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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, BACKGROUND, METHODS, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Aged, Female, Heart Failure, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Compliance, Prospective Studies, Sodium Chloride, Dietary.
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Is adherence to a sodium-restricted diet associated with lower symptom burden and longer cardiac event-free survival in patients with heart failure? Context: To determine whether adherence to a sodium-restricted diet affects symptom burden and cardiac event-free survival in patients with heart failure. The recommendation of an sodium-restricted diet is a standard component of HF management. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether adherence to sodium-restricted diet is actually associated with improvements in symptom burden and cardiac event-free survival. A prospective cohort study. A total of 232 patients [71% male, 65 ± 10 years, 63% New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III/IV, ejection fraction (EF) 30 ± 9%] with HF received 24-hour urinary sodium excretion (24-hr UNa) assessments and were divided into two groups using a cut-off value of 3 g 24-hr UNa. Symptom burden, including the frequency and severity of heart failure symptoms, was assessed according to the modified Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Heart Failure with a higher score indicating a greater symptom burden. Cardiac event-free survival over a 12-month period was determined by reviewing medical records. Patients with 24-hr UNa ≥ 3 g exhibited greater symptom burdens (β = 0·23, p < 0·001) in hierarchical linear regression analyses and shorter cardiac event-free survival [hazard ratio = 1·81, 95% confidence interval = 1·17-2·80) than patients with 24-hr UNa < 3 g in hierarchical Cox hazards regressions, after controlling for age, gender, HF aetiology, body mass index, NYHA class, EF, and total comorbidity score.
assistant
If sodium intake is limited to less than 3 g/day, symptom burden and clinical health outcomes can be improved in HF patients. Final Decision: yes