title: Beneficial association of β-blocker therapy on recovery from severe acute heart failure treatment: data from the Survival of Patients With Acute Heart Failure in Need of Intravenous Inotropic Support trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Beta-blocker therapy is recommended for most patients with chronic heart failure, although such therapy may be discontinued or reduced during hospitalizations. The aim is to determine whether β-blocker use at study entry and/or at discharge has an impact on 31- and 180-day survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survival of Patients With Acute Heart Failure in Need of Intravenous Inotropic Support study was designed as a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, multi-center study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multinational.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,327 critically ill patients hospitalized with low-output heart failure in need of inotropic therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levosimendan versus dobutamine.
  
  
  METHODS
  All-cause mortality at 31 and 180 days in patients who survived initial hospitalization with/without β-blocker use at entry and/or at discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients on β-blockers at entry and at discharge had significantly lower 31-day (p < .0001) and 180-day (p < .0001) mortality compared to patients without β-blockers use at both time points. The association was robust when adjusted for age and co-morbidities (p = .006 at 31 days; p = .003 at 180 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Those results strongly suggest, in severe acutely decompensated heart failure patients, admitted on β-blockers, to continue on them at discharge.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Innere Medizin III, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böhm
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: Danlin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Markku S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.forename: Gerasimos S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Filippatos
authors.forename: Reda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cohen Solal
authors.forename: Bidan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Padley
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivikko
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mebazaa
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004280:Dobutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007391:International Cooperation; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000077464:Simendan; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D000077464:Simendan; D004280:Dobutamine