Effects of empagliflozin on exercise tolerance and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and type 2 diabetes: a prospective single-center study

Aim. To assess the effect of the sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitor empagliflozin on exercise tolerance and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Material and methods. The present prospective, single-center, open-label study included 60 patients with HFpEF and T2D, who were assigned to groups receiving empagliflozin 10 mg/day. or previously taken hypoglycemic therapy (control group). The follow-up period lasted 24 weeks. All patients underwent a 6-minute walk test and rest and stress echocardiography at baseline and at the end of the study.

Results. After 24 weeks. in the empagliflozin group there was an increase in the 6-minute walk test distance by 20 m (95% confidence interval (CI), from 7 to 33 m), a decrease in the early mitral inflow to mitral annulus relaxation velocities (E/e’) ratio by 1,8 (95% CI, from -2,4 to -1,2) and maximum left atrial volume by 2,6 (95% CI, from -4,4 to -0,8) ml/m2, as well as an increase in the diastolic reserve (mitral annulus relaxation velocity increment e’ during exercise increased from 2,2 (95% CI, 1,7 to 2,7) to 3,4 (95% CI, 2,4 to 4,2) cm/s; P<0,01 for all). There were no significant changes in the control group.

Conclusion. In patients with HFpEF and T2D, empagliflozin improves exercise tolerance and LV diastolic function. Large-scale placebo-controlled randomized trials are required to prove these findings.

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