Effect of Sacubitril-Valsartan in reducing depression in patients with advanced heart failure
Francesco Cacciatore, Cristiano Amarelli, Ciro Maiello, Mariella Pratillo, P. Tosini, Irene Mattucci, Gemma Salerno, Francesco Curcio, Francesco Elia, Valentina Mercurio, Paolo Golino, Domenico Bonaduce, Pasquale Abete
Abstract
Depression is highly prevalent in Heart Failure (HF). Treatment with sacubitril/valsartan improved quality of life and survival in HF patients. Aim of the study was to investigate prospectively the effect of sacubitril/valsartan on depression in advanced HF patients in waiting list for heart transplant (HT). 37 consecutive patients with advanced HF in waiting list for HT were treated with sacubitril/valsartan. We analyzed data derived from the assessment performed the year before the beginning of sacubitril/valsartan, at study entry, and at one year of follow-up. Depression was assessed with Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI) scale. Cognitive function were assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Functioning was evaluated measuring meters at 6 Minute Walking Test (6MWT) and maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 max). At baseline, 64.9% of HF patients were in NYHA III and 35.1% NYHA IIIB, BDI was 15.2 ± 5.2 with 59.5% of patients with a score > 13. MMSE was 27.8 ± 2.6. After one year of follow-up NYHA class improved significantly, with 56.8% in NYHA II, 40.5% in NYHA III and 2.7% NYHA in IIIB (p < 0.001). VO2 max and 6MWT increased. Notably, BDI was 9.5 ± 3.9 with 21.6% of patients with a score > 13. MMSE remain stable (28.2 ± 2.1) (p = 0.104). No statistical differences are observed between data collected in the evaluation 1-year before and soon before treatment with sacubitril/valsartan. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrate a relationship between reduction in BDI-II score and improvement in six-minute walking test independently by the effect of sex, age, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, VO2 max, NT-proBNP, PAPs, NYHA class differences evaluated at follow-up versus baseline. Our study showed a reduction in depressive symptomatology in heart transplant waiting list patients treated with sacubitril/valsartan. The improvement in depressive symptomatology was paralleled by 6MWT increase in the follow-up.