Evidence mapPaperPMID 41923737Full record

SynthesisReviews in cardiovascular medicine2026

Biomarker-Guided Versus Clinically Guided Management Strategies for Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hao Zhou, Ting Liu, Fuxia Lan, Kai Liu, Xin Wei, Ying Xu

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Reviews in cardiovascular medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Hao ZhouDepartment of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4416-0060
Ting LiuDepartment of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Fuxia LanDepartment of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Kai LiuDepartment of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xin WeiDepartment of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Ying XuDepartment of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The clinical value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)-guided therapy for improving outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) remains controversial. Thus, this meta-analysis synthesizes the available evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine whether a biomarker-guided strategy reduces all-cause mortality and HF-related hospitalizations compared with clinically guided management. Methods: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to May 2025 for RCTs comparing biomarker-guided versus clinically guided management in patients with HF. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using a random-effects model. We performed extensive supplementary analyses, including a subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and trial sequential analysis (TSA). Results: We included 17 articles (reporting on 17 distinct RCTs) comprising 5069 patients. The primary meta-analysis showed that biomarker-guided therapy was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality (RR 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73-0.96; I Conclusions: Although there is a trend toward benefit, the existing evidence for biomarker-guided HF therapy is deemed "very low" quality based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment. The results were compromised by methodological deficiencies in primary studies and potential publication bias. Therefore, the evidence is inadequate to support the routine use of this strategy in clinical practice. Further large-scale, high-quality RCTs are warranted. The PROSPERO Registration: CRD420250652134, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420250652134.

Indexed as

biomarkersbrain natriuretic peptideheart failuremeta-analysissystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41923737
PMCPMC13036551

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.