Patients and methods
Patients
Eligible patients were women and men aged 18 years or
older who had symptomatic heart failure (New York
Heart Association class II–IV) for at least 4 weeks’
duration. Major exclusion criteria included serum
creatinine 265 mol/L or more, serum potassium
5·5 mmol/L or more, known bilateral renal artery stenosis,
symptomatic hypotension, women of childbearing
potential not using adequate contraception, critical
aortic or mitral stenosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, or
open-heart surgery in the previous 4 weeks, use of an
angiotensin-receptor blocker in the previous 2 weeks, any
non-cardiac disease judged likely to limit 2-year survival,
and unwillingness to consent. Other exclusion criteria
have been previously described.19
Eligible patients were enrolled into one of three trials,
done concurrently, according to LVEF higher than
40% (CHARM-Preserved), 40% or lower and being
treated with an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor
(CHARM-Added), or 40% or lower and not being treated
with an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor because of
previous intolerance (CHARM-Alternative). All patients
gave written informed consent before being enrolled. All
sites received approval from local ethics committees for the
conduct of each of the three component trials.
The component trials were all done at the same 618
sites in 26 countries, with use of uniform procedures,
definitions, and forms, and one data coordinating centre,
management, and leadership team. An independent data
safety monitoring board was established to oversee the
safety of patients enrolled in the trial and to monitor trial
progress. This board had access to all data through an
independent statistical centre. Predefined stopping rules
for efficacy or safety concentrated on mortality from the
overall trial programme. An independent clinical-event
committee adjudicated all study endpoints.