Fluid balance as an independent prognostic indicator of in-hospital mortality in heart failure patients with Covid-19

Abstract

Introduction: Fluid resuscitation confers protection against in-hospital mortality in heart failure (HF) patients with severe sepsis. SARS COV-2 infection leads to cytokine storm that is clinically similar to severe sepsis. We aim to evaluate if positive fluid balance is associated with in-hospital mortality in HF patients with Covid-19.

Methods: This single center retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients admitted in the ICU for Covid 19 from 10/2020 to 3/2021 in a community hospital in Newark. The primary outcome was survival to discharge. Clinical SAS 9.4 was used to obtain summary statistics, perform chi-squared test and multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results: We included 91 patients admitted in the ICU with covid 19, of which 33 were diagnosed with HF. Out of 33 people, majority were males. Most of the patients were hispanic. Diabetes and hypertension were the most common comorbidities. 60.61% of HF patients had multiple comorbidities. Odds of negative survival outcome in those with positive fluid balance after adjusting for HF as compared to those with negative fluid balance in patients of COVID 19 was 12.958 (P value= 0.0183).

Conclusion: Positive fluid balance in HF patients admitted with Covid 19 may be associated with adverse outcomes. Larger, prospective studies are needed to investigate the correlation between covid 19 and fluid balance in HF patients.