According to a study that the use of beta-blockers seems to cut the risk of mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) who are starting either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
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| Photo: Patient Undergoing Dialysis | InStyleHealth |
Research covered 3,503 adult patients with chronic
kidney disease and HF. A total of 2,115 (60.4%) were using beta-blockers when
they transitioned to maintenance dialysis.
Results evaluated were all-cause mortality within 6
months and hospitalization within 6 months after the transition to dialysis.
Using the cox proportional hazard analysis and logistic regression to estimate
the effect of beta-blocker treatment on the said outcomes. Furthermore, inverse
probability of treatment weighs using propensity scores was applied in order to
balance covariates between users and non-users of beta-blockers.
Comparing with non-users, users were less likely to
die of any cause within 6 months. Generally, any beta-blocker conferred a 21%
risk reduction, whereas metoprolol lowered the risk by 32%.
Protective benefit of beta-blockers was not observed
for all-cause or cardiovascular-related hospitalization within 6 months.
According to researchers that the study was limited by
its observational nature as well as the failure to fully account for residual
confounding.
Source: Am J Kidney Dis 2021;77:704-712