GLP-1-ra and heart failure-related outcomes in patients with and without history of heart failure: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-ra) have shown to reduce cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with diabetes, including heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. However, whether such benefit consistently occurs in patients with history of HF remains uncertain. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of GLP1-ra on CV outcomes in patients with and without HF history.

All randomized, placebo-controlled trials evaluating GLP1-ra and reporting CV outcomes stratified by HF history were searched in Pubmed from inception to November 12th, 2023. The primary outcome was HF hospitalizations. Secondary outcomes included CV death, the composite of CV death and hospitalizations for HF, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) were used as effect estimates and calculated with a random-effects model. 68,653 patients (GLP1-ra = 34,301, placebo = 34,352) from 10 trials were included. GLP1-ra reduced HF hospitalization (no HF: HR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.63–0.98; HF: HR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.82–1.24, p_interaction = 0.12), CV death (no HF: HR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.71–0.92; HF: HR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.81–1.15, p_interaction = 0.11), and the composite of HF hospitalizations and CV death (no HF: HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.72–0.89; HF: HR = 1.00 95% CI 0.88–1.15, p_interaction = 0.010) only in patients without history of HF, despite a significant interaction between HF history and treatment effect was detected only for the latter. MACE were reduced in both subgroups without significant interaction between HF history and treatment effect (no HF: HR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.78–0.96; HF: HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.72–0.95, p_interaction = 0.69).

GLP1-ra do not decrease HF-hospitalization risk, despite a potential benefit in patients without history of HF, but are effective in reducing ischemic events irrespective of the presence of HF.

PROSPERO-registered (CRD42022371264).