Publications
Stay up to date with our literature reviews which are curated by experts to feature the most important publications released each month. Explore our publications for access to concise summary slides for your own use.
Uric Acid and Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibition With Empagliflozin in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: The EMPEROR-Reduced Trial
Eur Heart J 2022; online ahead of print doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac320
Hyperuricaemia is common in heart failure (HF) and is an independent predictor of advanced disease severity and increased mortality. This analysis from EMPEROR-Reduced showed that empagliflozin induced a rapid and sustained reduction of both serum uric acid (SUA) and of clinical events related to hyperuricaemia.
Empagliflozin Improves Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction Irrespective of Age
J Am Coll Cardiol 2022;80(1):1-18 doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2022.04.040
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) reduce cardiovascular death and hospitalisation for heart failure (HHF) in patients with HFpEF, and are recommended in recent guidelines for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), supported by Class IA evidence. Typically, HFpEF patients are older than HFrEF, and have a higher mortality risk associated with older age, while the risk for cardiovascular death is lower than in HFrEF. Until now, the treatment effects and safety of SGLT2i in relation to age have not been studied. This prespecified analysis of the EMPEROR-Preserved trial examined the interplay of age and empagliflozin treatment effects.
For patients on placebo, the incidence of primary outcomes and cardiovascular death increased with age. In contrast, empagliflozin reduced the primary outcome, first HHF, and first and recurrent HHF across all age groups. Empagliflozin also improved health-related quality of life, and attenuated the decline of eGFR without age interaction. Additionally, there were no clinically relevant differences in AEs between empagliflozin and placebo across the age groups, and elderly patients tolerated the treatment well.
Empagliflozin for Heart Failure With Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction With and Without Diabetes
Circulation 2022; online ahead of print
In patients enrolled in EMPEROR-Preserved, empagliflozin significantly reduced the risk of heart failure (HF) outcomes irrespective of diabetes status.
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Effects of Canagliflozin Versus Finerenone on Cardiorenal Outcomes: Exploratory Post Hoc Analyses From FIDELIO-DKD Compared to Reported CREDENCE Results
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2022;37:1261-9 doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfab336
This analysis highlights the pitfalls of direct comparisons between trials, since when key differences in design are considered, FIDELIO-DKD and CREDENCE demonstrate similar cardiorenal benefits. The authors conclude that both canagliflozin and finerenone are similarly effective in reducing the risk of cardiorenal outcomes.
Empagliflozin and Serum Potassium in Heart Failure: An Analysis From Emperor-Pooled
Eur Heart J 2022; online ahead of print DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac306
In this pooled analysis, empagliflozin reduced the incidence of hyperkalaemia without significant increase in hypokalaemia.
Potassium is essential for normal cellular function, but severe potassium abnormalities can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and death. Hyperkalaemia frequently leads to interruption and discontinuation of neurohormonal antagonists, which may worsen the prognosis for people with heart failure (HF).
Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Initiating First-Line Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes With Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors Versus Metformin: A Cohort Study
Ann Intern Med 2022; doi:10.7326/M21-4012
This cohort study found that those initiating a SGLT2i as their first-line treatment for T2D showed a similar risk for a composite outcome of MI, stroke, and mortality – and lower risk for a composite of hospitalisation for heart failure (HHF) and mortality. Compared with those receiving metformin as their first-line treatment, the SGLT2i safety profile was similar, except for an increased risk of genital infections.
Effects of Empagliflozin on Symptoms, Physical Limitations and Quality of Life in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure – Results From the EMPULSE Trial
Circulation 2022; online ahead of print doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.059725
This post hoc and prespecified analysis of the EMPULSE trial found that initiation of empagliflozin in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure (AHF) produced clinical benefit regardless of the degree of symptomatic impairment at baseline. Empagliflozin also improved symptoms, physical limitations, and quality of life – with benefits seen as early as 15 days and maintained through 90 days.
Initial Decline (“Dip”) in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Following Initiation of Dapagliflozin in Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction: Insights From DAPA-HF
Circulation 2022; Online ahead of print doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.058910
The results of this subgroup analysis from DAPA-HF show that – although estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline is generally associated with poorer prognosis in most situations – an initial dip with a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) may be associated with slower rate of decline in kidney function.
The SGLT2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin in Patients Hospitalized For Acute Heart Failure: A Multinational Randomized Trial
Nature Med 2022;28:568–74 doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01659-1
Empagliflozin is well tolerated in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure, resulting in significant clinical benefit 90 days after treatment initiation.
Finerenone in patients with CKD and T2D with and without heart failure: A prespecified subgroup analysis of the FIDELIO-DKD trial
PMID: 35239204 DOI: 10.1002/ejhf.2469
This subgroup analysis of the FIDELIO-DKD trial discovered that finerenone improved cardiorenal outcome in patients with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.