Left ventricular reverse remodeling after combined ARNI and SGLT2 therapy in heart failure patients with reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction

Background: Cardiac remodeling is an adverse phenomenon linked to heart failure (HF) progression. Cardiac remodeling could represent the real therapeutic goal in the treatment of patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), being potentially reversed through different pharmacotherapies. Currently, there are well-established drugs such as ACEi/ARBs and β-blockers with anti-remodeling effects. More recently, ARNI effects on cardiac remodeling were also demonstrated; additional potential benefits of gliflozins remain non clearly demonstrated.

Aim of study: To evaluate possible changes in cardiac remodeling in patients with HFrEF/HFmrEF in treatment with ARNI or ARNI plus SGLT2i and the potential benefit on cardiac remodeling of adding SGLT2i to ARNI.

Methods: Between June 2021 and August 2023, 100 consecutive patients with HFrEF/HFmrEF underwent conventional and advanced echocardiography (TDI, 2DSTE): patients were therefore divided into three groups according to therapy with neither ARNI nor SGLT2i, just ARNI or both. After 3 months, all patients underwent echocardiographic follow-up.

Results: After a 3 months of therapy, significant improvements were observed for LVEF, LVEDD, LVEDV, LVESV, LV mass, E/e', LV GLS, TAPSE (ANOVA p< 0.01 in all cases), RV S' velocity (ANOVA p< 0.001).The trend in favor of additional treatment with SGTL2i over ARNI remained statistically significant even after multivariable analysis (p< 0.001 for LVEF, LVEDD; p< 0.01 for LV GLS, TAPSE, TRVS; p< 0.05 for LV mass).

Conclusions: SGLT2i therapy when added to the standard treatment for HFrEF and HFmrEF is associated with an improved biventricular function and ventricular dimensions at follow-up.