Survival With Continuous Outpatient Intravenous Inotrope Therapy in the Modern Era

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Intermittent, Repeated, or Continuous Use of Levosimendan, Milrinone, or Dobutamine in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure: A Network and Single-Arm Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to synthesize the available evidence regarding differences in the long-term safety and efficacy of intermittent, repeated, or continuous palliative inotropic therapy among patients with advanced heart failure. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library electronic databases, with a cutoff date of November 23, 2023, for studies reporting outcomes in adult patients with advanced heart failure treated with intermittent, repeated, or continuous levosimendan, milrinone, or dobutamine. Forty-one studies (18 randomized controlled trials and 23 cohort studies) comprising 5137 patients met the inclusion criteria. The results of the network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that levosimendan had significant advantages over milrinone or dobutamine in reducing mortality and improving left ventricular ejection fraction. A single-arm meta-analysis also indicated that levosimendan had the lowest mortality and significantly improved B-type brain natriuretic peptide and left ventricular ejection fraction. Regarding safety, hypotension events were observed more frequently in the levosimendan and milrinone groups. However, the current evidence is limited by the heterogeneity and relatively small sample size of the studies.

Geographic variation in the use of continuous outpatient inotrope infusion therapy and beta blockers

Background

Continuous outpatient inotrope infusion therapy (COIIT) can be used as palliative or interim treatment in patients with advanced heart failure (AHF). Despite widespread use, there is a relative lack of data informing best practices. This study aimed to examine whether patterns of COIIT use differed by region and to explore whether observed differences influenced clinical outcomes.

Methods

Retrospective study of AHF patients receiving COIIT from May 2009 through June 2016. The primary outcome was regional difference, the secondary outcome was persistence (duration) on therapy. Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios for treatment regimens.

Results

There were 3,286 patients, mean (SD) age 61.9 (14.4) years and 74.0% (2,433) male. Inotrope selection and beta blocker use varied by region by chi square (χ2 (21) = 166.9, p < 0.001). Persistence was greater on milrinone compared to dobutamine (HR (for discontinuation) 0.54, CI 0.41–0.70, p < 0.001). Concurrent beta-blocker was associated with greater persistence for patients receiving milrinone (HR 0.13, CI 0.08–0.20, p < 0.001) and dobutamine (HR 0.36, CI 0.18–0.71, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Patterns of COIIT use varied by region, and variations in use were associated with differences in clinical outcomes.

Drug Treatment of Heart Failure in Children: Gaps and Opportunities

Medical therapy for pediatric heart failure is based on a detailed mechanistic understanding of the underlying causes, which are diverse and unlike those encountered in most adult patients. Diuresis and improved perfusion are the immediate goals of care in the child with acute decompensated heart failure. Conversion to maintenance oral therapy for heart failure is based on the results of landmark studies in adults, as well as recent pediatric clinical trials and heart failure guidelines. There will continue to be an important role for newer drugs, some of which are in active trials in adults, and some of which are already approved for use in children. The need to plan for clinical trials in children during drug development for heart failure is emphasized.

Continuous Intravenous Inotropic Support for Advanced Heart Failure: Palliative Considerations

The global prevalence of heart failure (HF) is increasing. Advancements in guideline-directed medical and device therapy have resulted in improved survival. Thus, there are more patients living - and living longer - with advanced HF. Only a small proportion of these patients are deemed appropriate for advanced surgical intervention (mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation), and even if offered, some may decline such interventions if not aligned with their overall goals and values. Therefore, a growing number of patients with advanced HF receive chronic intravenous inotropic support (CIIS) for palliation of symptoms. Despite increased use, clinical evidence supporting use of palliative inotropes remains limited. However, available data suggest improvements in functional class, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) indicators, symptom burden, hemodynamic parameters, and possibly rehospitalization. While initial concerns regarding increased mortality have been assuaged in the modern era of guideline-directed medical therapy, palliative inotropes are certainly not without burden. Risks of infection and medication-related adverse effects, need for routine laboratory monitoring, frequent dressing changes, and presence of a reliable caregiver must be carefully considered prior to initiation. This review addresses pharmacology, guideline recommendations, benefits and burdens, considerations related to hospice and end-of-life care, and future directions of CIIS in advanced HF care.

Chronic Intravenous Inotropic Support as Palliative Therapy and Bridge Therapy for Patients With Advanced Heart Failure: A Single-Center Experience

BACKGROUND

Many patients with American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Stage D (advanced) heart failure are discharged home on chronic intravenous inotropic support (CIIS) as bridge to surgical therapy or as palliative therapy. This study analyzed the clinical trajectory of patients with advanced heart failure who were on home CIIS.

METHODS

We conducted a single-institution, retrospective cohort study of patients on CIIS between 2010 and 2016 (n = 373), stratified by indication for initiation of inotropic support. Study outcomes were time from initiation of CIIS to cessation of therapy, time to death for patients who did not receive surgical therapy and rates of involvement with palliative care.

RESULTS

Overall, patients received CIIS therapy for an average of 5.9 months (standard deviation [SD] 7.3). Patients on CIIS as palliative therapy died in an average of 6.2 months (SD 6.6) from the time of initiation of CIIS, and those on CIIS as bridge therapy who did not ultimately receive surgical therapy died after an average of 8.6 months (SD 9.3). Patients who received CIIS as bridge therapy were significantly less likely to receive palliative-care consultation than those on inotropes as palliative therapy, whether or not they underwent surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large cohort of patients with advanced HF, patients who on CIIS as palliative therapy survived for 6.2 months, on average, with wide variation among patients. Patients who were on CIIS as bridge therapy but did not ultimately receive surgical therapy received less palliative care despite the high mortality rate in this subgroup.