Digoxin and reduction in mortality and hospitalization in heart failure: a comprehensive post hoc analysis of the DIG trial.

Pubmed ID: 16339157

Pubmed Central ID: PMC2685167

Journal: European heart journal

Publication Date: Jan. 1, 2006

Affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, VA Medical Center, 1530 3rd Avenue South, CH-19, Ste-219, Birmingham, AL 35294-2041, USA. aahmed@uab.edu

MeSH Terms: Humans, Male, Female, Aged, Middle Aged, Adrenergic beta-Antagonists, Chronic Disease, Heart Failure, Hospitalization, Follow-Up Studies, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Cardiotonic Agents, Digoxin

Grants: K23 AG019211, K23 AG019211-03, 1-K23-AG19211-01

Authors: Love TE, Ahmed A, Gheorghiade M, Aban IB, Lloyd-Jones DM, Rich MW, Colucci WS, Adams KF

Cite As: Ahmed A, Rich MW, Love TE, Lloyd-Jones DM, Aban IB, Colucci WS, Adams KF, Gheorghiade M. Digoxin and reduction in mortality and hospitalization in heart failure: a comprehensive post hoc analysis of the DIG trial. Eur Heart J 2006 Jan;27(2):178-86. Epub 2005 Dec 8.

Studies:

Abstract

AIMS: To determine the effects of digoxin on all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, regardless of ejection fraction, accounting for serum digoxin concentration (SDC). METHODS AND RESULTS: This comprehensive post-hoc analysis of the randomized controlled Digitalis Investigation Group trial (n=7788) focuses on 5548 patients: 1687 with SDC, drawn randomly at 1 month, and 3861 placebo patients, alive at 1 month. Overall, 33% died and 31% had HF hospitalizations during a 40-month median follow-up. Compared with placebo, SDC 0.5-0.9 ng/mL was associated with lower mortality [29 vs. 33% placebo; adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.67-0.89], all-cause hospitalizations (64 vs. 67% placebo; AHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.92) and HF hospitalizations (23 vs. 33% placebo; AHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.54-0.72). SDC> or =1.0 ng/mL was associated with lower HF hospitalizations (29 vs. 33% placebo; AHR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.59-0.79), without any effect on mortality. SDC 0.5-0.9 reduced mortality in a wide spectrum of HF patients and had no interaction with ejection fraction >45% (P=0.834) or sex (P=0.917). CONCLUSIONS: Digoxin at SDC 0.5-0.9 ng/mL reduces mortality and hospitalizations in all HF patients, including those with preserved systolic function. At higher SDC, digoxin reduces HF hospitalization but has no effect on mortality or all-cause hospitalizations.