Table 2.
Comparison of biochemical, clinical, and endomyocardial biopsy data in 8 patients with heart failure: baseline and at 6-month follow up.
| Baseline N = 8 |
At 6-Month FU N = 8 |
p Value * | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 55.5 ± 15.1 | 55.5 ± 15.1 | |
| Sex (M/F) † | 6M, 2F | 6M, 2F | |
| BMI (kg/m2) ‡ | 27.6 ± 4.3 | 26.0 ± 3.5 | 0.4 |
| SBP (mmHg) § | 112.5 ± 11.6 | 114.3 ± 5.6 | 0.8294 |
| DBP (mmHg) || | 67.5 ± 7.1 | 71.6 ± 3.4 | 0.1376 |
| HR (bpm) # | 81 ± 9.9 | 70.0 ± 6.9 | 0.05 |
| Blood values | |||
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 1.1 ± 0.1 | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 0.05 |
| Na (mmEq/L) | 139.5 ± 3.0 | 139.6 ± 1.8 | 0.9577 |
| K(mmEq/L) | 4.1 ± 0.25 | 4.0 ± 0.1 | 0.7080 |
| Ca (mmEq/L) | 9.2 ± 0.3 | 9.2 ± 0.3 | 0.9575 |
| PAC (pg/mL) ** | 92.6 ± 65.4 | 57.5 ± 33.9 | 0.0830 |
| PRA (pg/mL) *** | 14.8 ± 12.8 | 10.0 ± 5.5 | 0.6454 |
| PAC/PRA ratio | 16.1 ± 18.1 | 5.6 ± 1.5 | 0.0582 |
| 2d-Echocardiography | |||
| MWT (mm) †† | 10.5 ± 2 | 9.7 ± 1.2 | 0.3506 |
| LVEDD (mm) ‡‡ | 61.5 ± 7.4 | 54.8 ± 3.9 | 0.6731 |
| LVEF% §§ | 26.2 ± 3.7 | 51.6 ± 5.8 | 0.0001 |
| Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging | |||
| MWT (mm) †† | 11.0 ± 2.7 | 10.1 ± 1.1 | 0.3601 |
| LVEDV (ml) ||| | 270.8 ± 59.7 | 205.8 ± 42.7 | 0.05 |
| LVESV (ml) ## | 207.5 ± 51.9 | 97.3± 13.7 | 0.0001 |
| LVEF (%) §§ | 23.3 ± 5.2 | 52.6 ± 5.9 | 0.0001 |
| LV mass (g) | 160.7 ± 46.6 | 139.2 ± 37.4 | 0.3823 |
| Endomyocardial biopsy studies | |||
| Cardiomyocyte diameter (µm) | 32.6± 1.9 | 23.5 ± 2.6 | 0.0001 |
| Fibrosis (%) | 13.6 ± 1.8 | 13.6 ± 1.8 | - |
| Aldosterone receptor grade (0/4) | 1.5 ± 0.4 | 3 ± 0.5 | 0.0001 |
| AQP1 grade (0/4) | 3.4 ± 0.3 | 1.3 ± 0.4 | 0.0001 |
| Aldosterone receptor Western blot (arbitrary units) | 27,085 ± 2587 | 10,134 ± 2346 | 0.01 |
| AQP1 **** Western blot (arbitrary units) | 18,456 ± 5674 | 7537 ± 1667 | 0.05 |
* p values refer to comparison between two groups. p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Quantitative measurements are expressed as mean ± SD. † M = male, F = female, ‡ BMI = body mass index, § SBP = systolic blood pressure, || DBP = diastolic blood pressure, # HR = heart rate, ** PAC = plasma aldosterone concentrations, *** PRA = plasma renin activity, PAC/PRA ratio = plasma aldosterone concentration/plasma renin activity, †† MWT = maximal wall thickness, ‡‡ LVEDD = left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, §§ LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction, ||| LVEDV = left ventricular end-diastolic volume, ## LVESV = left ventricular end-systolic volume, **** AQP1 = aquaporin 1.