# Impact of Sacubitril/Valsartan on Cardiac Reverse Remodeling in Patients with Heart Failure Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

## TL;DR

This study found that the drug sacubitril/valsartan improves heart function and outcomes in heart failure patients receiving a specific heart therapy called CRT.

## Contribution

The study shows that sacubitril/valsartan may enhance the effectiveness of cardiac resynchronization therapy in heart failure patients.

## Key findings

- Patients on sacubitril/valsartan had a higher CRT response rate (87.2% vs. 64.7%).
- The drug improved heart function metrics like LVESV reduction and QRS duration.
- Sacubitril/valsartan was an independent predictor of better CRT outcomes.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Many heart failure (HF) patients exhibit a suboptimal response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). This study investigated whether sacubitril/valsartan, a drug known to beneficially impact cardiac remodeling, could improve outcomes for patients undergoing CRT implantation. Methods: In this single-center, observational study, 90 HF patients (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≤ 35%) receiving a CRT-defibrillator were stratified into a sacubitril/valsartan group (n = 39) and a control group (n = 51). The primary endpoint was a CRT response at 12 months, defined as improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, left ventricular reverse remodeling (≥15% reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume [LVESV] or ≥5% improvement in LVEF), and freedom from HF hospitalization. Results: The sacubitril/valsartan group had a significantly higher CRT response rate (87.2% vs. 64.7%, p = 0.016). They also showed greater improvement in the 6 min walk test (p = 0.013), NYHA class (p = 0.017), reduction in LVESV (p = 0.025), and QRS duration (p = 0.005). Multivariable analysis confirmed sacubitril/valsartan as an independent predictor of CRT response (OR = 4.43; 95% CI: 1.33–14.71; p = 0.015). Conclusions: In this study of HF patients receiving CRT, sacubitril/valsartan was independently associated with superior reverse remodeling, enhanced electrical resynchronization, and a higher rate of CRT response. These findings suggest a potential synergistic role for sacubitril/valsartan in optimizing post-CRT outcomes; however, as this was an observational study, they should be considered hypothesis-generating and require validation in larger, randomized controlled trials.