Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40281528›Full record

Trial reportCardiovascular diabetology2025

The effect of empagliflozin on peripheral microvascular dysfunction in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Sanne G J Mourmans, Anouk Achten, Raquel Hermans, Marijne J E Scheepers, Elisa D'Alessandro, Geertje Swennen, Janneke Woudstra, Yolande Appelman, Harry van Goor, Casper Schalkwijk and 4 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Cardiovascular diabetology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06046612 (The Effect of Empagliflozin on Peripheral Microvascular Dysfunction in Heart Failure With), which is not on this map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–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.

NCT06046612 phase4unknown statusnot on this map

The Effect of Empagliflozin on Peripheral Microvascular Dysfunction in Heart Failure With

TypeinterventionalSponsorMaastricht University Medical CenterRan2023 to 2025Enrolled48ConditionsHeart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Microvascular DysfunctionArmsParticipants receive 10mg Empaglifozin once daily on prescription from their treating physician. This is not an intervention in this trial, but part of their normal HFpEF treatment
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Comparing cutaneous NO-dependent vasodilation between young males and females.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. 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

14 authors.

Sanne G J MourmansDepartment of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Anouk AchtenDepartment of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Raquel HermansDepartment of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Marijne J E ScheepersDepartment of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Elisa D'AlessandroDepartment of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Geertje SwennenDepartment of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Janneke WoudstraDepartment of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC Heart Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Yolande AppelmanDepartment of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC Heart Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Harry van GoorDepartment of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Casper SchalkwijkDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Christian KnackstedtDepartment of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Jerremy WeertsDepartment of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Etto C Eringa *Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Vanessa P M van Empel *Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands. vanessa.van.empel@mumc.nl.

Funding

Dutch Cardiovascular Alliance Consortium IMPRESS 2020B004Dutch Heart Foundation CVON RECONNEXT consortium 2020B008ZonMw 09120232310119
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmpagliflozin is an effective treatment for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but its definite mechanism of action is unclear. Systemic microvascular dysfunction strongly relates to HFpEF aetiology, and we hypothesised that empagliflozin improves microvascular function in HFpEF.

objectiveTo investigate the effect of the sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor empagliflozin on peripheral microvascular function in HFpEF.

methodsThis is a pre-post intervention study in patients diagnosed with HFpEF who are eligible for treatment with empagliflozin. Microvascular function assessment using laser speckle contrast analysis of the dorsal forearm during iontophoresis of vasoactive stimuli (acetylcholine, insulin sodium nitroprusside) was performed at baseline and after 3 months of empagliflozin treatment (10 mg daily). The primary outcome was the difference in blood flow measured in the forearm microvasculature between baseline and at follow-up (cutaneous vascular conductance, CVC). Secondarily we investigated quality-of-life based on the EQ-5D-5 L questionnaire at baseline and follow-up.

resultsTwenty six patients finished the study according to protocol (mean age of 74 ± 7 years, 62% female). We observed a decreased blood flow response to acetylcholine after 3 months of empagliflozin (CVC: 0.77 ± 0.24 vs. 0.64 ± 0.20, p < 0.001). In contrast, the response to insulin improved (CVC: 0.61 ± 0.43 vs. 0.81 ± 0.32, p = 0.03), and the response to sodium nitroprusside remained stable after 3 months. No significant correlations were found between the changes in blood flow and quality of life.

conclusionThis study shows that three months treatment with empagliflozin changed peripheral microvascular function in patients with HFpEF. Empagliflozin may enhance microvascular blood flow specifically via vascular actions of insulin, rather than a general effect on endothelial vasoregulation or smooth muscle cell function. As such, systemic microvascular dysfunction can be a modifiable factor in patients with HFpEF, while the clinical implications thereof warrant further investigations.

trial registrationThe trial was preregistered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06046612).

Indexed as

Benzhydryl CompoundsGlucosidesHeart FailureMicrocirculationMicrovesselsSodium-Glucose Transporter 2 InhibitorsStroke VolumeVentricular Function, LeftAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleForearmHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeBenzhydryl CompoundsempagliflozinGlucosidesSodium-Glucose Transporter 2 InhibitorsVasodilator AgentsAcetylcholineEndothelial functionHeart failureInsulinLaser speckle contrast analysisMicrocirculationNitroprussideSGLT-2 inhibitor

Identifiers

PMID40281528
PMCPMC12023568

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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.