LAUSR

AbstractAimsIncreasing age is an established prognostic determinant in chronic heart failure (HF). Diabetes often complicates HF in its course and appears to worsen HF prognosis. A differential impact of diabetes depending on patients’ age was not yet studied. We evaluated the impact of diabetes in the mortality of HF patients according to their age. MethodsWe studied a cohort of chronic ambulatory HF patients prospectively recruited. Patients were on optimized evidence-based therapy, and they were excluded if on renal replacement therapy or if they had any therapy modification or hospitalizations in the previous 2 months. Patients were followed for up to 5 years; all-cause mortality was analyzed. Mortality predictors were assessed using a Cox regression. Analysis was stratified according to patient’s age: cutoff 75 years. Multivariate models were built. Interaction between diabetes and age was formally tested. ResultsWe studied 283 chronic HF patients; mean age was 69 years and 70.3% were male; 58.0% had severe systolic dysfunction; 105 (37.1%) were diabetic. In patients with less than 75 years, the coexistence of diabetes predicted a multivariate adjusted 1.98 (95% CI 1.13–3.46) 5-year death risk while in older patients (≥ 75 years) no significant association was reported. Age interacted with the prognostic impact of diabetes, p for interaction = 0.04. ConclusionsThe prognostic impact of diabetes in chronic HF depends on patient’s age. In patients < 75 years, the coexistence of diabetes predicts an almost double risk of 5-year mortality; no such association exists in patients with 75 years or above. Diabetes predicts mortality only in younger HF patients.