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Background: The prognostic role of diabetes mellitus (DM) in heart failure (HF) patients is undefined, since DM is outweighed by several DM-related variables when confounders are considered. We determined the prognostic role of DM, treatment, and glycemic control in a real-life HF population. Methods: 3927 HF patients included in the Metabolic Exercise Cardiac Kidney Index (MECKI) score database were evaluated with a median follow-up of 3.66 years (IQR 1.70–6.67). Data analysis considered survival between DM (n = 897) vs. non-DM (n = 3030) patients, and, in diabetics, between insulin (n = 304), oral antidiabetics (n = 479), and dietary only (n = 88) treatments. The role of glycemic control was evaluated grouping DM patients according to glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c): 8% (n = 149). All analyses were performed also adjusting for ejection fraction, renal function, hemoglobin, sodium, exercise peak oxygen uptake, and ventilation/carbon dioxide relationship slope. Study primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular death, urgent heart transplantation, or left ventricular assist device implantation. Secondary endpoints were cardiovascular and all causes death. Results: For all endpoints, upon adjustment for confounders, DM status and insulin treatment or dietary regimen were not significantly associated with adverse long-term prognosis compared to non-DM and oral antidiabetic treated patients, respectively. A worse prognosis was observed in HbA1c >8% patients (Log-Rank p < 0.001), even after correction for confounding factors. All results were replicated by hazard ratio analysis. Conclusion: In HF patients, DM, insulin treatment and dietary regimen are not adverse outcome predictors. The only condition related to long-term prognosis, considering potential confounders, is poor glycemic control.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in heart failure (HF). It is unclear whether AF has an independent prognostic role in HF. The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic role of AF in HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF). Methods HF patients were followed in 17 centers for 3.15 years (1.51–5.24). Study endpoints were the composite of cardiovascular (CV) death and heart transplant (HTX) and all-cause death. Data analysis was performed considering the entire population and a 1 to 1 match between sinus rhythm (SR) and AF patients. Match process was done for age ± 5, gender, left ventricle EF ± 5, peakVO 2 ± 3 (ml/min/kg) and recruiting center. Results A total of 3447 patients (SR = 2882, AF = 565) were included in the study. Considering the entire population, CV death and HTX occurred in 114 (20%) AF vs. 471 (16%) SR (p = 0.026) and all-cause death in 130 (23%) AF vs. 554 (19.2%) SR patients (p = 0.039). At univariable Cox analysis, AF was significantly related to prognosis. Applying a multivariable model based on all variables significant at univariable analysis (EF, peakVO 2 , ventilation/carbon dioxide relationship slope, sodium, kidney function, hemoglobin, beta-blockers and digoxin) AF was no longer associated with adverse outcomes. Matching procedure resulted in 338 couples. CV death and HTX occurred in 63 (18.6%) AF vs. 74 (21.9%) SR (p = 0.293) and all-cause death in 71 (21%) AF vs. 80 (23.6%) SR (p = 0.406), with no survival differences between groups. Conclusion In systolic HF AF is a marker of disease severity but not an independent prognostic indicator.