Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Improves Cardiac Structure in Type 2 Diabetes: Data From the MIRAD Trial

Chronic kidney disease associated cardiomyopathy: recent advances and future perspectives

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiomyopathy in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex condition with multiple triggers and poor prognosis. This review provides an overview of recent advances in CKD-associated cardiomyopathy, with a focus on pathophysiology, newly discovered biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.

RECENT FINDINGS

CKD is associated with a specific pattern of myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, resulting in diastolic and systolic dysfunction, and often triggered by nonatherosclerotic processes. Novel biomarkers, including amino-terminal type III procollagen peptide (PIIINP), carboxy-terminal type I procollagen peptide (PICP), FGF23, marinobufagenin, and several miRNAs, show promise for early detection and risk stratification. Treatment options for CKD-associated cardiomyopathy are limited. Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors have been shown to reduce left ventricle hypertrophy and improve ejection fraction in individuals with diabetes and mild CKD, and are currently under investigation for more advanced stages of CKD. In hemodialysis patients calcimimetic etelcalcetide resulted in a significant reduction in left ventricular mass.

SUMMARY

CKD-associated cardiomyopathy is a common and severe complication in CKD. The identification of novel biomarkers may lead to future therapeutic targets. Randomized clinical trials in individuals with more advanced CKD would be well posed to expand treatment options for this debilitating condition.

Cardioprotective and Antifibrotic Effects of Low-Dose Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors in Type 1 Diabetic Rat Model

Diabetic cardiovascular complications are associated with up to 50% mortality, and current therapies are not effective enough. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) are the standard of care for diabetic patients with hypertension and albuminuria. Based on our previous studies reporting the renoprotective effects of low-dose RAASis, here, we hypothesized that low-dose RAASi treatment has cardioprotective and antifibrotic benefits in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). After five weeks of T1DM, adult male Wistar rats received low doses of ramipril, losartan, or eplerenone for two weeks. Heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were recorded. Aortic intima-media thickness (IMT), collagen accumulation, and myocardial fibrosis were assessed. All RAASis reduced PWV elevation, prevented the progression of myocardial fibrosis, and normalized B-type natriuretic peptide, troponin I, and fibroblast growth factor 23 levels without affecting blood pressure. Interestingly, only eplerenone reversed the decline in Klotho levels and reduced IMT and fibrosis in the media of the aorta. Our comparative analysis suggests that mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, particularly eplerenone, may offer superior efficacy in halting both the arterial and the myocardial injuries in T1DM compared to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers.

Current challenges in the treatment of cardiac fibrosis: Recent insights into the sex-specific differences of glucose-lowering therapies on the diabetic heart: IUPHAR Review 33

A significant cardiac complication of diabetes is cardiomyopathy, a form of ventricular dysfunction that develops independently of coronary artery disease, hypertension and valvular diseases, which may subsequently lead to heart failure. Several structural features underlie the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy and eventual diabetes-induced heart failure. Pathological cardiac fibrosis (interstitial and perivascular), in addition to capillary rarefaction and myocardial apoptosis, are particularly noteworthy. Sex differences in the incidence, development and presentation of diabetes, heart failure and interstitial myocardial fibrosis have been identified. Nevertheless, therapeutics specifically targeting diabetes-associated cardiac fibrosis remain lacking and treatment approaches remain the same regardless of patient sex or the co-morbidities that patients may present. This review addresses the observed anti-fibrotic effects of newer glucose-lowering therapies and traditional cardiovascular disease treatments, in the diabetic myocardium (from both preclinical and clinical contexts). Furthermore, any known sex differences in these treatment effects are also explored. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Translational Advances in Fibrosis as a Therapeutic Target. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v180.22/issuetoc.

Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate Effects of Eplerenone on Myocardial Perfusion and Function Among Persons With Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Results From the MIRACLE HIV Study

BACKGROUND

Increased renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) activity may contribute to excess cardiovascular disease in people with HIV (PWH). We investigated how RAAS blockade may improve myocardial perfusion, injury, and function among well-treated PWH.

METHODS

Forty PWH, on stable ART, without known heart disease were randomized to eplerenone 50 mg PO BID (n = 20) or identical placebo (n = 20) for 12 months. The primary endpoints were (1) myocardial perfusion assessed by coronary flow reserve (CFR) on cardiac PET or stress myocardial blood flow (sMBF) on cardiac MRI or (2) myocardial inflammation by extracellular mass index (ECMi) on cardiac MRI.

RESULTS

Beneficial effects on myocardial perfusion were seen for sMBF by cardiac MRI (mean [SD]: 0.09 [0.56] vs -0.53 [0.68] mL/min/g; P = .03) but not CFR by cardiac PET (0.01 [0.64] vs -0.07 [0.48]; P = .72, eplerenone vs placebo). Eplerenone improved parameters of myocardial function on cardiac MRI including left ventricular end diastolic volume (-13 [28] vs 10 [26] mL; P = .03) and global circumferential strain (GCS; median [interquartile range 25th-75th]: -1.3% [-2.9%-1.0%] vs 2.3% [-0.4%-4.1%]; P = .03), eplerenone versus placebo respectively. On cardiac MRI, improvement in sMBF related to improvement in global circumferential strain (ρ = -0.65, P = .057) among those treated with eplerenone. Selecting for those with impaired myocardial perfusion (CFR <2.5 and/or sMBF <1.8), there was a treatment effect of eplerenone versus placebo to improve CFR (0.28 [0.27] vs -0.05 [0.36]; P = .04). Eplerenone prevented a small increase in troponin (0.00 [-0.13-0.00] vs 0.00 [0.00-0.74] ng/L; P = .03) without effects on ECMi (0.9 [-2.3-4.3] vs -0.7 [-2.2--0.1] g/m2; P = .38). CD4+ T-cell count (127 [-38-286] vs -6 [-168-53] cells/μL; P = .02) increased in the eplerenone- versus placebo-treated groups.

CONCLUSIONS

RAAS blockade with eplerenone benefitted key indices and prevented worsening of myocardial perfusion, injury, and function among PWH with subclinical cardiac disease when compared with placebo.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

NCT02740179 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02740179?term=NCT02740179&draw=2&rank=1).

Cardiac Fibrosis in heart failure: Focus on non-invasive diagnosis and emerging therapeutic strategies

Heart failure is a leading cause of mortality and hospitalization worldwide. Cardiac fibrosis, resulting from the excessive deposition of collagen fibers, is a common feature across the spectrum of conditions converging in heart failure. Eventually, either reparative or reactive in nature, in the long-term cardiac fibrosis contributes to heart failure development and progression and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Despite this, specific cardiac antifibrotic therapies are lacking, making cardiac fibrosis an urgent unmet medical need. In this context, a better patient phenotyping is needed to characterize the heterogenous features of cardiac fibrosis to advance toward its personalized management. In this review, we will describe the different phenotypes associated with cardiac fibrosis in heart failure and we will focus on the potential usefulness of imaging techniques and circulating biomarkers for the non-invasive characterization and phenotyping of this condition and for tracking its clinical impact. We will also recapitulate the cardiac antifibrotic effects of existing heart failure and non-heart failure drugs and we will discuss potential strategies under preclinical development targeting the activation of cardiac fibroblasts at different levels, as well as targeting additional extracardiac processes.

Procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide is associated with adverse outcome in acute chest pain of suspected coronary origin

Background

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is an integral player in the pathophysiology of a variety of cardiac diseases. Cardiac ECM is composed mainly of collagen, of which type 1 is the most abundant with procollagen type 1 N-terminal Propeptide (P1NP) as a formation marker. P1NP is associated with mortality in the general population, however, its role in myocardial infarction (MI) is still uncertain, and P1NP has not been investigated in acute chest pain. The objective of the current study was to assess the role of P1NP in undifferentiated acute chest pain of suspected coronary origin.

Methods and results

813 patients from the Risk in Acute Coronary Syndromes study were included. This was a single-center study investigating biomarkers in consecutively enrolled patients with acute chest pain of suspected coronary origin, with a follow-up for up to 7 years. Outcome measures were a composite endpoint of all-cause death, new MI or stroke, as well as its individual components at 1, 2, and 7 years, and cardiac death at 1 and 2 years. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, quartiles of P1NP were significantly associated with the composite endpoint at 1 year of follow-up with a hazard ratio for Q4 of 1.82 (95% CI, 1.12-2.98). There was no other significant association with outcomes at any time points.

Conclusion

P1NP was found to be an independent biomarker significantly associated with adverse clinical outcome at one year in patients admitted to hospital for acute chest pain of suspected coronary origin. This is the first report in the literature on the prognostic value of P1NP in this clinical setting.

Clinicaltrialsygov Identifier

NCT00521976.

Rationale and design of an investigator-initiated, multicenter, prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial to evaluate the effects of finerenone on vascular stiffness and cardiorenal biomarkers in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (FIVE-STAR)

BACKGROUND

The overactivation of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) plays a key pathological role in the progression of cardiovascular and renal diseases by promoting pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic signaling. Recently, it has been found that finerenone, a novel nonsteroidal selective MR antagonist, can robustly improve cardiorenal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a wide spectrum of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the mechanisms underlying the cardiorenal benefits of finerenone are poorly understood. Further, whether the clinical benefits are mediated by an improvement in vascular stiffness is not confirmed. Therefore, the current study aims to evaluate the effects of finerenone on vascular stiffness as assessed using cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) and relevant cardiorenal biomarkers in patients with T2D and CKD.

METHODS

The Effects of Finerenone on Vascular Stiffness and Cardiorenal Biomarkers in Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (FIVE-STAR) is an ongoing, investigator-initiated, multicenter, prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial in Japan. Its target sample size is 100 subjects. Recruitment will be performed from September 2023 to July 2024. After obtaining informed consent, eligible participants with T2D and CKD (25 mL/min/1.73 m² ≤ estimated glomerular filtration ratio [eGFR] < 90 mL/min/1.73 m² and 30 mg/g Cr ≤ urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio [UACR] < 3500 mg/g Cr) will be equally randomized to receive 24-week treatment with either finerenone (starting dose at 10 mg once daily in participants with a baseline eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² or at 20 mg once daily in those with a baseline eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m²) or dose-matched placebo. The primary endpoint is the change from baseline in CAVI at 24 weeks. The secondary endpoints are changes from baseline in UACR at 12 and 24 weeks and relevant serum and urinary biomarkers at 24 weeks. As an exploratory endpoint, proteomic analysis using the Olink® Target 96 panels will be also performed.

DISCUSSION

FIVE-STAR is the first trial evaluating the therapeutic impact of finerenone on vascular stiffness and relevant cardiorenal biomarkers in patients with T2D and CKD. This study will provide mechanistic insights on the clinical benefits of finerenone based on recent cardiovascular and renal outcome trials. Trial registration Unique Trial Number, NCT05887817 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05887817 ) and jRCTs021230011 ( https://jrct.niph.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCTs021230011 ).

Effect on cardiac function among patients with type 2 diabetes following high-dose mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist using echocardiography; data from the MIRAD randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Early heart failure prevention is central in patients with type 2 diabetes, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) have shown to improve prognosis. We investigated the effect of high-dose MRA, eplerenone, on cardiac function and structure in patients with type 2 diabetes and established or increased risk of cardiovascular disease but without heart failure.

METHODS

In the current randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 140 patients with high-risk type 2 diabetes were randomized to high-dose eplerenone (100-200 mg daily) or placebo as add-on to standard care for 26 weeks. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, indexed left ventricular mass (LVMi), and global longitudinal strain (GLS) were assessed using echocardiography at baseline and after 26 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

Of the included patients, 138 (99%) had an echocardiography performed at least once. Baseline early diastolic in-flow velocity (E-wave) indexed by mitral annulus velocity (e') was mean (SD) 11.1 (0.5), with 31% of patients reaching above 12. No effect of treatment on diastolic function was observed measured by E/e' (0.0, 95%CI [-1.2 to 1.2], P = 0.992) or E/A (-0.1, 95%CI [-0.2 to 0.0], P = 0.191). Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline was 59.0% (8.0). No improvement in systolic function was observed when comparing groups after 26 weeks (LVEF: 0.9, 95%CI [-1.1 to 2.8], P = 0.382; GLS: -0.4%, 95%CI [-1.5 to 0.6], P = 0.422), nor in LVMi (-3.8 g/m² 95%CI [-10.2 to 2.7], P = 0.246).

CONCLUSION

In the present echo sub-study, no change in left ventricular function was observed following high-dose MRA therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes when evaluated by conventional echocardiography.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Date of registration 25/08/2015 (EudraCT number: 2015-002,519-14).

An overview of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists as a treatment option for patients with heart failure: the current state-of-the-art and future outlook

INTRODUCTION

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with heart failure. These benefits of MRAs vary in different heart failure populations based on left ventricular ejection fraction and associated comorbidities.

AREAS COVERED

We define the pharmacologic properties of MRAs and the pathophysiological rationale for their utility in heart failure. We outline the current literature on the use of MRAs in different heart failure populations, including reduced and preserved ejection fraction (HFrEF/ HFpEF), and acute heart failure decompensation. Finally, we describe the limitations of currently available data and propose future directions of study.

EXPERT OPINION

While there is strong evidence supporting the use of MRAs in HFrEF, evidence in patients with HFpEF or acute heart failure is less definitive. Comorbidities such as obesity or atrial fibrillation could be clinical modifiers of the response to MRAs and potentially alter the risk/benefit ratio in these subpopulations. Emerging evidence for new non-steroidal MRAs reveal promising preliminary results that, if confirmed in large randomized clinical trials, could favor a change in clinical practice.

Dyskalemia in people at increased risk for heart failure: findings from the heart 'OMics' in AGEing (HOMAGE) trial

AIMS

In people at risk of heart failure (HF) enrolled in the Heart 'OMics' in AGEing (HOMAGE) trial, spironolactone reduced circulating markers of collagen synthesis, natriuretic peptides, and blood pressure and improved cardiac structure and function. In the present report, we explored factors associated with dyskalaemia.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The HOMAGE trial was an open-label study comparing spironolactone (up to 50 mg/day) versus standard care in people at risk for HF. After randomization, serum potassium was assessed at 1 and 9 months and was defined as low when ≤3.5 mmol/L (hypokalaemia) and high when ≥5.5 mmol/L (hyperkalaemia). Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to identify clinical predictors of dyskalaemia. A total of 513 participants (median age 74 years, 75% men, median estimated glomerular filtration rate 71 mL/min/1.73 m² ) had serum potassium available and were included in this analysis. At randomization, 88 had potassium < 4.0 mmol/L, 367 had potassium 4.0-5.0 mmol/L, and 58 had potassium > 5.0 mmol/L. During follow-up, on at least one occasion, a serum potassium < 3.5 mmol/L was observed in 6 (1.2%) and <4.0 mmol/L in 46 (9%) participants, while a potassium > 5.0 mmol/L was observed in 38 (8%) and >5.5 mmol/L in 5 (1.0%) participants. The median (percentile_25-75 ) increase in serum potassium with spironolactone during the study was 0.23 (0.16; 0.29) mmol/L. Because of the low incidence of dyskalaemia, for regression analysis, hypokalaemia and hyperkalaemia thresholds were set at <4.0 and >5.0 mmol/L, respectively. The occurrence of a serum potassium > 5.0 mmol/L during follow-up was positively associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus {odds ratio [OR]: 1.21 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.14; 3.79]} and randomization to spironolactone (OR: 2.83 [95% CI 1.49; 5.37]). Conversely, the occurrence of a potassium concentration < 4.0 mmol/L was positively associated with the use of thiazides (OR: 2.39 [95% CI 1.32; 4.34]), blood urea concentration (OR: 2.15 [95% CI 1.34; 3.39] per 10 mg/dL), and history of hypertension (OR: 2.32 [95% CI 1.02; 5.29]) and negatively associated with randomization to spironolactone (OR: 0.30 [95% CI 0.18; 0.52]).

CONCLUSIONS

In people at risk for developing HF and with relatively normal renal function, spironolactone reduced the risk of hypokalaemia and, at the doses used, was not associated with the occurrence of clinically meaningful hyperkalaemia.

Screening-Guided Spironolactone Treatment of Subclinical Left Ventricular Dysfunction for Heart Failure Prevention in At-risk Patients

BACKGROUND

Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) is a prelude to symptomatic heart failure (HF). We hypothesised that screening-guided treatment with spironolactone would prevent incident HF in at-risk patients.

METHODS

We randomised asymptomatic, community-dwelling subjects aged ≥65 years old, with at least one non-ischaemic HF risk factor (hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or obesity) to echocardiography-guided therapy or usual care. Spironolactone therapy was triggered by the detection of subclinical LVD (GLS ≤16% or diastolic abnormalities (at least one of E/e'>15, E/e' >10 with left atrial enlargement [LAE] or impaired relaxation [E/A <0.8, IR], LAE with IR), or borderline GLS (17%) with IR or borderline GLS with LAE. The primary outcome was incident HF at 24 months. Secondary outcomes were change in 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and change in LV function.

RESULTS

LVD was identified in 161 (46%) of 349 participants (age 70 years [68-73], 201 (58%) women). The trial was stopped because of a 55% rate of spironolactone discontinuation, due primarily to decline in renal function. Incident HF developed in 11 (3.5%) of 310 participants completing follow-up, with no difference between usual care and intervention (4 [2.5%] vs. 7 [4.7%], p=0.29), decline in 6MWT distance (p=0.28), persistent or new LVD (p=0.58), nor change in GLS with intervention (p=0.15). A per-protocol analysis of 131 patients with baseline LVD and a follow-up echocardiogram, showed resolution of LVD with spironolactone therapy (61% vs 33%, p=0.01).

CONCLUSION

The study was underpowered to determine whether screening-guided spironolactone therapy reduced incident HF because spironolactone was frequently discontinued due to renal function criteria. However, LVD resolved in more patients treated with spironolactone than in untreated patients. Future trials should use less conservative renal criteria for spironolactone discontinuation.

Diabetic Heart Failure with Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: Review of Current Pharmacotherapy

Diabetes is associated with several diabetic-related abnormalities which increase the risk of onset or worsening of heart failure. Recent studies showed that the majority of diabetic patients present with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and the prevalence of HFpEF in diabetics is alarming. Moreover, outcomes in HFpEF are poor and could be compared to those of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), with 1-year mortality ranging between 10 and 30%. In contrast to HFrEF, there is very limited evidence for pharmacologic therapy in symptomatic patients with preserved ejection fraction, and therefore, the optimal selection of treatment for diabetic HFpEF remains challenging. This narrative review article summarizes the currently available data on the pharmacological treatment of HFpEF in patients with diabetes.