Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Lower Extremity Lymphatic Flow is Associated with Diuretic Response in Acute Heart Failure
- Prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
For the first time, faster lower limb lymph flow was linked with better diuretic efficacy in AHF.
Study context
- Population
- Acute heart failure (AHF) patients receiving protocolized diuretics, with lower limb lymph flow assessed by indocyanine green lymphangiography
- Participants
- 65 patients
- Exposure
- Diuretic responders vs non-responders
- Respondersn = 43
- Non-respondersn = 22reference
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Lower limb lymph flow · within 10 min of dye injection
Lymph flow present
P < 0.01
Lymph flow significant
| Outcome | Responders | Non-responders | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median distance lymph reached | 50 [24-75] cm | 10 [3-38] cm | P < 0.0005 |
- Lymph flow distance independently predicted diuretic efficacy (multivariable OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.08-2.03)
- P < 0.05
- Association of lymph flow with 6-h diuresis, β (SE) 0.45 (0.13)
- P < 0.005
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Lower Extremity Lymphatic Flow is Associated with Diuretic Response in Acute Heart Failure. Eur J Heart Fail. Published 7 April 2025. doi:10.1002/ejhf.3655
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it