Serum uric acid levels as a predictor of in-hospital death in patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure

Objectives -The aim of this study was to determine the value of serum uric acid levels in predicting in-hospital mortality of chronic heart failure patients hospitalized for decompensation in spite of appropriate medical therapy. Methods and results -This study was conducted in patients who were admitted to our clinic between January 2003 and April 2004 due to decompensated heart failure. Only patients who had a functional capacity of class IV and who already received loop diuretic and ACE inhibitor therapy before their admission were included. Patients with recurrent admissions during this period were excluded. Eighty-five patients fulfilled these criteria: group I consisted of 25 patients who died during hospitalization whereas group 11 consisted of 60 patients who were discharged alive after treatment. Age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction derived from 2-D echocardiography, serum sodium (Na), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), creatinine, uric acid levels, white blood cell counts and drugs used on admission were the selected parameters as predictors of in-hospital mortality in these patients.When stepwise logistic regression analysis was used, female sex and serum uric acid levels at admission appear to be the only predictors of death during that hospitalization independent of other variables. Conclusions - Serum uric acid levels may be used as a predictor of death in hospitalized heart failure patients with class IV symptoms.