Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Heart failure (HF) remains a leading cause of hospitalization and morbidity. Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the augmentation index (AIx), has been linked to HF severity and prognosis. This study investigates the relationship be...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gyongyi Osser, Brigitte Osser, Csongor Toth, Caius Calin Miuța, Gabriel Roberto Marconi, Laura Ioana Bondar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Diagnostics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/24/2885
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846105068722454528
author Gyongyi Osser
Brigitte Osser
Csongor Toth
Caius Calin Miuța
Gabriel Roberto Marconi
Laura Ioana Bondar
author_facet Gyongyi Osser
Brigitte Osser
Csongor Toth
Caius Calin Miuța
Gabriel Roberto Marconi
Laura Ioana Bondar
author_sort Gyongyi Osser
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Heart failure (HF) remains a leading cause of hospitalization and morbidity. Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the augmentation index (AIx), has been linked to HF severity and prognosis. This study investigates the relationship between clinical parameters, biochemical indicators, and arterial stiffness in hospitalized patients with HF, aiming to identify predictors of hospitalization and improve patient management. <b>Methods:</b> This cross-sectional study included 98 patients admitted with HF: 53 with acutely decompensated HF (sudden worsening of symptoms) and 45 with chronic HF (stable symptoms of HF). Clinical and biochemical parameters, including ejection fraction (EF), N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, and arterial stiffness indicators (PWV and AIx), were measured at admission. During follow-up, 59 patients required re-hospitalization due to acutely decompensated HF, while 39 remained outpatients without further hospitalization. The relationship between these parameters was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple Cox regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of re-hospitalization. <b>Results:</b> A significant negative correlation between EF and PWV was found (r = −0.853, 95% CI [−0.910, −0.764]), suggesting an association between improved heart function (higher EF) and reduced arterial stiffness (lower PWV). A moderate positive correlation between EF and AIx (r = 0.626, 95% CI [0.473, 0.805]) suggests that, while higher EF is associated with increased AIx, the relationship is weaker compared to EF and PWV. This may reflect differing contributions of vascular and myocardial factors to HF severity. Hospitalized patients exhibited significantly poorer clinical and biochemical profiles, including higher NT-proBNP levels (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and worse blood pressure (BP) measurements (systolic and diastolic, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Multiple Cox regression analysis identified PWV, Aix, and NT-proBNP as independent predictors of re-hospitalization in HF patients, with significant hazard ratios: PWV (HR = 1.15, <i>p</i> = 0.02), AIx (HR = 1.03, <i>p</i> = 0.02), and NT-proBNP (HR = 1.0001, <i>p</i> < 0.01). <b>Conclusions:</b> Arterial stiffness indices (PWV and AIx), EF, and NT-proBNP were identified as significant predictors of re-hospitalization in HF patients. These findings suggest that integrating arterial stiffness measurements into routine clinical assessments may enhance the risk stratification and inform targeted interventions to reduce hospitalizations and improve outcomes.
format Article
id doaj-art-610c749d125049c5b25c7f10740c77e6
institution Kabale University
issn 2075-4418
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Diagnostics
spelling doaj-art-610c749d125049c5b25c7f10740c77e62024-12-27T14:21:03ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182024-12-011424288510.3390/diagnostics14242885Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure PatientsGyongyi Osser0Brigitte Osser1Csongor Toth2Caius Calin Miuța3Gabriel Roberto Marconi4Laura Ioana Bondar5Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, 310130 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, 310130 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, 310130 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, 310130 Arad, RomaniaFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, 310130 Arad, RomaniaDoctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Heart failure (HF) remains a leading cause of hospitalization and morbidity. Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the augmentation index (AIx), has been linked to HF severity and prognosis. This study investigates the relationship between clinical parameters, biochemical indicators, and arterial stiffness in hospitalized patients with HF, aiming to identify predictors of hospitalization and improve patient management. <b>Methods:</b> This cross-sectional study included 98 patients admitted with HF: 53 with acutely decompensated HF (sudden worsening of symptoms) and 45 with chronic HF (stable symptoms of HF). Clinical and biochemical parameters, including ejection fraction (EF), N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, and arterial stiffness indicators (PWV and AIx), were measured at admission. During follow-up, 59 patients required re-hospitalization due to acutely decompensated HF, while 39 remained outpatients without further hospitalization. The relationship between these parameters was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple Cox regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of re-hospitalization. <b>Results:</b> A significant negative correlation between EF and PWV was found (r = −0.853, 95% CI [−0.910, −0.764]), suggesting an association between improved heart function (higher EF) and reduced arterial stiffness (lower PWV). A moderate positive correlation between EF and AIx (r = 0.626, 95% CI [0.473, 0.805]) suggests that, while higher EF is associated with increased AIx, the relationship is weaker compared to EF and PWV. This may reflect differing contributions of vascular and myocardial factors to HF severity. Hospitalized patients exhibited significantly poorer clinical and biochemical profiles, including higher NT-proBNP levels (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and worse blood pressure (BP) measurements (systolic and diastolic, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Multiple Cox regression analysis identified PWV, Aix, and NT-proBNP as independent predictors of re-hospitalization in HF patients, with significant hazard ratios: PWV (HR = 1.15, <i>p</i> = 0.02), AIx (HR = 1.03, <i>p</i> = 0.02), and NT-proBNP (HR = 1.0001, <i>p</i> < 0.01). <b>Conclusions:</b> Arterial stiffness indices (PWV and AIx), EF, and NT-proBNP were identified as significant predictors of re-hospitalization in HF patients. These findings suggest that integrating arterial stiffness measurements into routine clinical assessments may enhance the risk stratification and inform targeted interventions to reduce hospitalizations and improve outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/24/2885augmentation indexarterial stiffnesscardiovascular healthejection fractionheart failurehospitalization risk
spellingShingle Gyongyi Osser
Brigitte Osser
Csongor Toth
Caius Calin Miuța
Gabriel Roberto Marconi
Laura Ioana Bondar
Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients
Diagnostics
augmentation index
arterial stiffness
cardiovascular health
ejection fraction
heart failure
hospitalization risk
title Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients
title_full Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients
title_fullStr Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients
title_short Exploring the Relationship Between Ejection Fraction, Arterial Stiffness, NT-proBNP, and Hospitalization Risk in Heart Failure Patients
title_sort exploring the relationship between ejection fraction arterial stiffness nt probnp and hospitalization risk in heart failure patients
topic augmentation index
arterial stiffness
cardiovascular health
ejection fraction
heart failure
hospitalization risk
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/14/24/2885
work_keys_str_mv AT gyongyiosser exploringtherelationshipbetweenejectionfractionarterialstiffnessntprobnpandhospitalizationriskinheartfailurepatients
AT brigitteosser exploringtherelationshipbetweenejectionfractionarterialstiffnessntprobnpandhospitalizationriskinheartfailurepatients
AT csongortoth exploringtherelationshipbetweenejectionfractionarterialstiffnessntprobnpandhospitalizationriskinheartfailurepatients
AT caiuscalinmiuta exploringtherelationshipbetweenejectionfractionarterialstiffnessntprobnpandhospitalizationriskinheartfailurepatients
AT gabrielrobertomarconi exploringtherelationshipbetweenejectionfractionarterialstiffnessntprobnpandhospitalizationriskinheartfailurepatients
AT lauraioanabondar exploringtherelationshipbetweenejectionfractionarterialstiffnessntprobnpandhospitalizationriskinheartfailurepatients