Secondary hyperparathyroidism prevalence and prognostic role in elderly males with heart failure.

Aim: Evaluation of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and its prognostic impact on all-cause mortality in elderly males with heart failure (HF).

Methods: Seventy three males (67 ± 7 years old) with systolic HF were included. Baseline PTH was measured. Patients were grouped according to PTH cut-off levels of 65 pg/ml (>65 pg/ml = SHPT vs. normal PTH). All-cause mortality was evaluated at 6-year follow-up.

Results: SHPT was diagnosed in 43 (59 %) patients. They were more severe compared to the patients with normal PTH regarding NYHA functional class (2.4 ± 0.5 vs. 2.1 ± 0.2, p = 0.001), quality of life score (34 ± 14 vs. 24 ± 12, p = 0.005), 6-min walking distance (378 ± 79 vs. 446 ± 73 m, p < 0.0001), left ventricular ejection fraction (27 ± 8 vs. 31 ± 7 %, p = 0.019), and NT-proBNP [2452 (3399) vs. 918 (1372) pg/ml, p < 0.0001]. No differences in age, vitamin D status, and renal function were noted between studied groups. A total of 41 (56 %) patients died within 6 years of follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed impaired long-term survival in patients with SHPT versus patients with normal PTH (p = 0.009). The rate of death was highest (75 %) in the group of patients with SHPT and NT-proBNP levels above median value (p = 0.003). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that NT-proBNP was the single independent predictor of all-cause mortality at 6-year follow-up [HR 3.698 (1.927-7.095), p < 0.0001].

Conclusion: SHPT was highly prevalent in elderly males with HF and was associated with impaired survival. HF patients with SHPT had more severe disease compared to the patients with normal serum PTH. Determination of serum PTH levels provided additional value to NT-proBNP for risk stratification in these patients.