Research on Clinical Biomarkers for Predicting the Risk of Death in Heart Failure

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, causing approximately 17 million deaths annually, with myocardial infarction and heart failure as the main lethal manifestations. Heart failure (HF) is defined as the inability of the heart to maintain adequate blood flow to meet the body's metabolic demands. This study aimed to identify mortality predictors in HF patients through clinical data analysis. This study statistically analysed 11 clinical characteristics of 299 HF patients. Serum creatinine and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were identified as key predictors of mortality risk. Serum creatinine levels were significantly higher (P<0.001) and LVEF was significantly lower (P<0.001) in patients who died compared to those who survived. Logistic regression analysis showed that each 1 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine level was associated with a 128.0% increase in the risk of death (OR = 2.28), whereas each 1% increase in LVEF was associated with an approximately 5.5% reduction in the risk of death (OR = 0.945). Additionally, serum creatinine showed a significant correlation with serum sodium levels (P<0.05), suggesting that disturbances in electrolyte homeostasis play an important role in the pathophysiology of HF. These findings validate serum creatinine and LVEF as reliable biomarkers for risk stratification of HF patients and provide an important foundation for early clinical intervention and individualised management. The findings highlight the interconnectedness of multiple organ systems, particularly the cardiorenal axis, in the progression of heart failure, and have important implications for understanding the pathological mechanisms of HF and developing therapeutic strategies.