The prognostic effect of hyponatraemia in determining mortality in patients with heart failure hospitalised in AL-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prognostic effect of hyponatraemia in determining mortality in patients with heart failure.

METHODS

The prospective observational study was conducted at the Internal Medicine Unit of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, from September 1, 2019, to February 1, 2020, and comprised adult patients of either gender who were hospitalised due to heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction <49% at admission. The endpoint was inpatient mortality from the index hospitalisation for decompensated heart failure according to the serum sodium levels.

RESULTS

Of the 70 patients, 46(65.7%) were males and 24(34.3%) were females. A total of 30(42.9%) patients were aged 60-69 years. Serum sodium level was <135mmol/L in 40(57%) patients, and, among them, 29(67.4%) had normal body mass index and 21(70%) were ex-smokers. There was a significant association of serum sodium with body mass index and smoking status (p<0.05). Of the 25(35.7%) cases of inpatient mortality, 19(76%) had serum sodium level <135mmol/L (p= 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Hyponatraemia was found to be common in patients with heart failure. It is a significant modifiable risk factor in patients with heart failure.