Systolic blood pressure and cardiac mortality related to serum total bilirubin levels at admission in patients with acute heart failure

The impact of elevated total bilirubin (Tbil) levels on adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute heart failure (HF) has not been fully established, although liver damage is common among these patients. We therefore examined the associations between Tbil levels at admission and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in patients with acute HF in an emergency setting and to evaluate clinical outcomes related to elevated Tbil, particularly in patients with SBP < 100 mmHg. Clinical data and outcomes in acute HF patients (n = 877) were compared according to Tbil quartiles. SBP values < 100 mmHg were more prevalent among patients in the highest quartile (Tbil ≥ 1.0 mg/dL) vs. others (15.4% vs. 3.1%, p < 0.001). Tbil levels were inversely and significantly correlated with SBP at admission (Spearman’s ρ, − 0.243; p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier estimate survival curves showed that event-free survival was worse among patients in the highest Tbil quartile vs. others (78.5% vs. 90.4%, p < 0.001). When comparing survival rates among patients in SBP < 100 mmHg (n = 50), the difference of survival rate became larger for the patients in the highest quartile (n = 29) vs. others (n = 21) (41.4% vs. 77.7%, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that Tbil ≥ 1.3 mg/dL, not SBP or B-type natriuretic peptide, independently and significantly predicted cardiac death within 180 days in acute HF patients with SBP < 100 mmHg (hazard ratio 3.74; 95% confidence interval 1.39–10.05; p < 0.001). In conclusion, Tbil levels were inversely correlated with SBP at admission in patients with acute HF. Tbil levels independently predicted the risk of 180-day cardiac mortality, especially in acute HF patients with SBP < 100 mmHg.