≤10%. Patient follow up was censored at three years. Results: Mortality was 74% at three years. Left ventricular ejection fraction was not a predictor of mortality (P=0.36). In contrast, peak VO2 at the beginning of the study was a strong predictor of outcome (P=0.002). Conclusion: Three year survival is low when ejection fraction is very low. However, once the ejection fraction is ≤20% ejection fraction is no longer a predictor of mortality. These results suggest that it is unlikely that small increases in ejection fraction will be associated with a survival benefit in this group, and treatments aimed at increasing peak VO2 may be more appropriate. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
AB - Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction is a predictor of the outcome in patients with chronic heart failure. Some treatments cause a small increase in ejection fraction and may, thereby, improve prognosis. Method: We studied 99 patients with heart failure and very low left ventricular ejection fractions (all ≤20%). Seventy-four patients had ejection fractions of 11-20% and 25 had ≤10%. Patient follow up was censored at three years. Results: Mortality was 74% at three years. Left ventricular ejection fraction was not a predictor of mortality (P=0.36). In contrast, peak VO2 at the beginning of the study was a strong predictor of outcome (P=0.002). Conclusion: Three year survival is low when ejection fraction is very low. However, once the ejection fraction is ≤20% ejection fraction is no longer a predictor of mortality. These results suggest that it is unlikely that small increases in ejection fraction will be associated with a survival benefit in this group, and treatments aimed at increasing peak VO2 may be more appropriate. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
KW - Chronic heart failure
KW - Left ventricular ejection fraction
KW - Prognosis
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U2 - 10.1016/S0167-5273(99)00088-1
DO - 10.1016/S0167-5273(99)00088-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 10501338
AN - SCOPUS:0033621008
VL - 70
SP - 245
EP - 247
JO - International Journal of Cardiology
JF - International Journal of Cardiology
SN - 0167-5273
IS - 3
ER -