TUESDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- The endothelin receptor antagonist tezosentan does not improve either the symptoms or the clinical outcome for patients with acute heart failure, according to study findings published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
John J.V. McMurray, M.D., of Western Infirmary in Glasgow, U.K., and colleagues conducted two independent, identical studies, which ran concurrently and comprised patients enrolled in Australia, Europe, Israel and North America. To be admitted to the trial, patients fulfilled two of four criteria: left ventricular systolic dysfunction; radiologic pulmonary congestion or edema; clinical pulmonary edema; and elevated plasma concentrations of B-type or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide.
While 730 patients were given 5 mg/hour of tezosentan for 30 minutes and then 1 mg/hour for 24 to 72 hours, 718 patients were given placebo. In both treatment groups the baseline dyspnea scores were similar and treatment did not result in any more improvement than placebo. The seven-day incidence of death or worsening heart failure was identical at 26 percent in both groups.
"So far, it has proved impossible to identify a therapeutic role for endothelin antagonists in patients with acute or chronic heart failure," the authors conclude.
The trials were funded by Actelion Ltd., of Allschwil, Switzerland.
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