Clinical predictors of worsening heart failure during withdrawal from digoxin therapy

Jr Adams K.F., M. Gheorghiade, B. F. Uretsky, J. B. Young, J. H. Patterson, L. Tomasko, M. Packer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Previous work provides limited information concerning predictors of clinical deterioration after digoxin withdrawal. We investigated the association between selected baseline clinical characteristics and symptomatic deterioration in two similarly designed trials: Prospective Randomized Study of Ventricular Function and Efficacy of Digoxin (PROVED) and Randomized Assessment of Digoxin and Inhibitors of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (RADIANCE). Cox proportional-hazards analysis found the following independent predictors of worsening during follow-up in the combined PROVED and RADIANCE patients: heart failure score, left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiothoracic ratio, use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, use of digoxin, and age. When these factors, except for digoxin use, were tested in the subgroup of patients withdrawn from digoxin, they all were significant independent predictors of worsening heart failure. In contrast, only use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor predicted deterioration in patients who continued digoxin. Patients with more congestive symptoms, worse ventricular function, greater cardiac enlargement, or who were not taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor were significantly more likely to worsen early after digoxin discontinuation than patients without these characteristics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)389-397
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican heart journal
Volume135
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Clinical predictors of worsening heart failure during withdrawal from digoxin therapy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this