WEDNESDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- The adenosine A1-receptor antagonist rolofylline does not appear beneficial in treating acute heart failure patients with renal dysfunction, according to research published in the Oct. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Barry M. Massie, M.D., of the University of California at San Francisco, and colleagues analyzed data from 2,033 patients hospitalized with acute heart failure and impaired renal function who were randomized to receive intravenous rolofylline or placebo daily for up to three days. The primary end point -- treatment success, failure, or no change in clinical condition -- was defined by survival, renal function changes, and heart-failure status.
The researchers found that the treatment was not associated with a significant benefit with regards to the primary end point. The rolofylline and placebo groups also had similar rates of persistent renal impairment (15 and 13.7 percent, respectively; P = 0.44). The rates of death or readmission for cardiovascular or renal causes by 60 days were also similar in the groups (30.7 and 31.9 percent, respectively; P = 0.86). Rates of adverse events were similar, though seizures occurred only in the rolofylline group.
"In conclusion, the primary and secondary end points were not achieved with rolofylline in the current trial. The current trial and previous unsuccessful trials of treatment for acute heart failure highlight the complexity and heterogeneity of this clinical syndrome and the need for new, more effective therapeutic approaches," the authors conclude.
The study was supported by NovaCardia.
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