Evidence mapPaperPMID 38811344Full record

SynthesisChinese medical journal2025

Pharmacotherapy in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jia Tang, Ping Wang, Chenxi Liu, Jia Peng, Yubo Liu, Qilin Ma

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Chinese medical journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jia TangDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Ping WangDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Chenxi LiuDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Jia PengDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Yubo LiuDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Qilin MaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAngiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers (BBs), and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) are the cornerstones in treating heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) are included in HFrEF treatment guidelines. However, the effect of SGLT-2i and the five drugs on HFrEF have not yet been systematically evaluated.

methodsPubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception dates to September 23, 2022. Additional trials from previous relevant reviews and references were also included. The primary outcomes were changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter/dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter/dimension (LVESD), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI). Secondary outcomes were New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, 6-min walking distance (6MWD), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level, and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) level. The effect sizes were presented as the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

resultsWe included 68 RCTs involving 16,425 patients. Compared with placebo, ARNI + BB + MRA + SGLT-2i was the most effective combination to improve LVEF (15.63%, 95% CI: 9.91% to 21.68%). ARNI + BB + MRA + SGLT-2i (5.83%, 95% CI: 0.53% to 11.14%) and ARNI + BB + MRA (3.83%, 95% CI: 0.72% to 6.90%) were superior to the traditional golden triangle ACEI + BB + MRA in improving LVEF. ACEI + BB + MRA + SGLT-2i was better than ACEI + BB + MRA (-8.05 mL/m 2 , 95% CI: -14.88 to -1.23 mL/m 2 ) and ACEI + BB + SGLT-2i (-18.94 mL/m 2 , 95% CI: -36.97 to -0.61 mL/m 2 ) in improving LVEDVI. ACEI + BB + MRA + SGLT-2i (-3254.21 pg/mL, 95% CI: -6242.19 to -560.47 pg/mL) was superior to ARB + BB + MRA in reducing NT-proBNP.

conclusionsAdding SGLT-2i to ARNI/ACEI + BB + MRA is beneficial for reversing cardiac remodeling. The new quadruple drug "ARNI + BB + MRA + SGLT-2i" is superior to the golden triangle "ACEI + BB + MRA" in improving LVEF. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO; No. CRD42022354792.

Indexed as

Heart FailureAdrenergic beta-AntagonistsAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAngiotensin Receptor AntagonistsHumansMineralocorticoid Receptor AntagonistsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSodium-Glucose Transporter 2 InhibitorsStroke VolumeAdrenergic beta-AntagonistsAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAngiotensin Receptor AntagonistsMineralocorticoid Receptor AntagonistsSodium-Glucose Transporter 2 InhibitorsCardiac reverse remodelingDrug combinationsHeart failureNetwork meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID38811344
PMCPMC12037092

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.