Although we have done some cross-validation using the Hosmer and Lemeshow test to demonstrate the goodness-of-fit statistic of the HF revised score and OPTIMIZE-HF risk score in our study cohort, the finding that the proposed NT-pro BNP-based score has better predictability for in-hospital mortality than the serum NT-pro-BNP level, HF revised score and OPTIMIZE-HF score in our study cohort could not become a claim applying to other HF cohorts. This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and hydrops fetalis.