Cortisol as a Predictor of Early Mortality in Heart Failure

Abstract

INTRODUCTION[|]In several studies, chronic heart failure has shown to be associated with cortisol levels as increasing morbidity and mortality. The present study aims to evaluate the relationship between serum cortisol levels measured at hospitalization and 48 hours after the first sample with the early and late mortality rate at follow up period in patients with chronic heart failure.[¤]METHODS[|]Overall, 66 patients (36 female, 30 male) admitted with the diagnosis of heart failure were included in this study. First cortisol level measurement at the admission, and the second after 48 hours were made. Patients who died within the first sixty days were considered as early mortality and patients who died within 60–180 days as late mortality.[¤]RESULTS[|]After six months of follow up, overall, 18 out of 66 patients died. First, cortisol levels were established to be higher in the mortality group than the patients survived (18.84+-5.39 vs 15.47+-4.95; p=0.028). The mortality rate was also found to be higher in the groups with NYHA class III-IV (p=0.033), in male sex (p=0.045), in the group with higher BMI (p=0.036), while it was found to be lower in the patients with hypertension group. In cox regression analysis with a model of gender, BMI, NYHA stage, Hypertension and cortisol levels, it was established that high NYHA stage 2.614 [1.017–6.717] (p=0.046), lack of HT 0.358 [0.139–0.921] (p=0.033) and high cortisol levels 5.091 [1.757–14.774] (p=0.003) were factors predicting mortality.[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]In conclusion, a high level of serum cortisol is an independent predictor of early cause mortality risk in patients with chronic heart failure. Class III-IV NYHA and lack of HT were found to be other established factors influencing mortality rate of these patients. [¤]

Keywords

• cortisol level
• heart failure; prognosis.