Combined Prognostic Impact of Low Muscle Mass and Hypoalbuminemia in Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background Sarcopenia and hypoalbuminemia have been identified as independent predictors of increased adverse outcomes, including mortality and readmissions, in hospitalized older adults with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). However, the impact of coexisting sarcopenia and hypoalbuminemia on morbidity and death in adults with ADHF has not yet been investigated. We aimed to investigate the combined effects of lower muscle mass (LMM) as a surrogate for sarcopenia and hypoalbuminemia on in‐hospital and postdischarge outcomes of patients hospitalized for ADHF. Methods and Results A total of 385 patients admitted for ADHF between 2017 and 2020 at a single institution were retrospectively identified. Demographic and clinical data were collected, including serum albumin levels at admission and discharge. Skeletal muscle indices were derived from semi‐automated segmentation software analysis on axial chest computed tomography at the twelfth vertebral level. Our analysis revealed that patients who had LMM with admission hypoalbuminemia experienced increased diagnoses of infection and delirium with longer hospital length of stay and more frequent discharge to a facility. Upon discharge, 27.9% of patients had higher muscle mass without discharge hypoalbuminemia (reference group), 9.7% had LMM without discharge hypoalbuminemia, 38.4% had higher muscle mass with discharge hypoalbuminemia, and 24.0% had LMM with discharge hypoalbuminemia; mortality rates were 37.6%, 51.4%, 48.9%, and 63.2%, respectively. 1‐ and 3‐year mortality risks were highest in those with LMM and discharge hypoalbuminemia; this relationship remained significant over a median 23.6 (3.1–33.8) months follow‐up time despite multivariable adjustments (hazard ratio, 2.03 [95% CI, 1.31–3.16]; P =0.002). Conclusions Hospitalization with ADHF, LMM, and hypoalbuminemia portend heightened mortality risk.