Value of the Neutrophils/Prealbumin Ratio and Its Combination With the GWTG-HF Score in Predicting In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Heart Failure

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is considered to be a chronic inflammatory disease. Under malnutrition, inflammation can worsen and lead to a poor prognosis. In previous studies, neutrophils and prealbumin can be used as sensitive indicators of inflammatory and nutritional status. In the present study, we aimed to clarify the association between neutrophils/prealbumin ratio (NPR) and in-hospital mortality in patients with HF. We set up a retrospective study which was consisted of 9,687 patients who were diagnosed with HF from 2013 to 2018. NPR was analyzed by continuous variable, as well as the form of category. All-cause mortality during hospitalization was the primary end point. Under logistic regression multivariable adjustment, the risk of in-hospital mortality was significantly associated with increased NPR (odds ratio 1.064, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.043 to 1.086, p <0.001), followed by those in the Tertile 3 group (NPR>3.13) (odds ratio 5.695, 95% CI 3.524 to 9.204, p <0.001). The C-statistic for NPR was 0.783 (95% CI 0.775 to 0.791, p <0.001). Compared with get with The Guidelines - Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) score, NPR has a better prediction efficiency under C-statistic (z=3.695, p=0.002). Moreover, NPR can improve the prediction efficiency of the GWTG-HF score (GWTG-HF score+NPR vs GWTG-HF score: z=8.757, p <0.001; integrated discrimination improvement=0.0163, p <0.001; net reclassification improvement=0.4441, p <0.001). In conclusion, NPR was an independent prognosticator of in-hospital mortality in patients with HF. NPR has better prediction efficiency than the GWTG-HF score, and NPR can improve the prediction efficiency of the GWTG-HF score.