Procalcitonin (PCT) Predicts Worse Outcome in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF)
Table 1
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of stable and exacerbated patients [14].
All
Stable
Exacerbated
Clinical and demographic indices
130
65
65
—
Males
107
55
52
ns
Age (years; mean ± SD)
59.8 ± 13.1
57.3 ± 9.8
61.5 ± 14.1
ns
BMI (kg/m2; mean ± SD)
28.7 ± 5.8
28.2 ± 5.6
28.6 ± 6.0
ns
Ischemic aetiology
66 (53%)
32 (49%)
34 (56%)
ns
NYHA II/III/IV
39%/51%/9% 52/66/12
55%/45%/0% 36/29/0
24%/57%/18% 16/37/12
<0.001
Peripheral oedema
40 (31%)
8 (12%)
32 (49%)
<0.05
Pulmonary congestion
37 (28%)
5 (8%)
32 (49%)
<0.05
LVEF (%; mean ± SD)
27 ± 8
27 ± 7
26 ± 8
ns
DM
47 (36%)
21 (32%)
26 (40%)
ns
Smoking
37 (28)
19 (25%)
18 (24%)
ns
Death
32 (25%)
12 (18%)
20 (30%)
<0.001
Hospitalization
60 (46%)
33 (51%)
27 (41%)
ns
Laboratory tests
Hb [g/dl]
13.9 ± 1.5
14.1 ± 0.9
13.7 ± 1.9
ns
Nt-proBNP [pg/ml]
1862 ± 5957
1643.92 ± 1776
5142 ± 7391
<0.0001
Troponin T [μg/l]
0.02 ± 0.03
0.03 ± 0.03
0.03 ± 0.02
ns
Treatment
ACEI
105 (82%)
51 (78%)
54 (83)
ns
ARB
23 (18%)
14 (22%)
9 (14%)
ns
Betablockers
129 (99%)
65 (100%)
64 (99%)
ns
Statin
105 (81%)
58 (89%)
47 (72%)
ns
ASA
61 (47%)
26 (40%)
35 (54%)
ns
Digoxin
35 (27%)
22 (34%)
13 (20%)
<0.05
Spironolactone
96 (74%)
45 (69%)
51 (78%)
ns
Eplerenone
23 (18%)
15 (23%)
8 (12%)
<0.05
Diuretic
101 (78%)
36 (55%)
65 (100%)
<0.05
BMI: body mass index; NYHA: New York Heart Association; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; DM: diabetes mellitus; Hb: haemoglobin; NT-proBNP: N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide; ACEI: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors; ARB: angiotensin receptor blockers; ASA: acetylsalicylic acid. value for the difference between stable and exacerbated patients.
