Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here):
Introduction:
The treatment of heart failure (HF) with hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate (H-ISDN) in African Americans (AA) with New York Heart Association (NYHA) III-IV who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy is a class Ia indication. However, the efficacy of guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) which combines sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and H-ISDN in reducing hospital readmissions has not been well studied.

Hypothesis:
In self-identified AA adults with advanced heart failure on GDMT including hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate, the use of a SGLT2i reduces hospitalization for HF.

Methods:
The patients studied were self-identified AA with advanced HF on GDMT [including any dose of an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi) or an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA), a beta-blocker (BB), H-ISDN, with or without treatment with an SGLT2i]. Data was obtained from the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) enterprise-wide database from January 2020 to September 2023 using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). The final cohort was divided into two groups: Group 1 consisted of those treated with an ARNi/ACEi/ARB, MRA, a beta blocker, and H-ISDN while Group 2 included those receiving the same combination of medications with the addition of an SGLT2i. Differences in baseline characteristics were analyzed between the two groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the treatment groups and hospital readmission within 90 days.

Results:
Only 517 AA met inclusion criteria and did not meet exclusion criteria, which included a history of valvular heart disease, hypertrophic or restrictive cardiomyopathy, active myocarditis, history of cardiac arrest, and life-threatening arrhythmias. When controlling for age, gender, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, body mass index, and smoking status, there was no significant difference in the likelihood of 90-day hospital readmission between patients whose GDMT with H-ISDN included an SGLT2i and those whose treatment did not.

Conclusions:
The results suggest the incorporation of an SGLT2i into GDMT with H-ISDN in AA with advanced HF does not confer additional benefits in the reduction of short-term hospital readmissions for heart failure.