Finerenone Reduces New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation Across the Spectrum of Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) modulate cardiac and systemic pathways such as fibrosis and inflammation, which may contribute to the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL). OBJECTIVES: In this participant-level pooled analysis of 3 large clinical trials, the authors evaluated the effect of the nonsteroidal MRA finerenone on incident AF/AFL across the cardio-kidney-metabolic (CKM) spectrum. METHODS: In this prespecified analysis, we pooled participants from 2 trials of chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes (FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD) and a trial of heart failure (HF) with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (FINEARTS-HF). Patients were randomized 1:1 to finerenone or placebo. New-onset AF/AFL was prospectively adjudicated in all trials by blinded clinical event committees. The risk of new-onset AF/AFL was evaluated using Cox regression models stratified by region and trial. RESULTS: = 0.57). Participants with new-onset AF/AFL were at significantly higher subsequent risk of cardiovascular death, HF hospitalization, and adverse kidney outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The nonsteroidal MRA finerenone reduced the risk of new-onset AF/AFL across the CKM spectrum.