Table 2.

Torsemide vs. Furosemide studies: Hospitalizations and mortality

Study (Year)	N	Patients	Design	Average Follow-up	Comparison	Outcomes (Torsemide vs Furosemide)	Limitations
TORIC (2002)	1377	Spanish-based Avg. age ~68 years NYHA class II-IV 50% female	Open-label, non-randomized, post-marketing surveillance	9.2 months (~276 days)	Torsemide avg. dose 8.2 mg/day Vs. Furosemide avg. dose 35 mg/day + other diuretics	51.5% RR reduction in total mortality (17 vs. 27 deaths) 59.7% RR reduction in cardiac mortality (11 vs. 27 deaths) Greater improvement in ≥ 1 NYHA class	Non-randomized Greater concurrent use of other diuretics in furosemide group Low use of standard HF therapies Rural non-hospital based population No report of hospitalization rates
Müller et al. (2003)	237	Switzerland-based Avg. age ~74 years NYHA class II-IV Required ACE inhibitor use ~57% female	Open-label, randomized, prospective	239 days in Torsemide arm 250 days in Furosemide arm	Torsemide avg. dose 11.36 mg/day Vs. Furosemide avg. dose 40.04 mg/day	No difference in mortality (8 vs. 6 deaths) No difference in number of HF and CV-disease hospitalizations (10 vs. 11) Fewer combined HF and CV-related hospital days (95 vs. 146) Greater improvement in ≥ 1 NYHA class	Small sample size Sample sizes in each group were not adequately powered Furosemide group had more renal insufficiency Concurrent ACE inhibitor therapy was required Hospitalization data skewed by a single furosemide-treated patient with prolonged hospital stay Lack of blinding and subjective data
Murray et al. (2001)	234	Indianapolis, USA-based Avg. age ~64 years NYHA class II-III Excluded LV diastolic dysfunction only ~53% female	Open-label, randomized, prospective	324 days in Torsemide arm 318 days in Furosemide arm	Torsemide avg. dose 72 mg/day Vs. Furosemide avg. dose 136 mg/day	No difference in mortality 52% decrease in HF readmission rate 34% decrease in all CV-related readmission risk Less HF-related hospital days (106 vs. 296)	Small sample size Torsemide group had more pre-trial HF hospitalizations in prior 1 year High reported daily doses of loop diuretics

Abbreviations: ACE: Angiotensin converting enzyme; avg: average; CV: cardiovascular; HF: heart failure; LV: left ventricular; mg: milligram; NYHA: New York Heart Association; RR: relative risk