Background: Low dose dopamine use in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) still lacks evidence. Our objective was to establish the value of low dose dopamine in ADHF patients with preserved ejection fraction in prevention of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) deterioration, duration of hospital stay, 6 months cardiovascular (CV) mortality & re-hospitalization.
Methods: One hundred ADHF patients with preserved ejection fraction admitted to Benha&Alzaytoon cardiology departments were randomized into 2 groups, each composed of 50 patients: group A received conventional ADHF treatment + low dose dopamine &group B received only conventional ADHF treatment. Patients of both groups were observed for duration of hospital stay, GFR changes, 6 months cardiovascular (CV) mortality & re-hospitalization.
Results: Low dose dopamine in "group A" failed to prevent deterioration of GFR assessed by delta GFR from admission to discharge (-9.20 ml /min± 12.76 for group A versus -5.42 ml/min ±
8.30 for group B, p value =0.083). It caused significant shortening in duration of hospital stay (3.9 days ± 1.41 for group A versus 4.76 days ± 1.33 for group B, p value =0.02). Low dose dopamine affected daily urinary output (UOP). It caused highly significant increase in UOP (2072 ml urine/day ± 404.08 for group A versus 1689.78 ml urine/day ± 193.02 for group B, p value