Jan Biegus reviews the SUBCUT-HF II trial, evaluating whether early discharge combined with an ambulatory subcutaneous furosemide pump safely improves out-of-hospital days for heart failure patients compared to standard care.
Presented at HFA 2026 in Barcelona, the SUBCUT-HF II trial randomized 170 heart failure patients across 20 UK hospitals. It compared an early discharge strategy using a patient-managed subcutaneous furosemide pump against usual inpatient care.
The trial met its primary endpoint, showing a significant 4-day benefit in days alive and out of hospital at 30 days for the subcutaneous group. Although crude rehospitalisation rates appeared higher, this is inherently biased by earlier exposure times. This proof-of-concept study highlights the vast potential of home-based decongestion strategies in modern heart failure care.
Advancing trans-disciplinary innovation in heart failure drugs and device solutions to improve patient care
