Mortality of Patients with Heart Diseases and Unplanned Start of Maintenance Hemodialysis in the City of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease worsens the prognosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and vice versa. This study aimed to evaluate the mortality of patients with a high CVD burden and unplanned start of maintenance hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at a tertiary cardiological hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Hospitalized patients ≥18 years old were identified by the public chronic kidney replacement therapy regulatory system between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2018. In-hospital and post-discharge mortality, along with associated risk factors, were assessed. Death information up to December 31, 2022, was obtained from the state of São Paulo mortality database. RESULTS: A total of 302 patients with unplanned start of HD were included. The mean age was 65 ± 13 years old; 68% were male. The heart conditions were as follows: 60% chronic heart failure, 27% coronary artery disease, 13% arrhythmia, and 7% valve disease. Comorbidities included: 93% hypertension, 62% diabetes, 31% dyslipidemia, and 27% known CKD. The mortality rate (deaths per 100 patient-years) was 71.4 between 0 and 3 months, 23.0 between 3 and 12 months, and 39.5 over the entire 0 to 12 months period. The factors independently associated with in-hospital death were age, heart valve disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, positive serology for hepatitis B, and need for HD catheter replacement. The factors associated with post-discharge death (mean ± SD follow-up: 6.4 ± 1.4 years) were age, presence of two or more heart diseases, and HD catheter-related infection. CONCLUSION: Patients with a high burden of cardiovascular morbidity and an unplanned start of HD exhibit elevated mortality rates. Some factors independently related to poorer outcomes, such as HD catheter-related complications, could potentially be mitigated through adequate pre-dialysis care.