Efficacy and safety of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists for patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) for patients with heart failure (HF) and diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search for controlled studies that evaluated the efficacy and safety of MRAs in patients with DM and HF. Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched. Two reviewers independently identified citations, extracted data and evaluated quality. Risk estimations were abstracted and pooled where appropriate. RESULTS: Four observational studies were included. MRAs use was associated with reduced mortality compared with controls (RR = 0.78; 95 % CI: 0.69–0.88; I (2) = 0 %; P < 0.001). Increased risk of developing hyperkalaemia was observed in those patients taking MRAs (RR = 1.74; 95 % CI: 1.27–2.38; I (2) = 0 %; P = 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: The current cumulative evidence suggests that MRAs can improve clinical outcomes but increase the risk of hyperkalaemia in patients with DM and HF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42015025690. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12872-016-0198-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.