Abstract 17973: Higher N-Terminal Pro-b-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Heart Failure With Rheumatoid Arthritis is Associated With Worse Short-Term Outcomes

Abstract

Background: The chronic inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is known to cause a higher incidence of heart failure (HF); however, studies on the outcomes of patients with RA and HF are limited. Research Questions: We compared outcomes between matched patients with HF with versus without RA with a specific look at NT-proBNP as a prognostic marker. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of adult patients with HF with RA (n=186) one-to-two propensity score matched to patients with HF without RA (n=135,233) from our tertiary care center from January 2001 to December 2022. RA and HF were defined by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes; HF was limited to ICD codes reported within the Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute. Patients were matched using demographics (age, sex, and race) and comorbidities (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking, CAD, atrial fibrillation, CKD, COPD, cirrhosis, and cancer). Results: A total of 558 patients with HF were included, 186 with RA and 372 without RA. The sample’s mean age at HF diagnosis was 69±13 years, 69.2% were female, and 62.9% had HFpEF. Patients in the two groups did not differ by NT-proBNP or LVEF. During a maximum 1-year follow-up after HF diagnosis, the two groups did not differ in combined 1-year mortality/hospitalization. When each group was split by median NT-proBNP, patients in the higher NT-proBNP groups had less HFpEF and worse combined 1-year mortality/hospitalization (Figure 1; HR 2.44, 95%CI 1.39-4.27, p=0.002 in those with RA and HR 1.50, 95%CI 1.06-2.13, p=0.023 in those without RA). The outcomes did not differ when comparing patients with versus without RA with high NT-proBNP. Conclusions: Short-term outcomes did not differ amongst patients with HF with versus without RA once matched for demographics and comorbidities. Furthermore, NT-proBNP was a prognostic marker for worse short-term outcomes in patients with RA and HF.