Cardiac production of C-type natriuretic peptide in heart failure.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

C-type natriuretic peptide production by the heart in patients with chronic heart failure has recently been demonstrated by measuring the difference in C-type natriuretic peptide plasma levels between the aortic root and coronary sinus samples. To assess this previous relevant observation, we re-evaluated the cardiac production of C-type natriuretic peptide, thus increasing the total number of patients studied. In light of the difficulty in recruiting patients with these characteristics, this kind of study can be performed with a small number of subjects.

METHODS:

Cardiac production of C-type natriuretic peptide was evaluated in a subset (n = 6) of patients, referred to our institute for the evaluation of chronic heart failure. C-type natriuretic peptide was measured in the coronary sinus and in aorta blood collected during right and left heart catheterization using a specific immunometric assay, after solid-phase extraction of plasma samples.

RESULTS:

Significantly higher C-type natriuretic peptide levels were found in the coronary sinus than in aorta blood (7.8 +/- 1.3 versus 6.1 +/- 1.5 pg/ml, P = 0.034) and our results were in accordance with previous ones. Analysing as a whole the data gathered in the two studies, a noteworthy significant increase was observed (n = 15, P = 0.002) between the C-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in the two sites.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results of the present study strengthen the hypothesis that C-type natriuretic peptide is produced by the heart in patients with chronic heart failure.

• Authors: Silvia Del Ry, Maristella Maltinti, Marcello Piacenti, Claudio Passino, Michele Emdin, Daniela Giannessi
• Journal: Journal of cardiovascular medicine (Hagerstown, Md.) (J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown)) Vol. 7 Issue 6 Pg. 397-9 (Jun 2006) ISSN: 1558-2027 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16721200 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type

Topics

• Aged
• Female
• Heart Failure (metabolism)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type (blood, metabolism)
• Radioimmunoassay