The effects of physical exercise on plasma levels of relaxin, NTproANP, and NTproBNP in patients with ischemic heart disease

Abstract

The insulin-like and vasodilatatory polypeptide relaxin (RLX), formerly known as a pregnancy hormone, has gained interest as a potential humoral mediator in human heart failure. Controversy exists about the relation between plasma levels of RLX and the severity of heart failure. The present study was designed to determine the course of RLX, atrial, and brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP and NT-proBNP) during physical exercise in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and to relate hormone levels to peak cardiac power output (CPO) as a measure of cardiopulmonary function with prognostic relevance. 40 patients with IHD were studied during right-heart-catheterization at rest and during supine bicycle ergometry. RLX, NTproBNP, and NTproANP were determined before, during exercise, and after recovery. NT-proANP and NT-proBNP levels increased during maximal charge, and recovery while RLX levels decreased. Cardiac power output at maximal charge correlated inversely with NTproANP and NTproBNP but positively with RLX. Patients with high degree heart failure (CPO < 1.96 W) had higher NTproANP and NTproB-NP and lower RLX levels than patients with low degree heart failure. While confirming the role of NTproANP and NTproBNP as markers for the severity of heart failure, the present data do not support the concept that plasma levels of RLX are related to the severity of myocardial dysfunction and that systemic RLX acts as a compensatory vasodilatatory response hormone in ischemic heart disease.

Decreased Serum Relaxin-2 Is Correlated with Impaired Islet β-Cell Function in Patients with Unstable Angina and Abnormal Glucose Metabolism

“…Although previous studies have indicated that changes in the serum RLX-2 are involved in the pathogenesis of CVDs, 28,29) our study did not support that the serum level of RLX-2 were different among those with or without UA in the normal blood glucose patients. Moreover, the serum levels of RLX-2 were not associated with the severity of the coronary lesions in UA patients with glucose metabolism dysfunction.…”

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XCV. Recent Advances in the Understanding of the Pharmacology and Biological Roles of Relaxin Family Peptide Receptors 1–4, the Receptors for Relaxin Family Peptides

“…Increased circulating relaxin levels in human heart failure were not confirmed in two subsequent clinical studies (Kupari et al, 2005;Heringlake et al, 2009), possibly due to a methodological issue related to the utilization of a new batch of antiserum (Kupari et al, 2005;Heringlake et al, 2009) for the ELISA (Dschietzig et al, 2001b;Fisher et al, 2002). Increased relaxin gene expression in chronic heart failure was confirmed by two independent studies using the rat infarction model Zhang et al, 2005).…”

Preoperative Cerebral Oxygen Saturation and Clinical Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery

“…11 The interassay coefficient of variation was 9.3% at 130 pg/ml and 14.4% at 3,890 pg/ml. The lower detection limit was 5 pg/ml.…”

“…The subgroup of high-risk patients with a EuroSCORE greater than 10 consisted of 102 patients with a median additive EuroSCORE of 12 (11)(12)(13)(14). The patients in this group were older (74 yr [67-78 yr]), weighed less (75 kg [67-97 kg]), and were smaller (170 cm [160 -178 cm]; all: P Ͻ 0.05) compared with the total cohort.…”