Impacts of Anemia at either Admission or Discharge in Female Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background: The prognostic impacts of anemia were reported in female patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, it is not fully understood which the occurrence of anemia at either admission or discharge affects clinical outcomes in female HFpEF patients. Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine which anemia at either admission or discharge affects clinical outcomes in female HFpEF patients registered in the multicenter study in Japan, Japanese heart failure syndrome with preserved ejection fraction (JASPER) study. Methods: 280 consecutive female HFpEF patients (mean age: 79 ± 11 years) were enrolled in JASPER study. Blood hemoglobin levels of patients hospitalized for decompensation of HFpEF were assessed at the time of admission and discharge. Patients were divided into four groups on the basis of the occurrence of anemia at the time of admission and/or discharge. Results: The prevalence of anemia was 68% on admission and 48% at discharge. During a median follow up of 17.6 months, all-cause mortality and hospitalization rate for worsening HF were higher in patients with anemia at the time of admission and/or discharge than those with anemia at neither admission nor discharge by the Kaplan-Meier analysis (48 versus 17%, P < .001). Conclusion: The occurrence of anemia at either admission or discharge affects poor prognosis in female HFpEF patients.