A Propensity-Matched Study of Elevated Jugular Venous Pressure and Outcomes in Chronic Heart Failure

The independence of association between elevated jugular venous pressure (JVP) and outcomes in heart failure (HF) has not been well studied. The objective of propensity-matched study was to determine if an elevated JVP had intrinsic associations with outcomes in chronic systolic and diastolic HF. Of the 7,788 participants in the Digitalis Investigation Group trial, 1,020 (13%) had elevated JVP at baseline. Propensity scores for elevated JVP were estimated for all patients based on 32 baseline characteristics and were used to match 827 pairs of patients with normal and elevated JVP. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated to compare outcomes associated with elevated versus normal JVP during 34 months of median follow-up. Before matching, all-cause mortality occurred in 31% and 47% (unadjusted HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.54 to 1.88, p <0.0001), and all-cause hospitalization occurred in 60% and 71% (unadjusted HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.47, p <0.0001) of patients with normal and elevated JVP, respectively. After matching, all-cause mortality occurred in 48% and 45% (matched HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.12, p = 0.521), and all-cause hospitalization occurred in 70% and 70% (matched HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.09, p = 0.613) of patients with normal and elevated JVP, respectively. Elevated JVP had no intrinsic associations with cardiovascular mortality (matched HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.12, p = 0.440) or hospitalization for HF (matched HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.14, p = 0.532). In conclusion, an elevated JVP is a marker of higher burden of sickness and poor outcomes. However, elevated JVP had no intrinsic association with mortality or hospitalization in chronic HF.