Natriuretic Peptides and the Microcirkulation in Heart Failure Patients
Author
Summary, in English
This thesis addresses studies of elderly patients with varying degrees of HF. We determined blood levels of homocysteine and the natriuretic peptide precursor, NT-proBNP which is released by the failing heart. We also investigated vasoreactive response of the cutaneous microcirculation to different stimuli using a non-invasive iontophoresis-Laser Doppler probe method.
Paper I: We investigated the prognostic value of NT-proBNP for monitoring progression of HF. High blood levels (>5000) were found to indicate a poor prognosis of HF.
Paper II: An open study,- in which we evaluated the function of the cutaneous peripheral circulation of patients with chronic HF. We found that vasoreactivity declines with increasing age and HF.
Paper III: We evaluated vasoreactive responses in HF patients with homocysteinemi, before and 6 weeks after supplementary by B vitamin treatment. Homocysteine levels where then normalized and the cutaneous responses improved.
Paper IV: A controlled study in which, we investigated the microcirculation in chronic HF patients with different degrees of HF. We saw that the degree of severity of congestive HF did not correlate with decrease in vasoreactive responses.
Paper V: The effect of BNP in the microcirculation was studied in patients with severe congestive HF and compared to healthy, matched controls. The result shows that BNP has a significantly weaker vasodilation in HF patients and this is probably due to down regulation at the receptor-coupling level.
Department/s
Publishing year
2014
Language
English
Publication/Series
Lund University Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series
Volume
2014:5
Full text
Document type
Dissertation
Publisher
Medicine (Lund)
Topic
- Other Clinical Medicine
Keywords
- Heart failure natriuretic peptides BNP cutaneous microcirculation
Status
Published
Supervisor
- Sven Andersson
- Erik Uddman
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1652-8220
- ISBN: 978-91-87651-29-8
Defence date
21 February 2014
Defence time
13:00
Defence place
Segerfalksalen, Sölvegatan 17, BMC, Lund
Opponent
- Kurt Boman (professor)