Dapagliflozin in Patients With Heart Failure and Deterioration in Renal Function

BACKGROUND Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are guideline recommended in the management of heart failure (HF). Although these therapies can be initiated even in patients with comorbid chronic kidney disease, some patients may face deterioration of kidney function over time.OBJECTIVES In this study, the authors sought to examine the safety and efficacy of continuing SGLT2 inhibitors in HF when the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) falls below thresholds for initiation.METHODS Associations between a deterioration of eGFR to <25 mL/min/1.73 m(2), efficacy, and safety outcomes and treatment with dapagliflozin were evaluated in time-updated Cox proportional hazard models in a participant-level pooled analysis of the DAPA-HF (Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on the Incidence of Worsening Heart Failure or Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure) and DELIVER (Dapagliflozin Evaluation to Improve the Lives of Patients With Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure) trials.RESULTS Among 11,007 patients, 347 (3.2%) experienced a deterioration of eGFR to <25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at least once in follow-up. These patients had a higher risk of the primary composite outcome (HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.48-2.35; P < 0.001). The risk of the primary outcome was lower with dapagliflozin compared with placebo among patients who did (HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.33-0.83) as well as did not (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.72-0.86) experience deterioration of eGFR to <25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P-interaction = 0.17). The risk of safety outcomes, including drug discontinuation, was higher among patients with deterioration of eGFR to <25 mL/min/1.73 m(2); however, rates remained similar between treatment groups including among those who remained on study drug.CONCLUSIONS Patients with deterioration of eGFR to <25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) had elevated risks of cardiovascular outcomes yet appeared to benefit from continuation of dapagliflozin with no excess in safety outcomes between treatment groups. The benefit-to-risk ratio may favor continuation of dapagliflozin treatment in patients with HF experiencing deterioration of kidney function. Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on the Incidence of Worsening Heart Failure or Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure [DAPA-HF]; NCT03036124; and Dapagliflozin Evaluation to Improve the Lives of Patients With Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure [DELIVER]; NCT03619213).

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of continuing SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure (HF) patients with a decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) below a certain threshold. The study found that patients with eGFR decline to <25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) had a higher risk of cardiovascular adverse events, but continuation of dapagliflozin treatment had no excess in safety outcomes and showed benefits in these patients.