Abstract
Aim: We aimed to assess the impact of precipitating factors and signs of acute heart failure on the length of hospital stay according to the ejection fraction (EF) subgroups. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study among acute heart failure patients hospitalized at the Department of Cardioangiology in 2017.
The most frequent precipitants and signs were included in the multivariate analysis to assess their association with the length of hospital stay. Results: We included 376 patients with a median length of hospital stay 11 days.
There were 198, 58, and 120 patients with reduced, mildly reduced, and preserved EF, respectively. In reduced EF, peripheral swelling (OR 1.97, CI 1.02-3.78) and pulmonary congestion (OR 2.72, CI 1.38-5.34) were associated with a longer hospital stay.
Non--pulmonary infection (OR 50.57, CI 2.82-906.84) and heart failure progression (OR 15.33, CI 1.25-188.53) were associated with a longer hospital stay in mildly reduced EF, and acute pulmonary disease was associated with a longer hospital stay in patients with mildly reduced (OR 10.77, CI 1.07-108.81) and preserved (OR 3.96, CI 1.05-14.99) EF. Conclusion: Precipitating factors and signs of acute heart failure have different impacts on the length of hospital stay among patients with reduced, mildly reduced or preserved EF.