Oral Sodium to Preserve Renal Efficiency in Acute Heart Failure: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study

Role of dietary sodium restriction in chronic heart failure: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dietary sodium restriction remains a guidelines-approved lifestyle recommendation for chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. However, its efficacy in clinical outcome improvement is dubious.

OBJECTIVE

The study evaluated whether dietary sodium restriction in CHF reduces clinical events.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of the following databases: Academic Search Ultimate, ERIC, Health Source Nursing/Academic Edition, MEDLINE, Embase, Clinicaltrials.gov and Cochrane Library (trials) to find studies analysing the impact of sodium restriction in the adult CHF population. Both observational and interventional studies were included. Exclusion criteria included i.e.: sodium consumption assessment based only on natriuresis, in-hospital interventions or mixed interventions-e.g. sodium and fluid restriction in one arm only. The review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analysis was performed for the endpoints reported in at least 3 papers. Analyses were conducted in Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.4.1.

RESULTS

Initially, we screened 9175 articles. Backward snowballing revealed 1050 additional articles. Eventually, 9 papers were evaluated in the meta-analysis. All-cause mortality, HF-related hospitalizations and the composite of mortality and hospitalisation were reported in 8, 6 and 3 articles, respectively. Sodium restriction was associated with a higher risk of the composite endpoint (OR 4.12 [95% CI 1.23-13.82]) and did not significantly affect the all-cause mortality (OR 1.38 [95% CI 0.76-2.49]) or HF hospitalisation (OR 1.63 [95% CI 0.69-3.88]).

CONCLUSIONS

In a meta-analysis, sodium restriction in CHF patients worsened the prognosis in terms of a composite of mortality and hospitalizations and did not influence all-cause mortality and HF hospitalisation rate.

Dietary sodium and fluid intake in heart failure. A clinical consensus statement of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC

Sodium and fluid restriction has traditionally been advocated in patients with heart failure (HF) due to their sodium and water avid state. However, most evidence regarding the altered sodium handling, fluid homeostasis and congestion-related signs and symptoms in patients with HF originates from untreated patient cohorts and physiological investigations. Recent data challenge the beneficial role of dietary sodium and fluid restriction in HF. Consequently, the European Society of Cardiology HF guidelines have gradually downgraded these recommendations over time, now advising for the limitation of salt intake to no more than 5 g/day in patients with HF, while contemplating fluid restriction of 1.5-2 L/day only in selected patients. Therefore, the objective of this clinical consensus statement is to provide advice on fluid and sodium intake in patients with acute and chronic HF, based on contemporary evidence and expert opinion.

Time of eating and mortality in U.S. adults with heart failure: Analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2018

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Promising associations have been demonstrated between delayed last eating occasion and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with heart failure (HF), however, it is unknown if time of eating is associated with clinical endpoints such as mortality. This study aimed to examine associations between time of eating variables and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Participants self-disclosed HF diagnosis. Two dietary recalls were obtained and categorical variables were created based on mean time of first eating occasion (8:31 AM), last eating occasion (7:33 PM) and eating window (11.02 h). Mortality was obtained through linkage to the National Death Index. Covariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression models were created examining the association between time of eating and mortality. Participants (n = 991) were 68 (95 % CI 67-69) years of age, 52.6 (95 % CI 49.0-56.3)% men and had a body mass index of 32.5 (95 % CI 31.8-33.2) kg/m2 with follow up time of 68.9 (95 % CI 64.8-72.9) person-months. When models were adjusted for time of eating variables and all other covariates, extending the eating window beyond 11.02 h was associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular (HR 0.36 [95 % CI 0.16-0.81]), but not all-cause mortality. Time of first and last eating occasions were not associated with mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In adults with HF, an extended eating window is associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular mortality. Randomized controlled trials should examine if extending the eating window can improve prognostic indicators such as cardiorespiratory fitness in this population.

Role of Sodium and Sodium Restriction in Heart Failure

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Sodium plays an essential role in the regulation of extracellular volume. The current review discusses the physiologic handling of sodium in the body, underscores pathophysiologic alterations in sodium handling in heart failure and assesses the evidence and rational for sodium restriction in heart failure.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent trials such as the SODIUM-HF trial have failed to demonstrate a benefit of sodium restriction in heart failure. The current review re-evaluates physiologic elements in sodium handling and discusses how the intrinsic renal sodium avidity, which drives the renal propensity towards retaining sodium, differs amongst patients. The sodium intake in heart failure patients is often above the threshold set by guidelines. This review gives an overview of the pathophysiology of sodium retention in heart failure and the rational for sodium restriction and potential of individualizing sodium restriction recommendations based on renal sodium avidity profiles.