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Impact of eplerenone on cardiovascular outcomes in heart failure patients with hypokalaemia
Author(s) -
Rossignol Patrick,
Girerd Nicolas,
Bakris George,
Vardeny Orly,
Claggett Brian,
McMurray John J.V.,
Swedberg Karl,
Krum Henry,
van Veldhuisen Dirk J.,
Shi Harry,
Spanyers Sean,
Vincent John,
Fay Renaud,
Lamiral Zohra,
Solomon Scott D.,
Zannad Faiez,
Pitt Bertram
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1002/ejhf.688
Subject(s) - eplerenone , medicine , heart failure , spironolactone , hazard ratio , placebo , cardiology , mineralocorticoid receptor , clinical endpoint , confidence interval , aldosterone , randomized controlled trial , alternative medicine , pathology
Aims Although hypokalaemia is common among patients with heart failure ( HF ), the prognostic significance of baseline hypokalaemia and hypokalaemia during follow‐up in HF patients receiving a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist ( MRA ) remains uncertain. Methods and results Results of the EMPHASIS‐HF trial in patients ( n = 2737) with HF and reduced EF with mild symptoms, randomized to eplerenone or placebo, were analysed with regard to the presence or occurrence of hypokalaemia (serum K + <4.0 mmol/L) and the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for HF (primary endpoint). Median follow‐up was 21 months. Baseline hypokalaemia and hypokalaemia during follow‐up were common occurrences (19.6% and 40.6%, respectively). Hypokalaemia during follow‐up was associated with worse outcomes in multivariable analyses [hazard ratio ( HR ) 1.26, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) 1.05–1.52, P = 0.01] without evidence of interaction with eplerenone. In contrast, baseline hypokalaemia was associated with outcomes in the placebo group ( HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.05–1.79, P = 0.02) but not in the eplerenone group ( HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.62–1.23, P = 0.44; P for interaction = 0.04). Concurrently, eplerenone was found to be more protective in patients with baseline hypokalaemia vs. patients without baseline hypokalaemia compared with placebo ( HR 0.44, 95% 0.30–0.64, P < 0.0001 vs. 0.69, 95% CI 0.57–0.83, P = 0.0001; P for interaction = 0.04). In patients without baseline hypokalaemia, eplerenone use decreased the rate of hypokalaemia during follow‐up ( HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.59–0.80, P < 0.001). A potassium level >4.0 mmol/L at 1 month after randomization mediated 26.0% (0.6–51.4%) of the eplerenone treatment effect ( P = 0.04). Conclusion In HF patients receiving optimal therapy but not treated with eplerenone, baseline hypokalaemia was associated with worse outcomes. Conversely, hypokalaemia amplified the treatment effect of eplerenone.