Heart failure & cardiomyopathies

Optimization of Evidence-Based Heart Failure Medications After an Acute Heart Failure Admission: A Secondary Analysis of the STRONG-HF Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA CardiolPublished Secondary analysis of the STRONG-HF randomised trial

Primary result · 180-day HF readmission or all-cause death, per 10% increase in average percentage optimal doseResult — go to the resultAdjusted hazard ratio 0.89 95% CI 0.81–0.98

Authors' conclusion

Results of this post hoc analysis of the STRONG-HF randomized clinical trial show that, among patients randomly assigned to high-intensity care, achieving higher doses of HF GDMT 2 weeks after discharge was feasible and safe in most patients.

Study context

Population
Patients with acute HF not on optimal guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) doses, assigned high-intensity care in STRONG-HFhigh-intensity care
Participants
515 patients
Comparison
Achieved GDMT dose categories within high-intensity care
  • Lown = 39reference
  • Mediumn = 254
  • Highn = 222
Primary endpoint
HF readmission or all-cause death
Follow-up
180 days after discharge
Methodological detailspost hoc, time-dependent Cox regression
  • Post hoc
  • Time-dependent Cox regression

Primary result

As reported in the abstract

180-day HF readmission or all-cause death, per 10% increase in average percentage optimal dose · 180 days

Adjusted hazard ratio

0.89

95% CI 0.81–0.98

P = 0.01

+10% average optimal dose
aHR 0.89 (95% CI 0.81–0.98); P = 0.01

Per 10% increase in average percentage optimal, as printed

Further findings

OutcomeaHR (95% CI)P value
180-day all-cause mortality, per 10% increase in dose0.84 (0.73–0.95)P = 0.007
OutcomeMean difference (points) (95% CI)P value
Change in quality of life (EQ-5D visual analog scale) · 90 daysMediumvs Low0.10 (−4.88 to 5.07)P = 0.07
Change in quality of life (EQ-5D visual analog scale) · 90 daysHighvs Low3.13 (−1.98 to 8.24)P = 0.07

Predictors of uptitration · week 2

Lower BP and more congestion less likely to be uptitrated to optimal GDMT doses

Safety

Adverse events · to day 90

Less frequent with higher GDMT doses at week 2

Original publication

Optimization of Evidence-Based Heart Failure Medications After an Acute Heart Failure Admission: A Secondary Analysis of the STRONG-HF Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Cardiol. Published 1 February 2024. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2023.4553

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