Short-Term Changes in Peak VO₂ After Initiation of Dapagliflozin in Heart Failure Across Iron Status

Some studies have indicated that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors promote an increase in cell iron use.

The aim of this study was to examine, in patients with stable heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF), the effect of dapagliflozin on ferrokinetic parameters and whether short-term changes in peak oxygen consumption (Vo₂) after dapagliflozin treatment are influenced by baseline and serial ferrokinetic status.

This was an exploratory analysis of a randomized, double-blind clinical trial that evaluated the effect of dapagliflozin vs placebo on peak Vo₂ in patients with HFrEF (NCT04197635) and included 76 of the 90 patients initially enrolled in the trial. Changes in peak Vo₂ at 1 and 3 months were explored according to baseline and longitudinal ferrokinetic parameters (natural logarithm [ln] ferritin, transferrin saturation index [TSAT], soluble transferrin receptor, and hepcidin). Linear mixed-effect regression was used for the analyses.

Compared with placebo, dapagliflozin led to a significant decrease in 3-month ln ferritin (P = 0.040) and an increase in 1-month ln soluble transferrin receptor (P = 0.023). Between-treatment comparisons revealed a stepwise increase in peak Vo₂ in the dapagliflozin group at 1 and 3 months, which was especially apparent at lower baseline values of TSAT and ferritin (P < 0.05). Lower time-varying values of TSAT (1 and 3 months) also identified patients with greater improvements in peak Vo₂.

In patients with stable HFrEF, treatment with dapagliflozin resulted in short-term increases in peak Vo₂, which were most marked in patients with surrogates of greater iron deficiency at baseline and during treatment. (Short-Term Effects of Dapagliflozin on Peak Vo₂ in HFrEF [DAPA-VO₂]; NCT04197635).