Clinical Determinants and Prognostic Implications of Renin and Aldosterone in Patients with Symptomatic Heart Failure

Aims Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays an important role in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF) and has been associated with poor prognosis. There are limited data on the associations of renin and aldosterone levels with clinical profiles, treatment response, and study outcomes in patients with HF. Methods and results We analysed 2,039 patients with available baseline renin and aldosterone levels in BIOSTAT-CHF (a systems BIOlogy study to Tailored Treatment in Chronic Heart Failure). The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause mortality or HF hospitalization. We also investigated changes in renin and aldosterone levels after administration of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) in a subset of the EPHESUS trial and in an acute HF cohort (PORTO). In BIOSTAT-CHF study, median renin and aldosterone levels were 85.3 (percentile(25-75) = 28-247) mu IU/mL and 9.4 (percentile(25-75) = 4.4-19.8) ng/dL, respectively. Prior HF admission, lower blood pressure, sodium, poorer renal function, and MRA treatment were associated with higher renin and aldosterone. Higher renin was associated with an increased rate of the primary outcome [highest vs. lowest renin tertile: adjusted-HR (95% CI) = 1.47 (1.16-1.86), P = 0.002], whereas higher aldosterone was not [highest vs. lowest aldosterone tertile: adjusted-HR (95% CI) = 1.16 (0.93-1.44), P = 0.19]. Renin and/or aldosterone did not improve the BIOSTAT-CHF prognostic models. The rise in aldosterone with the use of MRAs was observed in EPHESUS and PORTO studies. Conclusions Circulating levels of renin and aldosterone were associated with both the disease severity and use of MRAs. By reflecting both the disease and its treatments, the prognostic discrimination of these biomarkers was poor. Our data suggest that the "point" measurement of renin and aldosterone in HF is of limited clinical utility

N-Terminal Pro–B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) Measurements Until a 30% Reduction Is Attained During Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Admissions and Comparison With Discharge NT-proBNP Levels: Implications for In-Hospital Guidance of Treatment

AbstractBackgroundA >30% N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) reduction at discharge in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) predicts a favorable prognosis. To study the feasibility of guiding ADHF treatment by measuring NT-proBNP well before discharge, we assessed at which moment during hospitalization patients attain a NT-proBNP reduction of >30% (target) and whether this target is still attained at discharge.MethodsTwenty-five consecutive ADHF patients with NT-proBNP >1,700 ng/L were included (original cohort). NT-proBNP was measured daily until the target was attained, at clinical stability, and at discharge and was analyzed as percentages of patients on target. For comparison purposes, the same analysis was performed in individual patient data from 2 other ADHF cohorts (42 and 111 patients, respectively), in which NT-proBNP was measured from admission to day 3 and at discharge.ResultsIn the original cohort of 25 patients (median age 70 years, 40% male), the cumulative percentage of patients attaining the target increased gradually during admission to 22 patients (88%) in a median of 3 days (interquartile range 2–5). In the comparison cohorts, a similar course was observed in patients attaining the target before discharge. Compared with levels measured at days 2 and 3, rebound NT-proBNP increases to levels off-target at discharge were seen in up to 33% of patients in the original and comparison cohorts.ConclusionA target >30% NT-proBNP reduction is gradually attained before discharge, and rebound NT-proBNP increases to levels off-target occur in up to 33% of ADHF patients who initially attained target early during admission

Eplerenone prevents an increase in serum carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I after myocardial infarction complicated by left ventricular dysfunction and/or heart failure

No abstract available

Estimating the Lifetime Benefits of Treatments for Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared ways of describing treatment effects. The objective was to better explain to clinicians and patients what they might expect from a given treatment, not only in terms of relative and absolute risk reduction, but also in projections of long-term survival. BACKGROUND: The restricted mean survival time (RMST) can be used to estimate of long-term survival, providing a complementary approach to more conventional metrics (e.g., absolute and relative risk), which may suggest greater benefits of therapy in high-risk patients compared with low-risk patients. METHODS: Relative and absolute risk, as well as the RMST, were calculated in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) trials. RESULTS: As examples, in the RALES trial (more severe HFrEF), the treatment effect metrics for spironolactone versus placebo on heart failure hospitalization and/or cardiovascular death were a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5 to 0.77), number needed to treat = 9 (7 to 14), and age extension of event-free survival +1.1 years (-0.1 to + 2.3 years). The corresponding metrics for EMPHASIS-HF (eplerenone vs. placebo in less severe HFrEF) were 0.64 (0.54 to 0.75), 14 (1 to 22), and +2.9 (1.2 to 4.5). In patients in PARADIGM-HF aged younger than 65 years, the metrics for sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril were 0.77 (95% CI: 0.68 to 0.88), 23 (15 to 44), and +1.7 (0.6 to 2.8) years; for those aged 65 years or older, the metrics were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73 to 0.94), 29 (17 to 83), and +0.9 (0.2 to 1.6) years, which provided evidence of a greater potential life extension in younger patients. Similar observations were found for lower risk patients. CONCLUSIONS: RMST event-free (and overall) survival estimates provided a complementary means of evaluating the effect of therapy in relation to age and risk. They also provided a clinically useful metric that should be routinely reported and used to explain the potential long-term benefits of a given treatment, especially to younger and less symptomatic patients

Sex differences in circulating proteins in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Background Many patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are women. Exploring mechanisms underlying the sex differences may improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of HFpEF. Studies focusing on sex differences in circulating proteins in HFpEF patients are scarce. Methods A total of 415 proteins were analyzed in 392 HFpEF patients included in The Metabolic Road to Diastolic Heart Failure: Diastolic Heart Failure study (MEDIA-DHF). Sex differences in these proteins were assessed using adjusted logistic regression analyses. The associations between candidate proteins and cardiovascular (CV) death or CV hospitalization (with sex interaction) were assessed using Cox regression models. Results We found 9 proteins to be differentially expressed between female and male patients. Women expressed more LPL and PLIN1, which are markers of lipid metabolism; more LHB, IGFBP3, and IL1RL2 as markers of transcriptional regulation; and more Ep-CAM as marker of hemostasis. Women expressed less MMP-3, which is a marker associated with extracellular matrix organization; less NRP1, which is associated with developmental processes; and less ACE2, which is related to metabolism. Sex was not associated with the study outcomes (adj. HR 1.48, 95% CI 0.83–2.63), p = 0.18. Conclusion In chronic HFpEF, assessing sex differences in a wide range of circulating proteins led to the identification of 9 proteins that were differentially expressed between female and male patients. These findings may help further investigations into potential pathophysiological processes contributing to HFpEF

Determinants of anti-fibrotic response to mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist therapy: insights from the Eplerenone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS) and Early Eplerenone Treatment in Patients with Acute ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction without Heart Failure (REMINDER) trials

International audienceINTRODUCTION:After myocardial infarction complicated by heart failure or diabetes, eplerenone (compared to placebo) significantly decreases amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP). Determining the subset of patients who are more prone to have a decrease in PIIINP and those who may respond better to the anti-fibrotic effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) therapy may be relevant for a personalized treatment approach. The aim of this study is to identify predictors of a PIIINP decrease and assess potential subgroups of "responders" to eplerenone.METHODS:Clinical factors and biomarkers were evaluated as predictors of a PIIINP decrease from randomization to month 9 in 323 patients from the biomarker substudy of Eplerenone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS). Additionally, the association between PIIINP decrease and the composite of cardiovascular (CV) death or CV hospitalization were also explored. External validation was performed in the REMINDER trial.RESULTS:Female sex, eplerenone, reperfusion therapy, potassium < 4 mmol/L, circulating levels of PIIINP ≥ 3.6 ng/mL and PINP ≥ 27 ng/mL predicted a PIIINP decrease (AUC = 0.75). Randomization PIIINP showed a significant interaction with the treatment allocation: patients with PIIINP ≥ 3.6 ng/mL had a better response (decrease in PIIINP) to eplerenone (OR for PIIINP ≥ 3.6 = 2.9, 95% CI 1.46-5.89, p = 0.003) and OR for PIIINP < 3.6 = 1.09, 95% CI 0.55-2.2, p = 0.8; interactionp = 0.026). These findings were internally robust using another statistical approach (LOESS). External validation showed good discrimination (AUC = 0.70). There was a tendency toward a lower rate of CV death/CV hospitalizations in patients with decreased PIIINP (adjusted HR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.26-1.02, p = 0.058).CONCLUSION:In patients who had a myocardial infarction, clinical factors used in combination and treatment with eplerenone were associated with a PIIINP decrease. Interestingly, higher randomization PIIINP levels might help in identifying patients more prone to have an "anti-fibrotic response" when treated with MRAs. Predictors of an antifibrotic response after MI complicated by HF. Several clinical factors and biomarkers predicted a PIIINP decrease after an MI complicated by HF. There was a significant interaction between baseline PIIINP levels and eplerenone treatment: patients with baseline PIIINP ≥ 3.6 mmol/L treated with eplerenone had the best response (PIIINP decrease)

Serum microRNAs and antifibrotic response to eplerenone in acute myocardial infarction complicated by systolic dysfunction

International audienceBackgroundAfter myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by heart failure (HF), eplerenone reduced serum concentrations of amino-terminal propeptide of type III collagen (PIIINP) and carboxy-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PICP). Determining a subgroup who are more prone to decrease their collagen content and to respond better to the antifibrotic effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) may be relevant for a personalized treatment approach. Whether circulating microRNAs may identify a subgroup that have experienced a more pronounced antifibrotic effect of eplerenone as measured by a PICP and PIIINP decrease is unclear.MethodsA set of circulating microRNAs linked to cardiac fibrosis (mir-1, mir-21, mir-29a, mir-29b, mir-101, mir-122, mir-133a) were measured at baseline in 198 patients in the biomarker substudy of Eplerenone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS). Associations between baseline microRNA levels and changes in both PIIINP and PICP from baseline to month 9 were studied using multivariable analysis of covariance, adjusting for age, sex, history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, prescription of ACE-inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, baseline PIIINP or PICP, and eplerenone treatment. Furthermore, a treatment-by-microRNA interaction was studied.ResultsFrom the selected microRNAs, only mir-133a was associated with a PICP decrease (ß-6.43, 95%CI-12.71 to −0.15,p = 0.045). None of the microRNAs was associated with a PIIINP change. The microRNAs did not predict an effect of eplerenone on PICP and PIIINP changes.ConclusionAlthough serum mir-133a was associated with PICP change, none of the microRNAs previously linked to cardiac fibrosis predicted an antifibrotic response to eplerenone. Further study is needed to identify other suitable targets for a personalized treatment approach

Bias in natriuretic peptide-guided heart failure trials: time to improve guideline adherence using alternative approaches

International audienceTreatment of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) with currently available therapies reduces morbidity and mortality. However, implementation of these therapies is a problem with only few patients achieving guideline-recommended maximal doses of therapy. In an effort to improve guideline adherence and uptitration, several trials have investigated a biomarker-guided strategy (using natriuretic peptide targets in specific), but although conceptually promising, these trials failed to show a consistent beneficial effect on outcomes. In this review, we discuss different methodological issues that may explain the failure of these trials and offer potential solutions. Moreover, alternative approaches to increase heart failure guideline adherence are evaluated