N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Clinical Outcomes: Vericiguat Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction Study

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the treatment effect of vericiguat in relation to N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels at randomization.

Background: Vericiguat compared with placebo reduced the primary outcome of cardiovascular death (CVD) or heart failure hospitalization (HFH) in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the VICTORIA (A Study of Vericiguat in Participants With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction) trial. Because an interaction existed between treatment and the primary outcome according to pre-specified quartiles of NT-proBNP at randomization, we examined this further.

Methods: This study evaluated the NT-proBNP relationship with the primary outcome in 4,805 of 5,050 patients as a risk-adjusted, log-transformed continuous variable. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are presented.

Results: Median NT-proBNP was 2,816 pg/ml (25th to 75th percentile: 1,556 to 5,314 pg/ml). The study treatment effect varied across the spectrum of NT-proBNP at randomization (with log2 transformation, p for interaction = 0.002). A significant association between treatment effects existed in patients with levels <4,000 pg/ml and remained evident up to 8,000 pg/ml. A 23% relative risk reduction occurred in the primary endpoint with NT-proBNP ≤4,000 pg/ml (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.88). For NT-proBNP values ≤4,000 pg/ml (n = 3,100), the HR was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.67 to 0.90) for HFH and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.60 to 0.94) for CVD. For NT-proBNP ≤8,000 pg/ml (n = 4,133), the HR was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.76 to 0.95) for the primary outcome, 0.84 (95% CI: 0.75 to 0.95) for HFH, and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.71 to 0.99) for CVD. For NT-proBNP >8,000 pg/ml (n = 672), the HR was 1.16 (95% CI: 0.94 to 1.41) for the primary outcome.

Conclusions: A reduction in the primary composite endpoint and its CVD and HFH components was observed in patients on vericiguat compared with subjects on placebo with NT-proBNP levels up to 8,000 pg/ml. This provided new insight into the benefit observed in high-risk patients with worsening HFrEF. (A Study of Vericiguat in Participants With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction [HFrEF] [MK-1242-001] [VICTORIA]; NCT02861534).

Keywords: clinical outcomes; heart failure; heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; natriuretic peptide.

Conflict of interest statement

Author Relationship With Industry This study was supported by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., and Bayer AG. Mr. Ezekowitz has received research grants from Bayer, Merck, Servier, Amgen Sanofi, Novartis, Cytokinetics, American Regent, and Applied Therapeutics; has received consulting fees from Bayer, Merck, Servier, Amgen, Sanofi, Novartis, Cytokinetics, American Regent, and Applied Therapeutics. Dr. O’Connor has received research funding from Merck; and has received consulting fees from Bayer, Dey LP, and Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. Dr. Troughton has received research grants from and personal fees from Merck and Roche Diagnostics. Dr. Voors has received research grants from Boehringer Ingelheim and Roche Diagnostics; and has received consulting fees from Merck, Bayer, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cytokinetics, Myokardia, Novartis, Servier, and Roche Diagnostics. Dr. Butler has received consulting fees from Bayer, Merck, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CVRx, G3 Pharmaceutical, Janssen, Luitpold, Medtronic, Novartis, Vifor, and Novo Nordisk. Dr. Lam has received research grants from Bayer, National Medical Research Council of Singapore, Boston Scientific, Roche Diagnostic, Medtronic, Vifor Pharma, and AstraZeneca; has received consulting fees from Merck, Bayer, Boston Scientific, Roche Diagnostic, Vifor Pharma, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Amgen, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Menarini, Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott Diagnostics, Corvia, Stealth BioTherapeutics, Novo Nordisk, JanaCare, Biofourmis, Darma, Applied Therapeutics, MyoKardia, Cytokinetics, WebMD Global LLC, Radcliffe Group Ltd, and Corpus; has a patents pending for PCT/SG2016/050217 and 16/216,929; and is the Cofounder and non-executive director of eKo.ai. Dr. Ponikowski has received research grants from Vifor Pharma Ltd, and Servier; has received consulting fees from MSD, Novartis, Vifor Pharma Ltd, Servier, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Respicardia, AstraZeneca, Cibiem, RenalGuardSolution, and Berlin Chemie. Dr. Pieske has received research grants from MSD, Bayer, and Servier; has received consulting fees from MSD, Bayer, Servier, Bristol-Myers Squibb, MedScape, Daiichi-Sankyo, and Novartis; and has received non-financial support from MSD, Bayer, and Novartis. Dr. Hernandez has received research grants from Merck, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Verily; and has received consulting fees from Merck, Bayer, Amgen, AstraZeneca, and Novartis. Dr. Armstrong has received research grants from Merck, Bayer, Sanofi-Aventis Recherche & Développement, Boehringer Ingelheim, and CSL Limited; and has received consulting fees from Merck, Bayer, AstraZeneca, and Novartis. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

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