Impact of Serum Sodium Levels at the time of Admission on Length of Hospital Stay and In-Hospital Mortality among Heart Failure Patients

Mohammad Abdullah; Manahil Chaudhry; Noreena Iqbal; Waqar Sharif; Osama Gulzar; Ayesha Malik

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v73iSUPPL-1.4999

Authors

Mohammad Abdullah Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital Lahore/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Manahil Chaudhry Department of Medicine, Hameed Latif Hospital, Lahore Pakistan
Noreena Iqbal Department of Medicine, Oxford University Hospital Trust England
Waqar Sharif Department of Medicine, DHQ Okara, Pakistan
Osama Gulzar Department of Cardiology, Army Cardiac Centre Lahore/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Ayesha Malik Department of Medicine, Hameed Latif Hospital, Lahore Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v73iSUPPL-1.4999

Keywords:

Heart failure, Hyponatremia, In-hospital mortality

Abstract

Objective: To determine the length of hospital stay and the in-hospital mortality amongst heart failure patients in relation to their serum sodium levels on admission.

Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study.

Place and Duration of Study: Army Cardiac Center, Lahore Pakistan, from Jul to Dec 2019.

Methodology: One forty three patients admitted with acute heart failure were included. At the time of admission, serum
sodium levels were recorded along with other clinical and demographic data. The information was analyzed using SPSS v23,
and various statistical associations were drawn comparing variables amongst the two sample groups, hyponatremic and
normonatremic patients. The length of hospital stay, in days, and in-hospital mortality were also determined.

Results: From a total of 143 patients, there were 95(66.4%) males and 48(33.6%) females, with a mean age of 64±11.6 years. The mean serum sodium level at admission was 134.5±5.9 mmol/L. Hyponatremia was recorded in 64(44.8%) patients. The inhospital mortality for hyponatremic patients was 7.8%, which was higher as compared to normonatremic patients, 5.1%
(p=0.50). The length of hospital stay was marginally longer for patients with lower sodium levels at 5.0±3.3 days as compared to normal sodium levels, at 4.8±3.7 days (p=0.47).

Conclusion: Hyponatremia at presentation is a remarkable finding amongst HF patients. While the results deemed statistically insignificant, hyponatremia was associated with both, a longer length of hospital stay as well as an increased in-hospital mortality.