GISSI-HF
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Clinical Question
In patients with heart failure, does n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) reduce all-cause mortality and hospital admission for CV disease, as compared to placebo?
Bottom Line
In patients with heart failure, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) reduces all-cause mortality and hospital admission for CV disease, as compared to placebo.
Major Points
GISSI-HF studied the effect of PUFA in patients with symptomatic heart failure (NYHA class II-IV), with the co-primary outcomes being all-cause mortality, and all-cause mortality, or hospital admission for CV reasons.[1]
Patients were randomized to receive PUFA 1 g daily (n=3,494) or placebo (n=3,481). Patients who received PUFA had a lower all-cause mortality (27% vs. 29% in placebo; adjusted HR 0·91; 95·5% CI 0·833-0·998; P=0·041; NNT=56). A benefit on all-cause mortality or hospital admission was seen as well (57% vs. 59% in placebo; adjusted HR 0·92; 99% CI 0·849-0·999; P=0·009; NNT=44). The most frequent adverse reaction, gastrointestinal symptoms, were observed equally in both group (3%).
In a substudy involving 608 heart failure patients, the authors reported that PUFA was associated with significant LVEF improvement (11.5% vs. 9.9% at 3-years in PUFA vs. placebo; P=0.005).[2] In a separate paper, the investigators also reported that rosuvastatin did not reduce all-cause mortality or hospital admission for CV reasons in patients with heart failure.[3] Similarly, the CORONA trial did not observe any benefit of rosuvastatin on the primary outcome of CV death, nonfatal MI, or nonfatal stroke.[3] However, hospitalization for CV reason was reduced.
A meta-analysis published in 2012 reported the effect of PUFA on all-cause mortality (17 trials, n=51,264; RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.89-1.01) and CV mortality (14 trials, n=48,500; RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83-0.96). The maximal benefits were seen at a mean daily intake of 0.20 grams.
Guidelines
AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure (2022, adapted)[4]
- In patients with HF class II to IV symptoms, PUFA supplementation may be reasonable to use as adjunctive therapy to reduce mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations (class 2B, LOR B-R).
Design
- Multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
- N=6,975
- PUFA 1 g daily (n=3,494)
- Placebo (n=3,481)
- Setting: 357 centers in Italy
- Enrollment: 2002-2005
- Follow-up: median 3.9 years
- Analysis: Intention-to-treat
- Primary outcomes: All-cause mortality or CV hospitalization
Population
Inclusion Criteria
- Age ≥18 years
- Heart failure
- NYHA class II-IV symptoms
- LVEF measured within 3 months prior to enrollment. For patients with LVEF >40%, they need to have ≥1 hospital admission for heart failure in the preceding year
Exclusion Criteria
- Indication or contraindication to PUFA
- Hypersensitivity to PUFA
- Noncardiac illness that may limit long-term follow-up
- Investigational treatment within 1 month prior to randomization
- ACS or revascularization within 1 month prior to randomization
- Cardiac surgery scheduled within 3 months after randomization
- Significant liver disease
- Pregnancy or lactation
Baseline Characteristics
From the PUFA group.
- Demographics: age 67±11 years, females 22.2%
- Heart failure:
- NYHA Class II (63·7%), III (33·7%), IV (2.6%)
- LVEF 33±8.5%
- Admission for HF in the previous year 50%
- Etiology: ischemic 49.1%, dilatative 30.1%, hypertensive 14.1%, other 3.1%, unknown 33.6%
- Medical history:
- MI 41.8%, PCI 12.2%, CABG 17.6%
- hypertension 54%, DM 28.4%, hypercholesterolemia 63.3%, peripheral vascular disease 8.4%, stroke 4.8%, current smoker 14.4%, AF 19.5%; ICD 7.1%, pacemaker 13.5%
- COPD 21.2%, neoplasia 3.6%
- Clinical measurements: systolic BP 126±18 mm Hg, diastolic BP 77±10 mm Hg; heart rate 72±13 beats/min; BMI 27±5 kg/m²
- Medications: ACE inhibitor 77.2%, ARB 19.3%, antiplatelet agents 48.8%, statin 22.3%, beta-blocker 65.1%, spironolactone 38.6%, diuretics 89.5%, digoxin 37.1%, anticoagulant 29.4%, calcium-channel blocker 9.8%, nitrates 35.4%, amiodarone 19.1%
Interventions
- Patients randomized to receive PUFA PO 1 g (850-882 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as ethyl esters in 1:1·2 average ratio) or placebo.
- Follow-up at 1, 3, 6, 12 months and every 6 months thereafter
- Compliance was defined as administration of drug for ≥80% observed days
- Patients also received optimal medical therapy for heart failure
- In the study, patients were also randomized to receive rosuvastatin 10 mg PO or placebo.
Outcomes
Comparisons are PUFA vs. placebo
Primary Outcome
- All-cause mortality
- 27% vs. 29% (adjusted HR 0·91; 95·5% CI 0·833-0·998; P=0·041; NNT=56); (unadjusted HR 0·93; 95·5% CI 0·852-1·021; P=0·124)
- heart failure accounted for the most number of deaths: 9.1% vs. 9.5%
- All-cause mortality or hospital admission for CV reasons
- 57% vs. 59% (adjusted HR 0·92; 99% CI 0·849-0·999; P=0·009; NNT=44); (unadjusted HR 0·94; 99% CI 0·869-1·022; P=0·059)
Secondary Outcomes
- CV mortality
- 20·4% vs. 22·0% (adjusted HR 0·9; 95% CI 0·81-0·99; P=0·045); (unadjusted HR 0·92; 95% CI 0·83-1·02; P=0·121)
- Sudden cardiac death
- 8.8% vs. 9.3% (adjusted HR 0·93; 99% CI 0·79-1.08; P=0·333); (unadjusted HR 0·94; 95% CI 0·8-1·1; P=0·413)
- Hospitalization
- 56.8% vs. 58.3% (adjusted HR 0·94; 95% CI 0·88-1·00; P=0·049); (unadjusted HR 0·96; 95% CI 0·90-1·02; P=0·178)
- Hospitalization for CV reason
- 46.8% vs. 48.5% (adjusted HR 0·93; 95% CI 0·87-0·99; P=0·026); (unadjusted HR 0·95; 95% CI 0·89-1·02; P=0·122)
- Hospitalization for heart failure
- 28% vs. 28.6% (adjusted HR 0·94; 95% CI 0·86-1·02; P=147); (unadjusted HR 0·97; 95% CI 0·89-1·06; P=0·511)
- CV mortality or hospitalization due to any reason
- 61.7% vs. 63.3% (adjusted HR 0·94; 95% CI 0·89-0.99; P=0·043); (unadjusted HR 0·96; 95% CI 0·90-1·02; P=0·159)
- Fatal and non-fatal MI
- 3.1% vs. 3.7% (adjusted HR 0.82; 95% CI 0·63-1.06; P=0·121); (unadjusted HR 0·82; 95% CI 0·64-1·06; P=0·135)
- Fatal and non-fatal stroke
- 3.5% vs. 3% (adjusted HR 1.16; 95% CI 0·89-1.51; P=0·271); (unadjusted HR 1.18; 95% CI 0·91-1·53; P=0·225)
- Ischemic: 2.8% vs. 2.3%
- Hemorrhagic: 0.4% vs. 0.3%
Subgroup Analysis
No significant interaction for age, LV function, etiology of heart failure, NYHA class, the presence of diabetes, total cholesterol level.
Adverse Events
- Resulting in withdrawing from treatment
- 2.9% vs. 3% (P=0.87)
- GI disorder: 96 vs. 92 patients
- Allergy: 3 vs. 9 patients
- Liver dysfunction: 1 vs. 1 patient
- Lipid abnormality: 0 vs. 1 patient
- Hepatocellular jaundice: 0 vs. 1 patient
- Subdural hematoma: 1 vs. 0 patient
- Muscle-related symptom: 1 vs. 0 patient
- Subdural hematoma: 1 vs 0 patient
Criticisms
- It has been questioned if dietary intake of PUFA may confound the study findings. Data on dietary habits of the trial patients were not published together with the main paper.[5]
- The use of glitazones, which may increase the risk of heart failure, was not recorded in the study.[5]
Funding
- Società Prodotti Antibiotici, Pfizer, Sigma Tau, and AstraZeneca
Further Reading
- ↑ Tavazzi L et al. Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with chronic heart failure (the GISSI-HF trial): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2008. 372:1223-30.
- ↑ Ghio S et al. Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and of rosuvastatin on left ventricular function in chronic heart failure: a substudy of GISSI-HF trial. Eur J Heart Fail 2010. 12:1345-53.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Trikalinos TA, Lee J, Moorthy D, Yu WW, Lau J, Lichtenstein AH, Chung M. Effects of Eicosapentanoic Acid and Docosahexanoic Acid on Mortality Across Diverse Settings: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials and Prospective Cohorts. Technical Review 17, Vol. 4. (Prepared by the Tufts Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. HHSA 290-2007-10055-1.) AHRQ Publication No. 12-EHC040-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; February 2012.
- ↑ ACC/AHA Joint Committee Members 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure. J Card Fail 2022. 28:e1-e167.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gibson LM N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and statins in heart failure. Lancet 2009. 373:378; author reply 380-1.