The prognostic value of systemic vascular resistance in heart failure patients with permanent atrial fibrillation: a retrospective study

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) and permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) interact mutually, exacerbating hemodynamic effects and causing adverse outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Monitoring hemodynamic indicators in patients with these comorbidities is crucial for effective clinical management. Transthoracic impedance cardiography (ICG) has been widely employed in assessing hemodynamic status in clinical settings. Given the limited research on the prognostic significance of ICG parameters in HF with permanent AF, we undertook this study. A total of 66 HF patients with permanent AF were included in this retrospective study, and the primary outcome was rehospitalization due to worsening HF within 180-day post-discharge. Cox regression analysis was performed to explore the connection between ICG-evaluated parameters and the outcome risk. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the optimal cutoff values of risk factors, subsequently applied in plotting Kaplan Meier (KM) survival curves. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that systemic vascular resistance (SVR) both on admission and at discharge independently predicted rehospitalization for worsening HF. ROC analysis established optimal SVR cutoff values: 320.89 (kPa s/L) on admission and 169.94 (kPa s/L) at discharge (sensitivity 70%, specificity 94.4%, area under the curve (AUC) 0.831, respectively, sensitivity 90%, specificity 55.6%, AUC 0.742). KM survival curves analysis showed that patients with SVR > 320.89 (kPa s/L) on admission had an 8.14-fold (P < 0.001) increased risk of the end-point event compared with those with SVR ≤ 320.89 (kPa s/L). Similarly, patients with SVR > 169.94 (kPa s/L) at discharge faced a risk elevated by 6.57 times (P = 0.002) relative to those with SVR ≤ 169.94 (kPa s/L). In HF patients with permanent AF, SVR measured by ICG emerges as an independent risk factor and clinical predictor for HF deterioration-related readmission within 180 days after discharge. Higher SVR levels, both upon admission and at discharge, correlate with an incremental rehospitalization risk.