The effect of Crataegus oxycantha Special Extract WS 1442 on clinical progression in patients with mild to moderate symptoms of heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether hawthorn (Crataegus Special Extract WS 1442 {CSE}) inhibits progression in heart failure (HF) patients.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis of data from the HERB CHF study in which patients with mild to moderate HF were randomised to either CSE 900 mg or placebo for 6 months. The primary outcome was time to progression of HF (HF death, hospitalisation, or sustained increase in diuretics) as assessed by log-rank tests and by Cox modelling.


RESULTS
Progression of HF occurred in 46.6% of the CSE and 43.3% of the placebo groups (OR 1.14, 95% CI=0.56, 2.35: p=0.86). Patients receiving CSE were 3.9 times (95% CI=1.1-13.7: p=0.035) more likely to experience HF progression at baseline. In adjusted analysis, the risk of having early HF progression in the CSE group increased to 6.4 (95% CI=1.5, 26.5: p=0.011). In patients with LVEF< or =35%, those taking CSE were at significantly greater risk (3.2, 95% CI=1.3, 8.3: p=0.02) than the placebo group.


CONCLUSIONS
CSE does not reduce heart failure progression in patients who have HF. CSE appears to increase the early risk of HF progression.
Zick
Suzanna M
SM
Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA. szick@umich.edu <szick@umich.edu>
Gillespie
Brenda
B
Aaronson
Keith D
KD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D027825:Crataegus; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume
D010936:Plant Extracts; C007145:crataegus extract