According to the study published in ESC Heart Failure, Intravenous corticosteroids might have the potential to ameliorate outcomes in acute heart failure (HF) patients with inflammatory activation.

Patients diagnosed with AHF with confirmed N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide > 300 pg/mL and CRP > 5 mg/L in the ED from the Epidemiology of Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Departments (EAHFE) registry were enrolled in the retrospective study. 10.9% (121) of 1109 patients were administered a minimum of one IV bolus corticosteroid treatment. The 30-day all-cause mortality hazard ratio (HR) for corticosteroid therapy was found to be 1.26 [95 percent confidence interval (CI) 0.75–2.09, P = 0.38]. Statistically insignificant, but a decrease was seen in the increased CRP levels, with point estimates favoring corticosteroids at CRP levels above 20. Among patients with CRP > 40 mg/L, for 30-day all-cause mortality, the adjusted HRs was found to be 0.56 (95% CI 0.20–1.55, P = 0.27), for post-discharge ED revisit at 30 days: HRs was 0.92 (95% CI 0.52–1.62, P = 0.78) and for In-hospital all-cause mortality, the adjusted odds ratio of 0.61 (95% CI 0.17–2.14, P = 0.44) was noticed.

The present analysis suggested that corticosteroids might have the potential to improve outcomes in AHF patients with inflammatory activation. Also, corticosteroids produced a potent diuretic effect and improved fluid overload and renal function in patients with severe acute HF. (MedPage Today April 8, 2022), ESC Heart Failure 2022; DOI: 10.1001/ehf2.13926.