The impact of thiazolidinedione use on outcomes in ambulatory patients with diabetes mellitus and heart failure

Objectives This study sought to examine the relationship between thiazolidinedione (TZD) use and outcomes in ambulatory patients with diabetes and heart failure (HF). Background Thiazolidinediones have been relatively contraindicated in diabetic patients with HF. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of a national cohort of veterans with HF and diabetes treated in ambulatory clinics at Veterans Affairs medical centers. Patients were classified into those using TZDs and those not using insulin-sensitizing medication based on prescriptions filled 90 days before or 30 days after the index outpatient visit. The outcomes were time to hospitalization for HF and time to death. Results Of 7,147 ambulatory HF patients receiving diabetic therapy, 818 (11.4%) were receiving a TZD and 4,700 (65.8%) were not receiving insulin sensitizers. Over 2 years of follow-up, 134 (16.4%) patients receiving TZDs and 741 (15.8%) patients not receiving insulin-sensitizing medications required HF hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 1.24, p = 0.97). A total of 168 (20.5%) patients receiving TZDs and 1,192 (25.4%) patients not receiving insulin-sensitizing medications died (adjusted hazard ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 1.17, p = 0.80). Conclusions In ambulatory patients with established HF and diabetes, the use of TZDs was not associated with an increased risk of HF hospitalization or total mortality when compared with those not receiving insulin-sensitizing medications.