Abstract
Background
Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) have shown robust benefits in improving cardiac function and disease prognosis in diabetic patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, their combined effect has not been revealed.
Methods
We retrospectively identified diabetic patients with HFrEF who were prescribed an ARNI and/or SGLT2i. Diabetic patients with HFrEF treated with standard HF therapy but not ARNI or SGLT2i were included as controls. The patients were divided into groups treated with both ARNI and SGLT2i (group 1), ARNI but not SGLT2i (group 2), SGLT2i but not ARNI (group 3), and neither ARNI nor SGLT2i (group 4). After propensity score-matching, the occurrence of hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), cardiovascular mortality, and changes in echocardiographic parameters were analyzed.
Results
Of the 206 matched patients included in the study, 90 (43.7%) had to undergo HHF and 43 (20.9%) died of cardiovascular causes during a median 25 months of follow-up. Patients in group 1 exhibited a lower risk of HHF and cardiovascular mortality compared to those in the other groups. Improvements in the left ventricular ejection fraction and mitral E/e’ were more pronounced in group 1 than in groups 2, 3 and 4. These echocardiographic improvements were more prominent after the initiation of ARNI, compare to the initiation of SGLT2i.
Conclusion
In diabetic patients with HFrEF, combination of ARNI and SGT2i showed significant improvement in cardiac function and prognosis. ARNI-SGLT2i combination therapy may improve the clinical course of HFrEF in diabetic patients.
Impact of ARNI (angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor) on functional status of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFREF)
