Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Heart Failure with Malnutrition, Frailty, Sarcopenia, or Cachexia

Abstract

(1) Background: In patients with heart failure (HF) and impaired nutritional status or decreased muscle mass, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) may worsen these conditions and result in poor prognosis, especially worsening of frailty. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SGLT2is and clinical outcomes, including frailty-related events, in patients with HF and malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, or cachexia. (2) Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, a global federated health research network provided data on patients with HF and malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, or cachexia from January 2016 to December 2021. We investigated the incidence of the composite endpoint of death or frailty-related events within one year. (3) Results: Among 214,778 patients included in the analysis, 4715 were treated with SGLT2is. After propensity score matching, 4697 patients in the SGLT2is group were matched with 4697 patients in the non-SGLT2is groups. The incidence of the composite endpoint, mortality, and frailty-related events was lower in the SGLT2is group than in the non-SGLT2is group (composite endpoint, 65.6% versus 77.6%, p < 0.001; mortality, 17.4% vs. 35.5%, p < 0.001; frailty-related events, 59.4% vs. 64.3%, p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Patients with HF and malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, or cachexia had a high incidence of death and frailty-related events. SGLT2is were associated with a lower incidence of these events.