Prevalence and clinical features of patients with the cardiorenal syndrome admitted to an internal medicine ward.

BACKGROUND

Many patients admitted to a Department of Internal Medicine have different degrees of heart and kidney dysfunction. Mortality, morbidity and cost of care greatly increase when cardiac and renal diseases coexist.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1,087 patients admitted from December 2009 to December 2012 to evaluate the prevalence of the cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) and clinical features.

RESULTS

Out of 1,087 patients discharged from our unit during the study period, 190 (17.5%) were diagnosed as having CRS and classified into five types. CRS was more common in males (68.9%). CRS type 1 was associated with higher age (79.9 ± 8.9 years) and accounted for 61.5% of all deaths (p < 0.001), representing a risk factor for mortality (OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.8-10). Congestive heart failure was significantly different among the five CRS types (p < 0.0001) with a greater frequency in type 1 patients. Infectious diseases were more frequent in CRS types 1, 3 and 5 (p < 0.05). Pneumonia presented a statistically higher frequency in CRS types 1 and 5 compared to other classes (p < 0.01), and community-acquired infections were statistically more frequent in CRS types 1 and 5 (p < 0.05). The distribution of community-acquired pneumonia was different among the classes (p < 0.01) with a higher frequency in CRS types 1, 3 and 5.

CONCLUSION

CRS is a condition that is more frequently observed in the clinical practice. The identification of predisposing trigger factors, such as infectious diseases, particularly in the elderly, plays a key role in reducing morbidity and mortality. An early recognition can be useful to optimize therapy, encourage a multidisciplinary approach and prevent complications.