Clinical outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitor use in Thai patients with heart failure: a five-year retrospective cohort study

Introduction & Objectives: Heart failure is one of the major public health concerns and a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality worldwide, including in Thailand. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefits in clinical trials. This study aimed to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of SGLT2i in reducing all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization among patients with heart failure at Naresuan University Hospital. Materials & Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients newly diagnosed with heart failure at Naresuan University Hospital between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023. Patients were divided into those who received SGLT2i and those who did not. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and hospitalization for worsening heart failure. Rate ratios were calculated using multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression, adjusting for baseline characteristics. Results: A total of 1,378 patients were included (1,080 SGLT2i visits; 5,243 non-SGLT2i visits). The proportion of patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 40%) was higher in the SGLT2i group than the non-SGLT2i group (39.9% vs. 29.4%, p < 0.001). The SGLT2i group also had a higher prevalence of coronary artery disease, myopathy, and chronic kidney disease. Rate of composite outcome (death or heart failure hospitalization) was lower in the SGLT2i group (rate 10.93 per 100 vs. 17.58 per 100). The incidence of the composite outcome was significantly lower in the SGLT2i group compared to the non-SGLT2i group (rate ratio 0.60, 95% CI: 0.42-0.87; p = 0.006). The all-cause mortality rate in the SGLT2i group was markedly lower (rate ratio 0.02, 95% CI: 0.00-0.18; p = 0.001), while heart failure hospitalization showed a favorable trend without reaching statistical significance. Conclusion: SGLT2i were associated with a significantly lower risk of death and heart failure hospitalization in this real-world cohort of Thai heart failure patients. These findings reinforce the clinical benefits of SGLT2i and support their broader implementation in heart failure management in Thailand.