Burden of Sodium Abnormalities in Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure

Abstract

Hyponatremia presumably is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), but risk thresholds and economic burden are less studied. The authors analyzed 115,969 patients hospitalized for CHF and grouped them by serum sodium levels (severe hyponatremia, ≤130mEq/L; hyponatremia, 131-135mEq/L; normonatremia, 136-145mEq/L; hypernatremia, >145mEq/L). Univariable and multivariable analyses on the associated clinical and economic outcomes were performed. The most common abnormality was hyponatremia (15.9%), followed by severe hyponatremia (5.3%) and hypernatremia (3.2%). Hospital mortality was highest for severe hyponatremia (7.6%), followed by hypernatremia (6.7%) and hyponatremia (4.9%) (P