Sodium-glucose Co-transporter 2 Inhibitors: a New Path for Heart Failure Treatment

Association of Systemic Inflammation Level on Admission with Total and Cardiovascular‑Specific Death in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Large Multi‑Center Retrospective Longitudinal Study

Purpose

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is inherently a complex inflammatory syndrome, and heightened inflammation is strongly associated with an increased risk of death. However, the association of systemic inflammation levels with total and cardiovascular death among patients with HFpEF remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of systemic inflammation on all-cause and cardiovascular death among patients with HFpEF.

Patients and Methods

Patients with HFpEF were included in this study. Systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) is defined as the multiplication of neutrophil and monocyte divided by lymphocyte count, and patients were divided into four groups based on SIRI quartiles. Cox regression models and competing risk models were used to examine the relationships between SIRI and total and cardiovascular‑specific mortality, respectively.

Results

9,986 patients with HFpEF were included in five tertiary hospitals. During a median follow-up period of 4.4 years, a total of 2004 patients died, of which 965 were cardiovascular deaths. After fully adjusting for confounders, elevated SIRI level was significantly related to the increased risk of all-cause death (Q2, Q3, Q4: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) [95 confidence interval (CI)%] =1.17[1.01-1.35], 1.31[1.13-1.52], 1.51[1.30-1.76], respectively; P for trend <0.001). The elevated quartile of SIRI showed higher risks of cardiovascular death, but there was no statistically significant increased risk of cardiovascular death across the lower SIRI quartile (model 3: Q2, Q3, Q4: aHR [95CI%] =1.22[0.99-1.51], 1.50[1.20-1.86], 1.73[1.37-2.18], respectively; P for trend <0.001).

Conclusion

Elevated systemic inflammation level on admission was correlated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death among patients with HFpEF. The SIRI may serve as a promising marker of risk stratification for patients with HFpEF.

Efficacy and safety evaluation of SGLT2i on blood pressure control in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension: a new meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The clinical efficacy and safety of SGLT2i in treating patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension lack immense data support.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of SGLT2i in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension by collecting the previously published randomized controlled trials on SGLT2i to provide data support for SGLT2i as an adjuvant in the first-line antihypertensive regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials comparing SGLT2i with a placebo in treating type 2 diabetes with hypertension were screened strictly according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The primary efficacy endpoints included 24H systolic blood pressure, 24H diastolic blood pressure, office systolic blood pressure, and office diastolic blood pressure. The secondary efficacy endpoints included HbA1c. The safety indicators were hypoglycemia, urinary tract infection, genital infection, and renal impairment.MD was the combined effect size for continuous variables, and RR was the combined effect size for dichotomous variables.

RESULTS

10 RCTs with 9913 participants (6293 in the SGLT2i group and 3620 in the control group) were included for analysis.SGLT2i is effective in reducing blood pressure compared with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension, 24HSBP (- 5.06 mmHg, 95% CI [- 7.10, - 3.01], t = - 6.19, P < 0.05), 24HDBP (- 2.39 mmHg, 95% CI [- 4.11, - 0.67], t = - 4.15, P = 0.004), Office SBP (- 4.53 mmHg, 95% CI [- 5.66, - 3.40], t = - 9.50, P < 0.05), Office DBP (- 2.12 mmHg, 95% CI [- 3.42, - 0.82], t = - 4.88, P = 0.001). HbA1c decreased significantly (- 0.57%, 95% CI [- 0.60, - 0.54], z = 37.02, p < 0.01). SGLT2i did not increase hypoglycemia compared to placebo (RR = 1.22, 95% CI [0.916, 1.621], z = 1.36 p = 0.174), urinary tract infection (RR = 1.56, 95% CI [0.96, 2.52], z = 1.79 p = 0.073), risk of renal injury (RR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.54, 1.13], Z = 1.31, P = 0.19), but the risk of genital tract infection increased by 2.32 times (RR = 2.32, 95% CI [1.57, 3.42], Z = 4.23, P = 0.00).

CONCLUSION

SGLT2i can effectively control blood pressure and blood glucose and generally has high safety. For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension with a low risk of genital infection, SGLT2i should be considered as an adjuvant drug for a first-line antihypertensive regimen.

Lessons from a pre-specified meta-analysis of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in heart failure: Time for new clinical recommendations

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide with heart failure (HF) being one of the significant contributors to morbidity and mortality. The incidence of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasing, especially in young adults making it a growing public health matter. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to reduce the development, progression, and mortality of heart failure in patients with reduced EF regardless of patients' diabetes status but their clinical benefits in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction are less well-established. Recent trials have shown reductions in cardiovascular death and heart failure events in patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (EF), although with uncertainty around the consistency of clinical benefits across the classes and therapeutic effects. Study and Results: The meta-analysis used data from trials on patients with mildly reduced or preserved EF (DELIVER and EMPEROR-Preserved), reduced EF (DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced), and those hospitalized (SOLOIST-WHF). The endpoints evaluated included a composite of time to cardiovascular (CV) death or first hospitalization for heart failure, cardiovascular death, all-cause death, first and recurrent heart failure hospitalizations, and urgent heart failure visits (not requiring hospitalization). Among 12251 participants in the DELIVER and EMPEROR-Preserved trials, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced composite cardiovascular death or first hospitalization for HF (HR 0.80 [95% CI 0.73-0.87]) with consistent reductions in both components: cardiovascular death (HR 0.88 [95% CI 0.77-1.00]) and first hospitalization for HF (HR 0.74 [95% CI 0.67-0.83]). In the broader analysis of the five trials with a total of 21 947 participants, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the risk of composite cardiovascular death or hospitalization for HF (HR 0.77 [95% CI 0.72-0.82]), cardiovascular death (0.87 [0.79-0.95]), first hospitalization for heart failure (HR 0.72 [95% CI 0.67-0.78]), and all-cause mortality (HR 0.92 [95% CI 0.86-0.99]). These treatment effects for each of the studied endpoints were consistently observed across all five trials and across the HF subgroups, including those on mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

LESSONS LEARNED

SGLT2 inhibitors significantly reduce the risk of mortality and worsening of heart failure and improve patient symptoms and overall health status across the full spectrum of ejection fraction. SGLT2 inhibitors should be considered foundational therapy in all patients with heart failure, irrespective of LVEF or care setting. The results presented propose an update of the recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of heart failure, to prioritize the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients across the full EF spectrum. Future investigations should include the long-term benefits of the use of SGLT2 inhibitors among the different HF subgroups, including the performance of SGLT2 inhibitors in those excluded from the current heart failure trials.

Recent Pharmacological Options in Type 2 Diabetes and Synergic Mechanism in Cardiovascular Disease

Diabetes Mellitus is a multifactorial disease with a critical impact worldwide. During prediabetes, the presence of various inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress will lead to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycemia will lead to micro- and macrovascular complications (cardiovascular disease, heart failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and atherosclerosis). The development through the years of pharmacological options allowed us to reduce the persistence of chronic hyperglycemia and reduce diabetic complications. This review aims to highlight the specific mechanisms with which the new treatments for type 2 diabetes reduce oxidative stress and insulin resistance and improve cardiovascular outcomes.

Safety profile of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors: A brief summary

A new therapeutic class of oral agents firstly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus is represented by gliflozines or sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. SGLT2 inhibitors might be effective alone or in combination with any other drugs. This therapeutic class currently includes five agents: canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and sotagliflozin. SGLT2 inhibitors prevent the renal reabsorption of filtered glucose and sodium by blocking the SGLT2 co-transporters in the proximal convoluted renal tubule, facilitating glucose excretion in the urine (glycosuria) and lowering blood glucose levels. SGLT2 inhibitors have also shown to have pleiotropic effects and determine cardiovascular and renal prevention, thus leading to an extension of their therapeutic indication to include the heart failure. Despite their clinical benefits, warnings about adverse events have been implemented by Regulatory Agencies in the product's information since their introduction to the market. In particular, SGLT2 inhibitors have shown a strong impact on a high number of risk factors. They can cause hypoglycaemia, hypotension, lower limb amputation, fractures, genito-urinary infections, and diabetic ketoacidosis with different frequencies of onset. Despite some of these events are rare, they can lead to serious and dangerous complications, highlighting the importance of a strict monitoring of patients. Overall, SLGT-2 inhibitors are effective antidiabetic drugs with favorable advantages in renal and cardiovascular protection, and with a generally well-tolerated safety profile. This review aims to summarize the safety profile of SGLT2 inhibitors available in the market.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in type 2 diabetes mellitus: from pathophysiology to therapeutics

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM or T2D) is a devastating metabolic abnormality featured by insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. T2D provokes unique metabolic changes and compromises cardiovascular geometry and function. Meanwhile, T2D increases the overall risk for heart failure (HF) and acts independent of classical risk factors including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and valvular heart diseases. The incidence of HF is extremely high in patients with T2D and is manifested as HF with preserved, reduced, and midrange ejection fraction (HFpEF, HFrEF, and HFmrEF, respectively), all of which significantly worsen the prognosis for T2D. HFpEF is seen in approximately half of the HF cases and is defined as a heterogenous syndrome with discrete phenotypes, particularly in close association with metabolic syndrome. Nonetheless, management of HFpEF in T2D remains unclear, largely due to the poorly defined pathophysiology behind HFpEF. Here, in this review, we will summarize findings from multiple preclinical and clinical studies as well as recent clinical trials, mainly focusing on the pathophysiology, potential mechanisms, and therapies of HFpEF in T2D.

The New Role of SGLT2 Inhibitors in the Management of Heart Failure: Current Evidence and Future Perspective

The sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are a relatively new class of medication used in the management of type 2 diabetes. Recent clinical trials and research have demonstrated this class’s effectiveness in treating heart failure, since they reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, hospitalization, and mortality. The mechanism by which they do so is unclear; however, SGLT2i inhibit the tubular reabsorption of glucose, lowering the interstitial volume. This mechanism leads to a reduction in blood pressure and an improvement of endothelial function. As a result, improvements in hospitalization and mortality rate have been shown. In this review, we focus on the primary outcome of the clinical trials designed to investigate the effect of SGLT2i in heart failure, regardless of patients’ diabetic status. Furthermore, we compare the various SGLT2i regarding their risk reduction to investigate their potential as a treatment option for patients with reduced ejection fraction and preserved ejection fraction.

Treatment of advanced heart failure

Background: The development of medical and device treatment of heart failure (HF) has improved the survival and quality of life in HF patients. However, not all HF patients respond well to these up-to-date HF treatments. We have termed these non-responders as advanced HF patients. The definition, diagnosis, and treatment of advanced HF are discussed in this review article.Current Concepts: After current guideline-directed treatments, advanced HF patients can experience aggravation and decompensation, usually resulting in hospitalization for the symptoms and volume control. Recurrent decompensation or hospitalization can cause a vicious cycle between the heart and other vital organs, such as the kidney and liver. Current and up-to-date guidelines recommend treatments, including heart transplant, left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and hospice care, for advanced HF. Given the limitation of heart transplant donors, LVAD can be used as a bridge to transplant, in addition to destination therapy. Updated LVAD system can reduce pump-related thrombosis, stroke, and bleeding.Discussion and Conclusion: Current guidelines suggest early recognition of advanced HF and referral to advanced HF specialists. Despite advances in the treatments of advanced HF, unmet needs for further improving clinical outcomes and quality of life exist.

Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor in patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease

Despite significant advances in the management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), there remains an enormous health problem with high morbidity and mortality over the last few decades. The neprilysin inhibitor enhances the activity of natriuretic peptides, producing vasodilation, natriuresis, and diuresis. Angiotensin receptor blockers inhibit the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Sacubitril/valsartan, a first-in-class angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), has been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes in HFrEF and delay the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with HFrEF. The PARADIGM-HF study showed a reduction in diuretic need in the ARNI group. While the use of diuretics is effective in volume control in patients with HFrEF, their use has the potential to adversely affect renal function. Therefore, ARNI therapy could benefit patients with heart failure and CKD by reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and possibly retarding the progression of CKD, although more clinical evidence is required in patients with severe CKD and end-stage renal disease.

Impact of insulin therapy on the mortality of acute heart failure patients with diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher prevalence of heart failure (HF) than those without it. Approximately 40 % of HF patients have DM and they tend to have poorer outcomes than those without DM. This study evaluated the impact of insulin therapy on mortality among acute HF patients.

METHODS

A total of 1740 patients from the Korean Acute Heart Failure registry with DM were included in this study. The risk of all-cause mortality according to insulin therapy was assessed using the Cox proportional hazard models with inverse probability of treatment weighting to balance the clinical characteristics (pretreatment covariates) between the groups.

RESULTS

DM patients had been treated with either oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) alone (n = 620), insulin alone (n = 682), or insulin combined with OHAs (n = 438). The insulin alone group was associated with an increased mortality risk compared with the OHA alone group (HR = 1.41, 95 % CI 1.21-1.66]). Insulin therapy combined with OHAs also showed an increased mortality risk (HR = 1.29, 95 % CI 1.14-1.46) compared with the OHA alone group. Insulin therapy was consistently associated with increased mortality risk, regardless of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or HF etiology. A significant increase in mortality was observed in patients with good glycemic control (HbA1c < 7.0 %) receiving insulin, whereas there was no significant association in patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Insulin therapy was found to be associated with increased mortality compared to OHAs. The insulin therapy was harmful especially in patients with low HbA1c levels which may suggest the necessity of specific management strategies and blood sugar targets when using insulin in patients with HF.