Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and an Increased Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure in Population of HFpEF

Background: The association between metabolic syndrome and the development of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has not been completely clarified. Aim: To evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of HF hospitalization for patients with HFpEF. Methods: Patient data were obtained from the American cohort of the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) trial database. Data for the primary outcome (hospitalization for HF) and secondary outcomes (all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause hospitalization) were collected, and hazard ratios (HRs) for the patients with and without metabolic syndrome were analyzed by applying a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model. Results: Among the 1,548 total participants, 1,197 had metabolic syndrome. The patients with metabolic syndrome exhibited worse heart function and a lower quality of life than those without metabolic syndrome. During the 3.3 years of follow-up, 351 patients were hospitalized for HF. After a multivariable adjustment, the risk of hospitalization for HF and all-cause hospitalization (adjusted HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.01–2.00; p = 0.042 and adjusted HR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.04–1.54; p = 0.017, respectively) were independently associated with HFpEF for the patients with metabolic syndrome. In addition, the risks of HF hospitalization and all-cause hospitalization among 267 propensity score-matched patients were higher for patients with metabolic syndrome (HR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.05–2.23, and p = 0.025 and HR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.08–1.67, and p = 0.009, respectively). Conclusion: The risks of HF hospitalization and all-cause hospitalization were higher for patients with HFpEF having metabolic syndrome than for those without metabolic syndrome.