Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in acute heart failure: real-world prescription trends and outcomes analysis

Aims: Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have shown potential therapeutic benefits in heart failure (HF). However, data on their real-world usage and benefits in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) are limited. Methods and results: We conducted a post hoc analysis of real-world data from 1108 patients with ADHF admitted to Nihon University Itabashi Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) between 2018 and 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on the prescription of SGLT2 inhibitors during hospitalization: an SGLT2 inhibitor group (SGLT2i group) (n = 289) and a non-SGLT2i group (n = 819). The primary endpoints were death and rehospitalization for HF after discharge. The median age was 76 [interquartile range (IQR): 66, 83] years, and 732 patients (66%) were male. Data showed an increasing trend in the prescription of SGLT2 inhibitors since 2021. During a median follow-up period of 366 days (IQR: 116, 614), 458 (41.3%) patients reached the primary endpoint. The Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the SGLT2i group had a significantly lower rate of composite events than the non-SGLT2i group, both overall (log-rank test, P < 0.001) and in the following left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) subgroups: HF with reduced ejection fraction (EF) (n = 413), HF with mildly reduced EF (n = 226), and HF with preserved EF (n = 466) (log-rank test; P = 0.044, P = 0.013, and P = 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, patients starting SGLT2 inhibitors during hospitalization had a significantly lower rate of composite events than those not using SGLT2 inhibitors (log-rank test, P < 0.001). This association was also significant in the LVEF subgroups (P = 0.005, P = 0.032, and P = 0.004, respectively). Conclusions: The prescription and initiation of SGLT2 inhibitors during hospitalization are associated with improved post-discharge outcomes in patients with ADHF, irrespective of LVEF.