Time in Target Range for Systolic Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background The association between blood pressure control and clinical outcomes is unclear among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Both too high and too low of systolic blood pressure (SBP) have been reported to be related to poor clinical prognosis. This study aimed to assess the association between time in SBP target range and adverse clinical events among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Methods and Results This study was a secondary analysis of the TOPCAT (Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist) trial, a randomized clinical trial that compared the efficacy and safety of spironolactone in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Time in target range (TTR) was calculated using linear interpolation, with the target range of SBP defined as 110 to 130 mm Hg. The association between TTR with adverse outcomes was estimated using multivariable Cox regression to adjust for multiple confounders. Participants with greater TTR were younger, more likely to be White, had less comorbidities, and lower body mass index. After adjusting for multiple covariates including mean SBP, 1-SD increment (38.3%) of TTR was significantly associated with a decreased risk of primary composite end point (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81 [0.73-0.90]), as well as a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.81 [0.73-0.90]), cardiovascular death (HR, 0.78 [0.68-0.90]), and heart failure hospitalization (HR, 0.85 [0.74-0.97]). Results were similar when participants were categorized by TTR groups. Subgroup analyses showed that the associations were more significant in young people than in the old (=0.028). Conclusions In patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, greater time in SBP target range was statistically associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular outcomes and mortality events beyond blood pressure level, especially among younger patients.