Background— Serum uric acid (UA) could be a valid prognostic marker and useful for metabolic, hemodynamic, and functional (MFH) staging in chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods and Results— For the derivation study, 112 patients with CHF (age 59±12 years, peak oxygen consumption [V̇o₂] 17±7 mL/kg per minute) were recruited. In separate studies, we validated the prognostic value of UA (n=182) and investigated the relationship between MFH score and the decision to list patients for heart transplantation (n=120). In the derivation study, the best mortality predicting UA cutoff (at 12 months) was 565 μmol/L (9.50 mg/dL) (independently of age, peak V̇o₂, left ventricular ejection fraction, diuretic dose, sodium, creatinine, and urea; P<0.0001). In the validation study, UA ≥565 μmol/L predicted mortality (hazard ratio, 7.14; P<0.0001). In 16 patients (from both studies) with UA ≥565 μmol/L, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤25% and peak V̇o₂ ≤14 mL/kg per min (MFH score 3), 12-month survival was lowest (31%) compared with patients with 2 (64%), 1 (77%), or no (98%, P<0.0001) risk factor. In an independent study, 51% of patients with MFH score 2 and 81% of patients with MFH score 3 were listed for transplantation. The positive predictive value of not being listed for heart transplantation with an MFH score of 0 or 1 was 100%.

Conclusions— High serum UA levels are a strong, independent marker of impaired prognosis in patients with moderate to severe CHF. The relationship between serum UA and survival in CHF is graded. MFH staging of patients with CHF is feasible.