Central Aortic Stiffness in Patients With Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Relationship With Neurohumoral Activation

Neurohormones, inflammatory mediators, and cardiovascular injury in the setting of heart failure

Neurohormones and inflammatory mediators have effects in both the heart and the peripheral vasculature. In patients with heart failure (HF), neurohormonal activation and increased levels of inflammatory mediators promote ventricular remodeling and development of HF, as well as vascular dysfunction and arterial stiffness. These processes may lead to a vicious cycle, whereby arterial stiffness perpetuates further ventricular remodeling leading to exacerbation of symptoms. Although significant advances have been made in the treatment of HF, currently available treatment strategies slow, but do not halt, this cycle. The current treatment for HF patients involves the inhibition of neurohormonal activation, which can reduce morbidity and mortality related to this condition. Beyond benefits associated with neurohormonal blockade, other strategies have focused on inhibition of inflammatory pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of HF. Unfortunately, attempts to target inflammation have not yet been successful to improve prognosis of HF. Further work is required to interrupt key maladaptive mechanisms involved in disease progression.

Age and cigarette smoking modulate the relationship between pulmonary function and arterial stiffness in heart failure patients

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between arterial stiffness and pulmonary function in chronic heart failure (CHF).Outpatients previously diagnosed as CHF were enrolled between April 2008 and March 2010, and submitted to arterial stiffness measurement and lung function assessment. Spirometry was performed by measuring forced vital capacity (FVC), the fraction of predicted FVC, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), the percentage of predicted FEV1 in 1 second, FEV1 to FVC ratio, and the percentage of predicted FEV1/FVC. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was considered for the estimation of arterial stiffness.The 354 patients assessed included 315 nonsmokers, and were 68.2 ± 7.2 years' old. Unadjusted correlation analyses demonstrated CAVI was positively related to age (r = 0.3664, P < 0.0001), and negatively related to body mass index (BMI, r = -0.2040, P = 0.0001), E/A ratio (r = -0.1759, P = 0.0010), and FEV1 (r = -0.2987, P < 0.0001). Stepwise multivariate regression analyses showed age (r = 0.2391, P < 0.0001), BMI (r = -0.2139, P < 0.0001), smoking (r = 0.1211, P = 0.0130), E/A ratio (r = -0.1082, P = 0.0386), and FEV1 (r = -0.2550, P < 0.0001) were independent determinants of CAVI. In addition, there is a significant interaction between CAVI and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in relation to age (Pint < 0.0001) and smoking (Pint = 0.0001). Meanwhile, pulmonary function was not associated with BMI or E/A ratio.These findings demonstrated that reduced pulmonary function is associated with the increased CAVI, and had an interactive effect with age and smoking on CAVI in patients with CHF.

Pulmonary Function and Arterial Stiffness in Chronic Heart Failure

Arterial stiffness contributes to heart failure and is decreased by angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). This cross-sectional study aimed to assess associations of lung function and ARB with arterial stiffness in patients with chronic heart failure. 354 outpatients (168 males; 186 females; 68.2 ± 7.2 years old) with chronic heart failure were evaluated. Lung function parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), and FEV₁ to FVC ratio (FEV₁/FVC), were assessed. The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was used to estimate arterial stiffness. Unadjusted correlation analyses revealed a positive association of CAVI with ARB but not ACEI, and a negative correlation with FEV₁ (r = −0.2987, p < 0.0001). Multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that ARB and FEV1 (p < 0.0001) were independent predicting factors for CAVI. These findings suggest that reduced pulmonary function is associated with increased CAVI. Pulmonary function protection could be used to improve the prognosis in heart failure, but additional studies are necessary.

The effect of aldosterone-antagonist therapy on aortic elastic properties in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Many studies proved the prognostic importance of aortic stiffness as an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality. The decrease of arterial compliance has a high prevalence in patients with heart failure and affects both hemodynamics and prognosis. Aortic stiffness is partially caused by excessive activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Spironolactone, a mineralcorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA), has been shown to decrease aortic stiffness and fibrosis in experimental models. However, there are few studies that describe the effects of MRA on aortic stiffness in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

AIMS

To evaluate the effect of spironolactone on aortic stiffness in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We randomized (1 : 1) 102 patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy with New York Heart Association class I-II to receive spironolactone 25 mg/day (up to 100 mg/day) or placebo, in addition to recommended therapy. Aortic stiffness index, aortic strain, aortic distensibility and aortic dimensions were assessed at baseline and after 6 months. All measures were obtained with echocardiography M-mode at 3 cm above the aortic valve on parasternal long axis view and simultaneous brachial arterial pressure with sphygmomanometer.

RESULTS

Ascending aorta diameters, aortic stiffness index, aortic distensibility and aortic strain were similar at randomization in the two groups. After 6 months of therapy in the treated group, we found a reduction of aortic stiffness index (7.2 ± 3.5 versus 9.6 ± 4.8 mmHg; P = 0.03) and an increase of aortic distensibility (3.77 ± 1.0 versus 2.92 ± 0.55 mmHg; P = 0.01) and systolic aortic strain (10.0 ± 5.0 versus 8.0% ± 2.1%; P = 0.01). There were no difference in systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure and differential pressure in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Therapy with spironolactone is effective in reducing aortic stiffness in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. This effect could improve hemodynamics supporting the use of MRAs in patients with low New York Heart Association class (I-II).

High evening salivary cortisol is an independent predictor of increased mortality risk in patients with systolic heart failure

AIMS

Serum cortisol independently predicts mortality risk in patients with systolic heart failure. Salivary cortisol may provide advantages as it better reflects the biologically active free compound. Furthermore, sampling is non-invasive and may easily be performed in outpatients. We comparatively evaluated associations of morning (MSC) vs. evening salivary cortisol (ESC) and all-cause mortality risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

MSC (8 am) and ESC (9 pm) were determined in 229 patients with heart failure participating in the Interdisciplinary Network for Heart Failure program (66 ± 13 years; 21% female; 37% New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III/IV, median left ventricular ejection fraction 33%). The association of cortisol with mortality risk was determined by univariate and Cox multivariable regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, NYHA class, and N-terminal pro-hormone B-type natriuretic peptide. Compared to ESC, MSC was significantly higher and exhibited a higher variance: median 0.59 ng/ml (interquartile range 0.41-0.93) vs. 0.25 ng/ml (0.15-0.48), p<0.001. During 18 months of follow-up, 25 (11%) patients died. In univariate and multivariable models mortality risk was not increased in the highest MSC quartile: crude hazard ratio (HR) 1.81 (95% confidence interval 0.79-4.14, p=0.160), adjusted HR 1.26 (0.51-3.13, p=0.616). However, patients in the highest ESC quartile had a significantly increased mortality risk, suggesting that associations of high ESC and increased mortality were independent of disease severity: crude HR 3.33 (1.50-7.42, p=0.003), adjusted HR 2.49 (1.01-6.14, p=0.047). ESC alone proved the best predictor of mortality.

CONCLUSION

High ESC but not MSC levels independently predict increased mortality risk in heart failure.

Arterial wave reflection and subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction

OBJECTIVES

Increased arterial wave reflection is a predictor of cardiovascular events and has been hypothesized to be a cofactor in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Whether increased wave reflection is inversely associated with left-ventricular (LV) systolic function in individuals without heart failure is not clear.

METHODS

Arterial wave reflection and LV systolic function were assessed in 301 participants from the Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions (CABL) study using two-dimensional echocardiography and applanation tonometry of the radial artery to derive central arterial waveform by a validated transfer function. Aortic augmentation index (AIx) and wasted energy index (WEi) were used as indices of wave reflection. LV systolic function was measured by LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Mitral annulus peak systolic velocity (Sm), peak longitudinal strain and strain rate were measured. Participants with history of coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, LVEF less than 50% or wall motion abnormalities were excluded.

RESULTS

Mean age of the study population was 68.3 ± 10.2 years (64.1% women, 65% hypertensive). LV systolic function by TDI was lower with increasing wave reflection, whereas LVEF was not. In multivariate analysis, TDI parameters of LV longitudinal systolic function were significantly and inversely correlated to AIx and WEi (P values from 0.05 to 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In a community cohort without heart failure and with normal LVEF, an increased arterial wave reflection was associated with subclinical reduction in LV systolic function assessed by novel TDI techniques. Further studies are needed to investigate the prognostic implications of this relationship.