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European Journal of Heart Failure 2005 7(4):475-478; doi:10.1016/S1388-9842(03)00106-5
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© 2005 European Society of Cardiology

Urotensin II in patients with chronic heart failure{star}

Stefan Krüger, Jürgen Graf, Dagmar Kunz, Tina Stickel, Marc W. Merx, Peter Hanrath and Uwe Janssens*

Medical Clinic I and the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University Hospital, University of Technology Aachen, Germany

* Corresponding author. Present address: Medizinische Klinik I, Universitätsklinikum, Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen 52057, Germany. Tel.: +49-241-8089831; Fax: +49-241-8082414. E-mail address: ujanssens{at}ukaachen.de


  Abstract

Background: Human Urotensin II (hU-II) is the most potent vasoconstrictor known to date. HU-II receptors are predominant in the human heart and arterial vessels, suggesting hU-II to be of importance as a cardiovascular mediator.

Methods: We studied 32 consecutive patients (60±12 years) with chronic heart failure (CHF) and 10 control subjects (54±12 years, n.s.) with cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Blood samples for the measurement of plasma hU-II and big-endothelin-1 (big-ET1) were obtained at rest and at peak exercise.

Results: Peak VO2 was significantly higher in controls than in CHF patients (19.8±3.8 vs. 14.7±3.6 ml min–1 kg–1, P<0.001). Big-ET1 levels were increased in CHF compared to controls at rest (2.8±1.8 vs. 1.7±0.1 fmol/ml, P<0.01) and at peak exercise (2.7±1.7 vs. 1.6±0.2 fmol/ml, P<0.005). HU-II concentrations were comparable in patients with CHF and controls at rest (2990±1104 vs. 3290±508 pg/ml, n.s.) and peak exercise (3063±1185 vs. 3213±1188 pg/ml, n.s.). Resting hU-II levels demonstrated no correlation with peak VO2 in controls or CHF patients.

Conclusions: The measurement of circulating plasma levels of hU-II does not seem to be very helpful in studying the effects of hU-II in human cardiovascular regulation. A local paracrine or autocrine mediator effect of hU-II in CHF is possible.

Key Words: Urotensin II • Chronic heart failure • Endothelin-exercise

Received September 16, 2002; Revised January 15, 2003; Accepted June 16, 2003

{star} No author has a fiscal interest, consulting or lecture arrangement, or has received research support from a company dealing in products used in the study.


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