Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of eplerenone in Japanese patients with chronic heart failure (J-EMPHASIS-HF)

Background: The mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist eplerenone improved clinical outcomes among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection faction (HFrEF) in the EMPHASIS-HF (Eplerenone in Mild Patients Hospitalization And SurvIval Study in Heart Failure) study. However, similar efficacy and safety have not been established in Japanese patients. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of eplerenone in patients with HFrEF in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled outcome study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01115855). The aim of the study was to evaluate efficacy predefined as consistency of the primary endpoint with that of EMPHASIS-HF at a point estimate of <1 for the hazard ratio. Methods and Results: HFrEF patients with NYHA functional class II–IV and an EF ≤35% received eplerenone (n=111) or placebo (n=110) on top of standard therapy for at least 12 months. The primary endpoint was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes or hospitalization for HF. The primary endpoint occurred in 29.7% of patients in the eplerenone group vs. 32.7% in the placebo group [hazard ratio=0.85 (95% CI: 0.53–1.36)]. Hospitalization for any cause and changes in plasma BNP and LVEF were favorable with eplerenone. A total of 17 patients (15.3%) in the eplerenone group and 10 patients (9.1%) in the placebo group died. Adverse events, including hyperkalemia, were similar between the groups. Conclusions: Eplerenone was well-tolerated in Japanese patients with HFrEF and showed results consistent with those reported in the EMPHASIS-HF study.