Background:
The prognostic implications of very low body mass index (BMI) values remain unclear in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of BMI classification based on the World Health Organization criteria in patients with ADHF.
Methods and Results:
Using data from 4056 consecutive patients with ADHF hospitalized in 19 participating hospitals in Japan between October 2014 and March 2016, we analyzed 3509 patients with available BMI data at discharge. The patients were divided into five groups; (1) Severely underweight: BMI<16 kg/m
2
, (2) Underweight: BMI≥16 kg/m
2
and <18.5 kg/m
2
, (3) Normal weight: BMI≥18.5 kg/m
2
and <25 kg/m
2
, (4) Overweight: BMI≥25 kg/m
2
and <30 kg/m
2
(5) Obese: BMI≥30 kg/m
2
. The primary outcome measure was all-cause death. The median follow-up duration was 471 days, with 96.4% follow up at 1-year. The cumulative 1-year incidence of all-cause death was higher in underweight groups, and lower in overweight groups (Severely underweight: 36.3%, Underweight: 23.9%, Normal weight: 14.4%, Overweight: 7.9%, and Obese: 9.0%, P<0.001). After adjusting confounders, the excess mortality risk remained significant in the severely underweight group (HR, 2.38; 95%CI, 1.88-3.02; P<0.001), and in the underweight group (HR, 1.33; 95%CI, 1.10-1.62; P=0.003) relative to the normal weight group, while the lower mortality risk was no longer significant in the overweight group (HR, 0.76; 95%CI, 0.57-1.01; P=0.06), and in the obese group (HR, 0.89; 95%CI, 0.53-1.50; P=0.66).
Conclusions:
Lower BMI, not obesity, was associated with a higher risk for all-cause death after discharge in patients with ADHF.
Interaction of Body Mass Index on the Association Between N‐Terminal‐Pro‐b‐Type Natriuretic Peptide and Morbidity and Mortality in Patients With Acute Heart Failure: Findings From ASCEND‐HF (Acute Study of Clinical Effectiveness of Nesiritide in Decompensated Heart Failure)