title: [Nocturnal-diurnal changes of norepinephrine blood levels in patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency. Practical values].
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate circadian changes in noradrenaline (norepinephrine) levels in patients presenting with congestive heart failure. Eighteen patients were investigated with a group mean age of 66 years, 12 in NYHA class III and 6 in class IV. The cause of the heart failure was ischemia in 7 cases, valvular in 1 case and idiopathic in the other 10 cases. The mean follow-up time of the disease was 3.9 years. Six healthy volunteers were investigated following the same protocol. Blood samples were taken while the patient was lying down over a period of 24 hours, after installing a peripheral venous catheter. The assay was carried out by means of high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. In the controls, the mean noradrenaline level (norepinephrine) was 220 +/- 62 pg/ml, with daytime peaks. The heart failure patients showed a high mean level (230 +/- 404 pg/ml), with less daytime variability than the controls (92% vs 127%; p < 0.05). The 8 a.m. value was reproducible, and there was close correlation between this value and the mean value for the 24 hours (p < 0.001). Thus, the morning sample provides a good estimation of the levels over the 24 hours.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital Pasteur, Nice.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gibelin
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Robillon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Candito
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mondain
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morand
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D009638:Norepinephrine
vernacular_title: Variations nycthémérales du taux de la noradrénaline dans le sang des insuffisants cardiaques chroniques. Intérêts pratiques.