Quality of care and outcomes among patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease: A Get With the Guidelines—Heart Failure Program study

Background

Both heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are highly prevalent conditions that often coexist; however, the quality of care received by hospitalized patients with both is not known.

Methods

The Get With the Guidelines—HF registry and performance improvement program prospectively collects data on patients hospitalized with HF. Performance measures to improve treatment of patients with HF and inhospital mortality were examined by kidney function based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) categorized as normal (GFR ≥ 90), mild (60 ≤ GFR < 90), moderate (30 ≤ GFR < 60), severe (15 ≤ GFR < 30), and kidney failure (GFR < 15 or dialysis).

Results

Nearly two thirds of hospitalized patients with HF (15,560 patients from 137 hospitals) also had CKD: moderate CKD (43.9%), severe CKD (14.2%), and kidney failure (6.6%). Inpatient mortality was higher for patients with more severe renal dysfunction. Those with kidney failure were significantly less likely to receive nearly all guidelines-based therapies. In contrast, those with moderate or severe CKD often received similar care when compared with those with normal kidney function, except for lower use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or receptor blockers (odds ratio 0.19 [0.13-0.28] and 0.47 [0.36-0.62], respectively) and lower proportions with blood pressure control (odds ratio 0.70 [0.58-0.85] and 0.52 [0.42-0.63], respectively).

Conclusions

In a large contemporary cohort of patients hospitalized with HF, we found that renal dysfunction was a highly prevalent comorbidity. Despite higher mortality rates, patients with increased severity of renal dysfunction were less likely to receive important guideline-recommended therapies. Further efforts are needed to improve the care of patients with HF and CKD.