Serum albumin level and hospital mortality in acute non‐ischemic heart failure

Aims Hypoalbuminemia is common in heart failure (HF), especially in elderly patients. It is associated with an increased risk of death. The present study sought to examine the prognostic significance of serum albumin level in the prediction of hospital mortality in patients admitted for acute non‐ischemic HF. Methods and results We examined the association between albumin and hospital mortality in a cohort of 546 patients admitted for acute non‐ischemic HF. None of the patients had infectious disease, severe arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation), required invasive ventilation, or presented with acute coronary syndrome or primary valvular disease. Thirty‐six patients (7%) died during the hospital stay. These patients were significantly older (78 ± 9 vs. 72 ± 12 years; P = 0.006), had higher heart rate (P