A Danish Pragmatic Randomized Trial of Nutritional Supplements in Heart Failure

Overview

Heart failure is a common and serious condition. Despite rapid advancements in heart failure treatment, the prognosis remains severe. Smaller studies have shown that two simple, safe, and relatively inexpensive nutritional supplements-coenzyme Q10 and selenium-may reduce the risk of complications associated with heart failure. The DANUTRIO-HF trial will investigate whether these supplements can make a difference for individuals with heart failure. The study will assign approximately 4,044 patients from across Denmark to either coenzyme Q10 (100 mg twice daily) or a corresponding placebo, as well as selenium (100 μg twice daily) or its corresponding placebo, and follow how many of them end up being hospitalized for heart failure or dying from heart problems over an estimated two to three-year period.

This investigator-initiated, pragmatic, registry-based, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 2x2 factorial, individually randomized trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of daily intake of the nutritional supplements coenzyme Q10 versus placebo, and selenium versus placebo, in preventing heart failure hospitalizations and cardiovascular death in heart failure patients. The trial plans to randomize approximately 4,044 participants in an event-driven design. Participants will be identified through the Danish Administrative Health Registries, which will also serve as the primary source for data collection. Contact with potential participants will be made via the mandatory Danish electronic letter system. No scheduled in-person visits are required in the main study, and all study interventions will be mailed to participants. A substudy involving up to 600 participants will assess the effects of coenzyme Q10 and selenium on functional capacity, treatment compliance, biochemical biomarkers, and cardiac function and structure. This group will attend two in-person visits for additional evaluations, including echocardiography, blood sampling, and a 6-minute walk test at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up.