No abstract

Background-Serum uric acid (UA) could be a valid prognostic marker and useful for metabolic, hemodynamic, and functional (MFH) staging in chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods and Results-For the derivation study, 112 patients with CHF (age 59Ϯ12 years, peak oxygen consumption [V O 2 ] 17Ϯ7 mL/kg per minute) were recruited. In separate studies, we validated the prognostic value of UA (nϭ182) and investigated the relationship between MFH score and the decision to list patients for heart transplantation (nϭ120). In the derivation study, the best mortality predicting UA cutoff (at 12 months) was 565 mol/L (9.50 mg/dL) (independently of age, peak V O 2 , left ventricular ejection fraction, diuretic dose, sodium, creatinine, and urea; PϽ0.0001). In the validation study, UA Ն565 mol/L predicted mortality (hazard ratio, 7.14; PϽ0.0001). In 16 patients (from both studies) with UA Ն565 mol/L, left ventricular ejection fraction Յ25% and peak V O 2 Յ14 mL/kg per min (MFH score 3), 12-month survival was lowest (31%) compared with patients with 2 (64%), 1 (77%), or no (98%, PϽ0.0001) risk factor. In an independent study, 51% of patients with MFH score 2 and 81% of patients with MFH score 3 were listed for transplantation. The positive predictive value of not being listed for heart transplantation with an MFH score of 0 or 1 was 100%. Conclusions-High serum UA levels are a strong, independent marker of impaired prognosis in patients with moderate to severe CHF. The relationship between serum UA and survival in CHF is graded. MFH staging of patients with CHF is feasible.