Anemia in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction associated with RV dysfunction, reveals research

To assess the relationship between anemia and RV dysfunction in patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) and whether this relationship is influenced by traditional risk factors like smoking and hypertension, this study retrospectively examined the electronic medical records of 1,014 HFpEF patients.

In comparison to non-anemic patients, the study found that anemic patients were older and had tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and a considerably higher New York Heart Association functional class. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels were favorably correlated with the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)/pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) ratio and weakly negatively correlated with NT-pro-BNP. According to multivariate linear regression analysis, the TAPSE/PASP ratio was independently correlated with the degree of anemia, atrial fibrillation, and TR. 

Overall, the patients with HFpEF worsened by anemia experience a considerable reduction in RV function and there is a strong negative correlation between the severity of anemia and RV function, regardless of age or sex. Moreover, anemia is not linked to traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and smoking as a stand-alone risk factor for RV function.

Source:

Wang, J., Jiang, J., Li, X., Tan, X., Zhou, Y., Luo, Z., Wang, X., Zhao, X., Liu, Y., Wang, M., & Zhang, C. (2024). Right ventricular function and anemia in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. In Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (Vol. 11). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2024.1424576