Prognostic Implications of Changes in Albumin Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in Patients With Severe Heart Failure

Mechanical assist devices have emerged as an established therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure. Because preimplant hypoalbuminemia is a known risk factor for adverse outcomes, we hypothesized that change in albumin may be a prognostic indicator in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (cfLVADs). This is a retrospective single-center study of patients who underwent cfLVAD implantation (HeartMate II and HeartWare HVAD) at an academic center from 2008 to 2014. After excluding those who died, were transplanted, or hospitalized during the first 3 months post-implant, albumin values were obtained and stratified by an increase or a decrease from pre-implant to 3 months post-implant on 171 (81% male, mean age 57 ± 16 years) patients (139 for the survival analysis and 90 for the hospitalization analysis). Decrease in albumin from pre-implant to 3 months after implant correlated with increased mortality (hazard ratio 2.93, confidence interval 1.57 to 5.44, p