BACKGROUND:
Heart failure (HF) and Chronic kidney disease (CKD) are major public health problems that often co-exist with a resultant high mortality and morbidity.
Most of the studies evaluating their reciprocal prognostic impact have focused on mortality in majority populations. There is limited literature on the impact of CKD on HF morbidities in ethnic minorities.
AIMS:
Our study seeks to compare HF outcomes in patients with or without CKD in an African-American predominant cohort.
METHODS:
We obtained data from the NGH at Meharry Heart Failure Cohort; a comprehensive retrospective HF database comprised of patient care data (HF admissions, non-HF admissions, and emergency room visits) were assessed from January 2006 to December 2008. The study group consist of 306 subjects with a mean age of
65±15 years.
81% were African-American (AA), 19% Caucasian and 48.5% are females. Following the NKF KDOQI guidelines, 5 stages of CKD were outlined based on GFR.
RESULTS:
The overall prevalence of CKD in this population is 54.2%. CKD stage 1 was most prevalent with 45.8%, prevalence for stages 2-5 are 21.6%, 18.3%, 9.5% and
4.9%
respectively.
The comparison of the mean of ER visits, non HF hospitalizations and HF hospitalizations between normal and CKD patients was done using independent t-test and showed no significant difference in the mean number of ER visits (p=0.564), or HF hospitalizations(p=0.235). However, there is a statistically significant difference in the mean number of non -HF hospitalizations between normal and CKD patients (p=0.031).
CONCLUSION:
This study shows that the prevalence of CKD in this minority -predominant HF cohort is similar to prior studies in majority populations. However, only the non-HF hospitalizations were significantly increased in the CKD group. Future prospective studies will be needed to define the implications of this in the management of HF patients with CKD.
A population health dietary intervention for African American adults with chronic kidney disease: The Fruit and Veggies for Kidney Health randomized study