Heart failure & cardiomyopathies
Effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors on haemoglobin and haematocrit levels in heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Pooled result · HbMD 0.68 g/dl 95% CI 0.53–0.83- systematic review and meta-analysis
- random-effects model
+1 more
- random-effects model
Authors' conclusion
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors significantly increase levels of Hb and Hct in patients with HF. Further research is warranted to assess clinical significance in relation to Hb and Hct changes in patients with pre-existing anaemia or renal dysfunction.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with heart failure (HF) treated with SGLT2 inhibitors compared to control subjects, in randomized controlled trialsSeventeen randomized controlled trials (RCTs), mean age 68.65 years, 65.56% male
- Participants
- 16,784 patients
- Comparison
- HF patients treated with SGLT2 inhibitors compared to control subjects
Pooled result
Haemoglobin (Hb)
MD
0.68 g/dl
95% CI 0.53–0.83
P < 0.0001
SGLT2 inhibitors vs controls
MD 0.68 g/dl (95% CI 0.53–0.83); P < 0.0001
As reported in the abstract
Further pooled results
| Outcome | MD (%) (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hct · I2 = 66.6%; increased with SGLT2 inhibitors | 2.15 (1.73–2.57) | P < 0.0001 | |
| −2024Difference, % (linear scale) |
Subgroup analyses
- Consistent benefits across individual SGLT2 inhibitors, duration of follow-up (≥6 months vs <6 months), and comparator type (placebo vs active control)
Publication bias
- No evidence of publication bias
Original publication
Effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors on haemoglobin and haematocrit levels in heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ESC Heart Fail. Published 19 January 2026. doi:10.1093/eschf/xvag027
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it