Congestive heart failure (CHF) is characterized by a sympathetic activation and a baroreflex impairment whose degree is directly related to the clinical severity of the disease. However, whether these abnormalities vary according to the ischaemic or idiopathic dilated nature of the CHF state has not been conclusively documented. In patients with a clinically stable, chronic CHF state in New York Heart Association functional class II and III, due either to ischaemic heart disease (IHD; n = 22, age 60.3±2.4 years, means±S.E.M.) or to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC; n = 20, age 58.9±2.8 years), and in 30 age-matched controls, we measured arterial blood pressure (using a Finapres device), heart rate (by electrocardiogram) and postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve traffic (by microneurography) at rest and during baroreceptor manipulation induced by the vasoactive drug-infusion technique. Blood pressure values were not significantly different in CHF patients and controls. Compared with controls, heart rate was similarly increased and left ventricular ejection fraction (by echocardiography) similarly reduced in CHF patients with IHD or IDC. Muscle sympathetic nerve traffic was significantly greater in CHF patients than in controls, and did not differ between patients with IHD or IDC (67.3±4.2 and 67.8±3.8 bursts/100 heart beats respectively). This was also the case for the degree of baroreflex impairment. These data show that CHF states due to IHD or to IDC are characterized by a similar degree of peripheral sympathetic activation and by a similar impairment of the baroreflex function. Thus the neuroadrenergic and reflex abnormalities characterizing CHF are independent of its aetiology.
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Research Article|
June 20 2001
Sympathetic and reflex abnormalities in heart failure secondary to ischaemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy
Guido GRASSI;
Guido GRASSI
*Clinica Medica, University of Milano-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via Donizetti 106, 20052 Monza-Milan, Italy
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Gino SERAVALLE;
Gino SERAVALLE
†Centro Auxologico Italiano, Via Spagnoletto 3, 20149 Milan, Italy
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Giovanni BERTINIERI;
Giovanni BERTINIERI
‡Centro di Fisiologia Clinica e Ipertensione, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scintifico, Ospedale Policlinico, Via F Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Carlo TURRI;
Carlo TURRI
*Clinica Medica, University of Milano-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via Donizetti 106, 20052 Monza-Milan, Italy
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Maria Luisa STELLA;
Maria Luisa STELLA
‡Centro di Fisiologia Clinica e Ipertensione, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scintifico, Ospedale Policlinico, Via F Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Francesco SCOPELLITI;
Francesco SCOPELLITI
*Clinica Medica, University of Milano-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via Donizetti 106, 20052 Monza-Milan, Italy
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Giuseppe MANCIA
*Clinica Medica, University of Milano-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo dei Tintori, Via Donizetti 106, 20052 Monza-Milan, Italy
Correspondence: Professor Giuseppe Mancia at Clinica Medica, University of Milano-Bicocca (e-mail giuseppe.mancia@unimib.it)
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
December 06 2000
Revision Received:
February 08 2001
Accepted:
April 25 2001
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2001
2001
Clin Sci (Lond) (2001) 101 (2): 141–146.
Article history
Received:
December 06 2000
Revision Received:
February 08 2001
Accepted:
April 25 2001
Citation
Guido GRASSI, Gino SERAVALLE, Giovanni BERTINIERI, Carlo TURRI, Maria Luisa STELLA, Francesco SCOPELLITI, Giuseppe MANCIA; Sympathetic and reflex abnormalities in heart failure secondary to ischaemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 August 2001; 101 (2): 141–146. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1010141
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