Canadian Real-World Experience of Using Sacubitril/Valsartan in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: Insight From the PARASAIL Study

Efficacy and Safety of Sacubitril/Valsartan in Hemodialysis Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Retrospective Study at a Single Center

BACKGROUND Heart failure and end-stage renal disease often coexist, and management of heart failure can be challenging in patients during hemodialysis. Sacubitril-valsartan (SV) is the first drug to receive regulatory approval for use in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification II, III, or IV. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SV for use in chronic heart failure patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). MATERIAL AND METHODS From September 2021 to October 2022, 28 patients on MHD with chronic heart failure at the hemodialysis center of Shaanxi Second Provincial People's Hospital were regularly followed. During the 12-week follow-up period, all patients were administered SV at doses of 100-400 mg per day. Biochemical indicators, echocardiographic parameters, life quality scores, and adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS We enrolled 28 patients. Compared with the baseline levels, NYHA class III in these patients treated with SV was significantly decreased from 60.71% to 32.14% (P<0.05), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly improved from 44.29±8.92% to 53.32±7.88% (P<0.001), the Physical Component Summary (PCS) score was significantly improved from 40.0±6.41 to 56.20±9.86 (P<0.001), and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) score was significantly improved from 39.99±6.14 to 52.59±11.0 (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that SV improved NYHA classification and LVEF values of patients on MHD with chronic heart failure and also improved their quality of life.

Effect on the Quality of Life of Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced/Preserved Ejection Fraction Using Sacubitril/Valsartan

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) management has markedly improved, but a clinically meaningful improvement in functional capacity and quality of life is perhaps more important for patients than living longer.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to review the improvement in quality of life with sacubitril/valsartan in patients with HF and reduced/preserved ejection fraction (EF) from prospective clinical trials.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohort studies published from inception to July 2021. A total of 6 clinical trials and 16854 patients with HF were included. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in KCCQ clinical summary score. The secondary outcomes were scores in other domains of KCCQ, the occurrence of serious adverse events (AEs), and overall mortality. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Treatment of sacubitril/valsartan showed significantly higher KCCQ-CSS compared to the control (WMD=0.975, 95% CI: 0.885, 1.064, p<0.001; I2=94.8%, pheterogeneity<0.001). A significant decrease in the mortality rate was observed in the sacubitril/valsartan group compared to the control group (RR=0.895, 95%CI:0.831, 0.965, p=0.004; I2=43.6%, pheterogeneity=0.150). Nevertheless, no significant reduction in the occurrence of serious AEs was found among HF patients treated with sacubitril/valsartan compared to the control group (RR=0.950, 95%CI: 0.879, 1.027, p<0.001; I2=68.1%, pheterogeneity=0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that sacubitril/valsartan might significantly improve the HRQL compared to other treatments according to the results in KCCQ-CSS and some subdomains in the KCCQ index during the follow-up in patients with HF.

Quality of life in heart failure: New data, new drugs and devices

Quality of life (QoL) is a therapeutic goal in heart failure. There are many EBM therapies for improving QoL. In this study, data is presented on new pharmacotherapies and devices that impact QoL in the heart failure population.

Lyophilized recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide for chronic heart failure: Effects on cardiac function and inflammation

BACKGROUND

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a serious and prevalent condition characterized by impaired cardiac function and inflammation. Standard therapy for CHF has limitations, prompting the exploration of alternative treatments. Recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has emerged as a potential therapy, with evidence suggesting that it can improve cardiac function and reduce inflammation in patients with CHF. However, further research is required to determine the efficacy and safety of lyophilized recombinant human BNP in CHF patients and its impact on microinflammatory status. This study aimed to investigate the effects of lyophilized recombinant human BNP therapy on CHF patients' cardiac function and microinflammatory status.

AIM

To investigate the effects of freeze-dried recombinant human BNP therapy on cardiac function and microinflammatory status in patients with CHF.

METHODS

In total, 102 CHF patients admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to January 2022 were randomly assigned to control and observation groups (n = 51 patients/group). The control patients were treated with standard HF therapy for 3 d, whereas the observational patients were injected with the recombinant human BNP for 3 d. Clinical efficacy, inflammatory factor levels, myocardial damage, cardiac function before and after the treatment, and adverse reactions during treatment were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The overall clinical efficacy was higher in the observation group than in the control group. Compared with baseline, serum hypersensitive C-reactive protein, N-terminal proBNP, and troponin I level, and physical, emotional, social, and economic scores were lower in both groups after treatment, with greater reductions in levels and scores noted in the observation group than in the control group. The overall incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was not significantly different compared with that in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Freeze-dried recombinant human BNP therapy can improve heart function and enhance microinflammatory status, thereby improving overall quality of life without any obvious side effects. This therapy is safe and reliable.

Sacubitril/Valsartan in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Real-World Experience from Italy (the REAL.IT Study)

Sacubitril/valsartan reduces heart failure (HF)-related hospitalizations and cardiovascular mortality in PARADIGM-HF and has become a foundational treatment for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, data of its routine real-world use are limited, and evidence from Italian settings is lacking. The REAL.IT study aimed to characterize the demographics, pharmacotherapy, clinical characteristics and outcomes of sacubitril/valsartan-treated Italian patients with HFrEF. Electronic medical records of patients initiating sacubitril/valsartan from October 2016 to June 2019 at nine specialized hospital outpatient HF centers across Italy were reviewed. Overall, 924 adults (mean age 64.5 years, 84.6% male) were included. At baseline, 38.7% had an ischemic HF etiology, 45.9% hypertension, 23.2% atrial fibrillation, 25.4% diabetes mellitus, 26.1% an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and 31.9% coronary artery bypass grafting. There were no clear patterns of patient selection over time. During follow-up, NYHA class improved in 37.5% of patients after a mean of 5.3 ± 3.8 months; 36.1% and 16.7% of patients were in NYHA class III during characterization and after one year of follow-up, respectively. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved ≥5% in 56.3% of patients at one year; 39.7% had ≥30% reduction of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide; 2.2% had hyperkalemia during characterization and 2.6% during follow-up; and 3.8% had hypotension during characterization and 12% during follow-up. A total of 50 (5.8%) of patients had device implantation (ICD/CRT) during follow-up. HF-related hospitalization was recorded in 19.6% of patients during follow-up; 3.8% of patients died, approximately 1.3% from cardiovascular causes. Our real-world data confirm the favorable effectiveness and tolerability of sacubitril/valsartan observed in pivotal randomized controlled trials.

Sacubitril/valsartan in Heart Failure and Beyond-From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Relevance

As the ultimate pathophysiological event, heart failure (HF) may arise from various cardiovascular (CV) conditions, including sustained pressure/volume overload of the left ventricle, myocardial infarction or ischemia, and cardiomyopathies. Sacubitril/valsartan (S/V; formerly termed as LCZ696), a first-in-class angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor, brought a significant shift in the management of HF with reduced ejection fraction by modulating both renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (angiotensin II type I receptor blockage by valsartan) and natriuretic peptide system (neprilysin inhibition by sacubitril) pathways. Besides, the efficacy of S/V has been also investigated in the setting of other CV pathologies which are during their pathophysiological course and progression deeply interrelated with HF. However, its mechanism of action is not entirely clarified, suggesting other off-target benefits contributing to its cardioprotection. In this review article our goal was to highlight up-to-date clinical and experimental evidence on S/V cardioprotective effects, as well as most discussed molecular mechanisms achieved by this dual-acting compound. Although S/V was extensively investigated in HF patients, additional large studies are needed to elucidate its effects in the setting of other CV conditions. Furthermore, with its antiinflamatory potential, this agent should be investigated in animal models of inflammatory heart diseases, such as myocarditis, while it may possibly improve cardiac dysfunction as well as inflammatory response in this pathophysiological setting. Also, discovering other signalling pathways affected by S/V should be of particular interest for basic researches, while it can provide additional understanding of its cardioprotective mechanisms.

Impact of Sacubitril/Valsartan on Clinical and Echocardiographic Parameters in Heart Failure Patients With Reduced Ejection Fraction: Data From a Real Life 2-year Follow-Up Study

Heart failure (HF) represents a widespread health problem characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Sacubitril/Valsartan (sac/val) has improved clinical prognosis in patients affected by HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and durability of sac/val treatment on the clinical, hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters, in real-life consecutive HFrEF outpatients, evaluated up to 2-years of follow-up. We collected 300 repeated observations over time in 60 patients suffering of HFrEF and symptomatic despite optimal drug therapy. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <35 and II-III NYHA functional class were considered. All patients underwent to clinical-instrumental and laboratory determinations and Minnesota Living with HF Questionnaire (MLHFQ) every 6 months until 24 months to evaluate possible clinical benefits and adverse events. During a 2-year follow-up period and through a 6-monthly control of the study variables both clinical, hemodynamic, biochemical and echocardiographic parameters significantly improved, in particular cardiac index (CI), both atrial and ventricular volumes and global longitudinal strain (GLS). Furthermore, there was a reduction of NT-proBNP levels and betterment of renal function and NYHA functional class, demonstrating the efficacy and durability of sac/val treatment. In a multiple linear mixed model the longitudinal evolutions of CI were associated to concomitant changes of GLS and E/e' ratio. Our study, contemplating the collection of 300 repeated observations in 60 patients, provides a complete and detailed demonstration of sac/val effects, showing effectiveness, safety and effect durability of the treatment every 6 months up to 2-years of follow-up with significant improvement of several clinical, hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters in HFrEF outpatients.

Sacubitril/valsartan in real-life European patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

We systematically reviewed the European real-world evidence (RWE) about sacubitril-valsartan for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Twenty-one articles, including 16 952 subjects, were identified until 31 October 2020. Taking as reference the PARADIGM-HF cohort, few baseline characteristics were presented in >80% of these studies, most often with high heterogeneity. In random-effects model meta-analysis, age was higher (mean difference +3.84, 95% CI 1.92-5.76), ischaemic aetiology (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.64-0.91), hypertension (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37-0.82), and diabetes (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.92) were less common, and the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists was more frequent (OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.27-5.53) in real-life than in PARADIGM-HF. Other clinical and medical features were presented in 19-76% of the selected publications and suggested more severe heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Sacubitril-valsartan was titrated to 97/103 mg b.i.d. in 35% (95% CI 23-47) and discontinued in 12.8% (95% CI 7.4-18.3) patients. When reported, the incidence of hyperkalaemia (six studies, no. 1076), all-cause mortality (five studies, no. 684), and any hospitalization (three studies, no. 390) was 12 (95% CI 5-19)/100 person-year, 8 (95% CI 4-12)/100 person-year, and 24 (95% CI 5-42)/100 person-year, respectively. Knowledge contribution, a metric measuring the proportion of RWE provided by each article based on the number of reported variables and the sample size, was 58.8% and 13.6% for the two biggest investigations (12 082 and 2037 patients), and <5% for all others (most with <100 subjects).

CONCLUSIONS

Limited-quality RWE indicates that there are important differences between European patients prescribed sacubitril-valsartan and the PARADIGM-HF population, including the frequency of target dose achievement.

National Trends in the Use of Sacubitril/Valsartan

BACKGROUND

Better understanding of recent sacubitril/valsartan prescription patterns may help identify factors that influence its use. The aim of the study was to characterize sacubitril/valsartan use and dosage patterns nationally.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We conducted a population-level cohort study using IQVIA Inc. National Prescription Audit™ data in the United States from August 2016 to July 2019. Over 3 years, there was a 5.6-fold increase in the number of sacubitril/valsartan prescriptions dispensed per month, totaling 3.3 million prescriptions. For the most recent year, this extrapolates to a best-case scenario of 13.8% of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction using sacubitril/valsartan, representing at most one-half of those eligible for sacubitril/valsartan use. During the most recent year, 48.7% of dispensed prescriptions were for the lowest strength (24/26 mg) and only 20.6% for the target strength (97/103 mg). A greater proportion of the target strength was used in younger patients (< 65years: 24.6%; ≥ 85: 11.1%; P<0.0001). Cardiologists prescribed 59.0% of all dispensed prescriptions, and noncardiologists showed a greater increase (7.5-fold vs 4.9-fold; P<0.0001) over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent use of sacubitril/valsartan has increased greatly in the United States; however, a substantial proportion of eligible patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction did not receive treatment, and only 1 in 5 prescriptions dispensed were for the target strength. Further exploration of barriers to the use of sacubitril/valsartan and dosing uptitration and their clinical implications warrant further evaluation.

Sacubitril/Valsartan in the Management of Heart Failure Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

For heart failure patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), especially those who remain symptomatic after implantation, the best management strategy is still unclear. Although there are several concerns regarding the clinical utilization of sacubitril/valsartan, it has improved the prognosis of patients with heart failure compared with the use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors in recent years. Recent real-world observational studies and post hoc analyses demonstrated that sacubitril/valsartan might have effects in patients with CIEDs. Given its potential underlying mechanisms, sacubitril/valsartan could improve outcomes of mortality and sudden cardiac death incidence, as well as clinical and echocardiographic evaluations. The possible antiarrhythmic effect of sacubitril/valsartan is still debated. Moreover, given that hypotension is the critical limitation of uptitration, the rise in systolic blood pressure attributed to cardiac resynchronization therapy might support the use of sacubitril/valsartan, with improved tolerance. The clinical utility of sacubitril/valsartan in heart failure patients with CIEDs requires further investigation to determine the actual effects, optimal target populations, and underlying mechanisms.

Sacubitril-valsartan initiation in chronic heart failure patients impacts sleep apnea: the ENTRESTO-SAS study

Aims

Optimizing medical cardiac treatment for sleep apnoea (SA) in patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is an expert Grade C recommendation based on six studies encompassing a total of 67 patients only. Whether sacubitril–valsartan (SV), a cornerstone of HFrEF medical treatment, impacts SA is unknown and requires evaluation.

Methods and results

The ENTRESTO‐SAS trial is a six‐centre, prospective, open‐label real‐life cohort study (NCT02916160). Ambulatory patients eligible for SV (i.e. HFrEF adults who remain symptomatic despite optimal treatment) were evaluated before and after 3 months of SV (including nocturnal ventilatory polygraphy); 118 patients were final analysed [median age was 66 (IQ_25–75: 56–73) years, 81.4% male, 36.5% New York Heart Association III–IV, N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide level of 1564 (701–3376) ng/L, left ventricular ejection fraction of 30 (25–34)%, 60.7% ischaemic HFrEF, 97.5% initially treated with angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers, 83.9% with beta‐blockers, 64.4% with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and 74.6% with diuretics]. Three groups were defined according to initial central/obstructive apnoea–hypopnoea indices (AHIs): G1 (n = 49, AHI_central ≥ 5/h and AHI_obstructive < 15/h); G2 (n = 27, AHI_obstructive ≥ 15/h); and G3 (n = 42, AHI_central < 5/h and AHI_obstructive < 15/h). At 3 months, the AHI (main predefined outcome) decreased significantly by −7.10/h (IQ_25–75: −16.10 to 0.40; P < 0.001) in G1 + G2 without positive airway pressure treatment (45 patients, median initial AHI of 24.20 (IQ_25–75: 16.40–43.50)/h). Of these, 24.4% presented an AHI decrease ≥50% and 37.78% had a final AHI < 15/h (tendency for improvement from an initial value of 20%: P = 0.0574). For G1 patients (n = 37), AHI significantly decreased from a median of 22.90 (16.00–43.50)/h to 19.20 (12.70–31.10)/h (P = 0.002). For G2 patients (n = 8), AHI decreased from a median of 30.10 (26.40–47.60)/h to 22.75 (14.60–36.90)/h (statistically non‐significant, P = 0.059).

Conclusions

In this real‐life population, SV treatment for 3 months in SA patients is associated with a significant decrease in AHI. These results support the current guidelines that recommend first an optimization of the HFrEF treatment in patients with HFrEF and central SA. A potential positive airway pressure sparing effect merits further investigation.