Pentoxifylline in heart failure: a meta-analysis of clinical trials.
BACKGROUND
Pentoxifylline possess antiinflammatory and rheological properties and has been tested in heart failure (HF).


METHODS
A comprehensive search was performed from 1980 until July 2013 in PubMed, to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating pentoxifylline versus placebo in HF, to determine impact on mortality. Search strategy is as follows: "Pentoxifylline" AND "heart" AND "trial". Study selection of six randomized controlled trials evaluating mortality as outcome. Then, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials versus placebo in HF. Determination of Mantel-Haenszel fixed effect and random-effect pooled odds ratios for all-cause mortality and corresponding 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
Data from a total of 221 patients with LVEF ≤40% from six randomized controlled trials were included in this analysis. Pentoxifylline 1200 mg per day was administered during 6 months, except in one study (administered during 1 month for severe acute HF). The use of pentoxifylline was not significantly associated with a reduction in mortality in HF in individual studies. The pooled data including 221 patients showed a nearly fourfold reduction in mortality (5.4% vs. 18.3%; OR 0.29; CI 0.12-0.74; P < 0.01) with homogenous results (I² 0%).


CONCLUSIONS
A meta-analysis evaluating pentoxifylline versus placebo in HF suggested a significant nearly fourfold decrease in all-cause mortality in the pentoxifylline group.
Réanimation Médicale et Toxicologique, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France.
Sébastien
S
Champion
Nathanaël
N
Lapidus
Godefroy
G
Cherié
Vincent
V
Spagnoli
Juliette
J
Oliary
Alain Cohen
AC
Solal
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D010431:Pentoxifylline
heart failure; inflammation; meta-analysis; pentoxifylline; tumor necrosis factor