Effects of thiamine on cardiac function in patients with systolic heart failure: systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials

James J Dinicolantonio; Carl J Lavie; Asfandyar K Niazi; James H O'Keefe; Tian Hu

Effects of thiamine on cardiac function in patients with systolic heart failure: systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials

Ochsner J. 2013 Winter;13(4):495-9.

Authors

James J Dinicolantonio¹, Carl J Lavie², Asfandyar K Niazi³, James H O'Keefe⁴, Tian Hu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Wegmans Pharmacy, Ithaca, NY and Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, MO.
² John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, LA, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
³ Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, Pakistan.
⁴ Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke's Hospital, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA.

PMID: 24357996
PMCID: PMC3865826

Abstract

Background: Thiamine is an important micronutrient, and thiamine deficiency is prevalent in patients with congestive heart failure.

Methods: Using Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Excepta Medica (Embase), we conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of thiamine supplementation in patients with congestive heart failure.

Results: Compared with placebo (2 trials, n=38), thiamine supplementation resulted in a significantly improved net change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (3.28%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64%, 5.93%).

Conclusion: Compared against placebo, thiamine supplementation in 2 randomized, double-blind trials resulted in a significant improvement in net change in LVEF. While further trials are required to establish thiamine's role in patients with systolic heart failure, thiamine may help to improve LVEF in these patients.

Keywords: Heart failure; stroke volume; thiamine deficiency.