Prognostic value of lymphopenia to predict in-hospital outcome in patients with chronic heart failure Download PDF

Background: No comprehensive studies are available on the diagnostic value of lymphopenia in predicting outcomes in patients with heart failure. The present study aimed to address the prognostic value of lymphopenia on admission to predict in-hospital outcome of patients who hospitalized with the diagnosis of heart failure. Methods: This historical cohort study was performed on 288 consecutive patients who hospitalized with the diagnosis of heart failure that admitted to Taleghani hospital in Urmia city, Iran in 2014. The lymphocyte count was determined on admission at laboratory of the hospital and the patients were assigned to lymphopenic group and normal lymphocyte count group. Results: The prevalence of lymphopenia was 49.3%. The patients with lymphopenia had significantly higher function class compared with the control group (p = 0.004). In-hospital mortality was considerably higher in those with lymphopenia than in those with normal lymphocyte counts (13.4% versus 3.4%, p = 0.002). Also, MACE rate was significantly higher in former group (22.5% versus 11.0%, p = 0.008). But, no difference in mean hospital stay and ICU stay between the two groups. Based on multivariate logistic regression model, lymphopenia was significantly associated with early mortality with the presence of baseline confounders (OR = 3.401, 95%CI: 1.132 – 10.216, p = 0.029). In another regression model, lymphopenia could predict in-hospital MACE (OR = 1.938, 95%CI: 1.965 – 3.891, p = 0.033). Conclusion: lymphopenia on admission can predict in-hospital mortality and complications in patients with chronic heart failure.