Adverse Prognostic Markers in Patients with Heart Failure: A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical and Epidemiological Factors Associated with Mortality

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.Identifying adverse prognostic markers is crucial for predicting outcomes and guiding treatment decisions in HF patients.This study aims to identify clinical, demographic, and biomarker-related factors associated with mortality in HF patients.Methods: This retrospective study included 60 HF patients diagnosed at Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Ulliyeri, Kozhikode, during July 2023 to June 2024.Data were collected from patient medical records, focusing on demographics, comorbidities, functional status (NYHA classification), biomarkers (BNP, NT-proBNP), and ejection fraction.Mortality data were obtained, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant prognostic markers.Results: The cohort's mean age was 68.3±10.2years, and 70% of patients were male.Functional status (NYHA Class IV) and age (>75 years) were identified as the strongest independent predictors of mortality.Elevated BNP and NT-pro BNP levels were associated with mortality in univariate analysis but did not remain significant in the multivariate model.Chronic kidney disease and comorbidities, such as diabetes, were also associated with poorer outcomes.Conclusions: Our study confirms that older age and severe functional impairment (NYHA Class IV) are key prognostic markers for mortality in heart failure patients.While biomarkers such as BNP and NT-proBNP are important, functional status and age provide more consistent prognostic information in this cohort.Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and improve risk stratification.