Association Between Pressure-Adjusted Heart Rate and In-Hospital Mortality in Cardiogenic Shock

BACKGROUND: Among patients with cardiogenic shock (CS), higher right atrial pressure (RAP) and lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) are associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Pressure-adjusted heart rate (PAHR), defined as heart rate × RAP/MAP, integrates these parameters. The prognostic significance of PAHR has not been assessed in patients with CS. OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to assess if PAHR values are associated with risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with CS. METHODS: CCCTN (Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network) is a multinational registry of cardiac intensive care units coordinated by the TIMI Study Group. Among CS admissions (2018-2023) undergoing invasive hemodynamic assessment within 24 hours of cardiac intensive care unit admission, we assessed the relationship of PAHR with in-hospital mortality. Patients with concurrent mechanical circulatory support were excluded in the primary analysis. ORs were adjusted for age, sex, vasoactive-inotropic score, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) stage, and preceding cardiac arrest. RESULTS: Among the 1411 CS admissions in the analysis (18% with acute myocardial infarction), 75% were receiving vasoactive support at the time of assessment. Median heart rate was 92 beats/min, RAP 15 mm Hg, MAP 75 mm Hg, and PAHR 17. There was a stepwise gradient of higher in-hospital mortality with higher presenting PAHR values. In adjusted models, a higher PAHR was incrementally associated with higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR per 10 units: 1.35 95% CI: 1.15-1.58), and PAHR had stronger prognostic associations with mortality than its individual hemodynamic components. CONCLUSIONS: PAHR, a simple hemodynamic index calculated from vital signs and central venous pressure, is strongly associated with in-hospital mortality in CS.