It is unknown whether a response to tolvaptan (TLV) is related to prognosis in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We selected 25 patients as responders by their urinary response to TLV and by reduction of loop diuretics from 37 consecutive ADHF patients treated with TLV. As a control group, we selected 25 patients from 100 consecutive ADHF patients who were not treated with TLV by propensity score matching for age, serum sodium level, serum creatinine level, plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and dose of loop diuretics. The primary outcome was defined as a composite endpoint of mortality and/or hemodialysis. The amount of loop diuretics administered to responders was reduced by TLV from 68.8 ± 26.2 mg to 30.4 ± 18.6 mg of furosemide equivalents per day, whereas the loop diuretic dose administered to non-responders was increased. The event-free survival of the TLV responders during 20 months was significantly better than that of the control group (95.8% versus 68.4%, P = 0.0406). The TLV responders, plasma BNP level, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were significantly related to the events in the Cox proportional hazard analysis. Patients with ADHF who respond to TLV may have a better prognosis than propensity-matched patients not receiving TLV treatment. In TLV responders, it may be possible to improve the patient's prognosis if the dose of loop diuretics can be reduced with TLV therapy.
Keywords: Hemodialysis; Propensity score; Vasopressin antagonist; Worsening renal function.