What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (n=163). Primary outcome: Frequency of anaemia and renal dysfunction.

What does this research mean for the field?

Among newly diagnosed Black African patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy, the frequencies of anaemia and renal dysfunction are 13.5% and 11.8% respectively, which is substantially lower than rates typically reported in western heart failure cohorts. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONTRADICTORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.CHALLENGES_CONSENSUS.

January 24, 2007Open Access

Anaemia and Renal Function in Heart Failure Due to Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Key Result

Among newly diagnosed Black African patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy, the frequency of anaemia was 13.5% and renal dysfunction was 11.8%, lower than reported in western HF cohorts.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=163)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

163 newly diagnosed Black African idiopathic cardiomyopathy patients prior to commencing HF treatments, mean age 48±11 years, 52% male.

Outcome

Frequency of anaemia (haemoglobin <13.0 g/dL for males, <12 g/dL for females) and probable renal dysfunction (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2)surrogate

The frequency of anaemia and renal dysfunction in Black African patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is lower than typically reported in western HF cohorts, suggesting a limited relationship between HF, anaemia, and renal dysfunction in the absence of atherothrombotic disease.

Abstract

Abstract Background Anaemia and renal dysfunction are common in patients with heart failure (HF). Most studies involve western cohorts with ischaemic aetiology receiving treatment likely to impair renal function. Aims To investigate the frequency of anaemia and renal dysfunction and the relationship between the two within a cohort of 163 newly diagnosed Black African idiopathic cardiomyopathy patients prior to commencing HF treatments and compare those findings to those of western HF cohorts. Methods Single-centre retrospective analysis. Anaemia defined as haemoglobin concentration 13.0 g/dL for males (n=85) and 12 g/dL for females (n=78). Probable renal dysfunction defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, using serum creatinine concentrations. Results The mean age was 48±11 years, 52% were male. Overall, 13.5% of patients were anaemic and 11.8% had evidence of renal dysfunction, while 1.2% had both. Renal dysfunction was significantly more common in older patients (mean age 58±13 vs. 47±10 years: p0.001). Conclusion The frequency of anaemia and renal dysfunction in this cohort was lower than that reported in western HF cohorts. These data infer a more limited relationship between HF, anaemia and renal dysfunction in patients without atherothrombotic disease; hence extrapolation of HF data from the western world to other populations should be interpreted cautiously.