Physicians' Academy for Cardiovascular Education

Consistent benefit with SGLT2i in ischemic and nonischemic HFrEF

Impact of Empagliflozin in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in Patients With Ischemic Versus Nonischemic Cause

Literature - Shahzeb Khan M, Butler J, Anker SD, et al. - J Am Heart Assoc. 2023 Jan 3;12(1):e027652. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.027652.

Introduction and methods

Background and aim of the study

The EMPEROR-Reduced trial previously showed that empagliflozin reduced the combined risk of CV death or hospitalization for HF in patients with HFrEF, compared with placebo [1]. The current post-hoc analysis examined whether the treatment effects of empagliflozin on cardiovascular and renal outcomes varied between patients with ischemic HFrEF and patients with nonischemic HFrEF.

Methods

The EMPEROR-Reduced trial enrolled HFrEF patients with NYHA class II to IV and LVEF ≤ 40%, who were either hospitalized for HF within 12 months or had elevated NT-proBNP levels (≥600 pg/mL, ≥1000 pg/mL or ≥2500 pg/mL in those with LVEF ≤ 30%, 31% to 35%, or 36% to 40%, respectively). A total of 3730 patients were randomized (1:1) to receive either empagliflozin or placebo. Information on the cause of HF was investigator reported and was retrieved from the case report form. Among the randomized patients, 1929 (51.7%) had ischemic HFrEF and 1801 (48.3%) had nonischemic HFrEF. Among those who had nonischemic HFrEF, the cause of HFrEF was most often related to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (n=637, 35.4%), followed by a hypertensive cause (n=506, 28.1%), valvular heart disease (n=105, 5.8%), a diabetic cause (n=47, 2.6%), and alcoholism (n=41, 2.3%). A total of 506 patients (28.1%) were classified as having other nonischemic causes of HFrEF.

Outcomes

The primary end point was the time-to-first-event of CV death or hospitalization for HF. Key secondary end points were total HF hospitalizations, and rate of decline in eGFR. The composite renal end point was the need for chronic dialysis or renal transplant, or a ≥40% decrease in eGFR , or a sustained eGFR<15 ml/min/1,73 m² or <10 mL/min/1.73m² if the eGFR was ≥30 ml/min/1,73 m² or <30 mL/min/1.73m² at baseline, respectively. Health status was investigated using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire- Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS). Safety endpoints were hypotension, volume depletion, bone fracture, hypoglycemia, and adverse events leading to drug discontinuation.

Main results

Conclusion

This post-hoc analysis of the EMPEROR-Reduced trial demonstrated that the cause of HFrEF (ischemic vs. nonischemic) did not modify the treatment benefits of empagliflozin on cardiovascular and renal outcomes.

References

Show references

Find this article online at J Am Heart Assoc.

Share this page with your colleagues and friends: