Clinically unrecognized plasma volume expansion predicts long-term all-cause-mortality in chronic heart failure.

In this pilot study, PV expansion, which was unnoticed from a clinician's perspective, but is indicated by significantly lower hematocrit, appears to be a relevant predictor of long-term all-cause mortality. Whether PV expansion constitutes an adverse CHF phenotype and can be targeted by diuretic therapy is currently unclear.