Vexus Assessment and Natriuresis-guided Diuretic Therapy in Acute Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 2% of the general population, and despite advances in medical therapy, outcomes after hospitalization for acute HF (AHF) remain poor. One-year mortality is nearly fourfold higher in hospitalized compared to non-hospitalized HF patients, and more than half require rehospitalization. Residual congestion at discharge is the strongest predictor of adverse outcomes, yet only one in four patients leaves the hospital adequately decongested. Current HF guidelines highlight decongestive strategies as a major evidence gap.

The VANTAGE-HF trial addresses this critical gap by combining two complementary strategies: precision patient stratification using Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) and structured natriuresis-guided titration of loop diuretics. VExUS is a novel, non-invasive ultrasound-based scoring system that significantly improves diagnostic accuracy and severity grading of systemic venous congestion. VExUS score ranges from 0 (no congestion) to 3 (severe congestion), and approximately 40% of hospitalized AHF patients present with VExUS grade 3, a phenotype associated with poor diuretic response and adverse outcomes.

Recent trials have shown that natriuresis-guided diuretic therapy, with stepwise dose escalation if urinary sodium levels remain low, increases the rate of decongestion and reduces hospital length of stay without increasing adverse events. However, these trials were not powered to demonstrate prognostic benefit and did not target specific high-risk subgroups.

All patients admitted with AHF will undergo VExUS assessment within 24 hours of the first administered dose of iv diuretics and will be randomized 1:1 to receive either natriuresis-guided therapy or standard care. In the intervention arm, intravenous loop diuretics will be administered twice daily, and urinary sodium concentration will be measured two hours after each dose. If urinary sodium is less than 70 mmol/L, the subsequent diuretic dose will be doubled, with additional diuretic agents including thiazides and/or acetazolamide added if maximum loop diuretic dosing is reached.

The primary endpoint, evaluated in patients with VExUS grade 3 (severe congestion), is a hierarchical composite win ratio of 90-day mortality, 90-day rehospitalization, and hospital length of stay. Key secondary endpoints are tested hierarchically: first, whether the win ratio differs between patients with VExUS grade 3 versus VExUS grade 0-2 at admission (interaction analysis, tested only if the primary endpoint is significant); and second, the win ratio for natriuresis-guided therapy versus standard care in patients with VExUS grade 0-2 (tested only if the first key secondary endpoint is significant). Exploratory endpoints include in-hospital clinical, hemodynamic, and biochemical outcomes (mortality, eGFR, NT-proBNP, NYHA class, VExUS score, natriuresis/diuresis, and patient-reported dyspnea), associations between congestion markers (VExUS, FibroScan liver stiffness measurement, lung ultrasound, clinical congestion score, and NT-proBNP), quality of life at 90 days, GDMT optimization score at discharge, and long-term time to readmission and mortality assessed through registry linkage.

The trial has important implications beyond individual patient outcomes. More effective decongestion could shorten hospital stays and prevent rehospitalizations-two key drivers of strain on healthcare systems. By addressing inadequate decongestion, a major source of preventable harm, the trial aims to improve patient outcomes while offering a low-cost, scalable approach that integrates seamlessly into routine clinical workflows.

Inclusion criteria

• Age >18 years
• Hospitalization with AHF, either de novo or worsening of chronic HF
• Able to provide written informed consent
• Requirement of intravenous loop diuretic treatment as judged by the treating physician

Exclusion criteria

• Dyspnea primarily due to non-cardiac causes
• Advanced renal disease or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 20 mL/min/1.73m2 at screening or on-going dialysis.
• Enrollment in another study interfering with the treatment algorithm of the current study
• Inability to follow the treatment protocol
• Language barriers requiring the need for an external interpreter
• Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women
• Very short life expectancy (<30 days)