Possible Enzymatic Downregulation of the Natriuretic Peptide System in Patients with Reduced Systolic Function and Heart Failure: A Pilot Study
Table 1
Patient characteristics.
Patient Characteristics
Normal Systolic Function
Reduced Systolic Function (Systolic Dysfunction)
Control
No Heart Failure
Heart Failure
Male (N, (%))
16 (100)
16 (100)
16 (100)
Black Race (N, (%))
5 (31)
4 (25)
13 (81)
Age, yrs (mean ± SD)
59.3 ± 6.8
61.2 ± 4.4
59.6 ± 4.2
BMI (mean ± SD)
28.8 ± 2.6
28.4 ± 3.4
25.6 ± 5.1§,†
Heart Failure Score (mean ± SD)
0.0 ± 0.1
0.8 ± 0.4‡
4.8 ± 1.0§,†
Medical History
Coronary Artery Disease (N, (%))
9 (56)§
10 (63)†
3 (19)
Myocardial Infarction (N, (%))
2 (13)
2 (13)
0 (0)
Hypertension (N, (%))
15 (94)
13 (81)
15 (94)
Diabetes Mellitus (N, (%))
6 (38)
8 (51)
9 (56)
Cancer (N, (%))
2 (13)
0 (0)
0 (0)
Cirrhosis (N, (%))
0 (0)
0 (0)
0 (0)
Pulmonary Embolism (N, (%))
0 (0)
0 (0)
1 (6)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (N, (%))
3 (19)
0 (0)
2 (13)
Arrhythmia (N, (%))
1 (6)
5 (31)
4 (25)
Ethanol Consumption (N, (%))
1 (6)
2 (13)
4 (25)
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (N, (%))
2 (13)
2 (13)
5 (31)
Hyperlipidemia (N, (%))
10 (67)
15 (94)†
7 (44)
p<0.05; §reduced systolic function + dHF versus control, †reduced systolic function + dHF versus reduced systolic function no heart failure, and ‡reduced systolic function versus normal systolic function.
