Influence of tissue affinity of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
The demonstration of local renin-angiotension systems has raised the question of whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors with different tissue affinities differ with regard to their effects on postinfarction remodeling.


OBJECTIVE
The study was undertaken to investigate the influence of ACE inhibitors with different tissue affinity on morphology and function of the infarcted left ventricle.


METHODS
In all, 52 patients (17 women, 35 men, 38-73 years) with large acute myocardial infarction were randomized to receive either 25-75 mg/day captopril or 10-20 mg/day fosinopril beginning on the Day 7 after infarction. Of these, 28 had anterior and 24 had posterior wall infarctions. Infarct size was determined by the creatine kinase integral method. Fifty patients were examined by cinemagnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) 1 and 26 weeks after infarction. The following parameters were determined: left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume index (LVEDVI, LVESVI), ejection fraction (LVEF), infarct weight, and muscle mass (LVMM). The volume-to-mass ratio (VMR) was calculated and the clinical status according to the guidelines of the New York Heart Association (NYHA) was documented at each examination time. The results were compared with those of a historical sample without ACE-inhibitor therapy examined in an identical manner (n = 31, 10 women, 21 men, 36-75 years).


RESULTS
LVEDVI and LVESVI increased in the first 6 months after infarction by 24.9 and 36.6%, respectively, in the historical sample; by 11.0 and 7.8%, respectively, under captopril; and by 13.1 and 10.7%, respectively, under fosinopril. LVEF decreased by 14.9% in the untreated sample, by 3.7% under captopril and by 5.0% under fosinopril. Infarct weight and LVMM increased by 12.7 and 15.3%, respectively, without ACE inhibition, by 5.7 and 10.1%, respectively, in patients treated with captopril, and by 6.1 and 9.3%, respectively, in patients treated with fosinopril. The VMR increased by 7.4% in the historical sample, by 3.5% in the captopril group, and by 1.8% in the fosinopril group. The NYHA clinical status improved by 18.2% without ACE inhibition, by 42.9% in the captopril group, and by 26.3% in the fosinopril group. The differences between the two ACE-inhibitor groups and the reference group were all significant, while the differences between the captopril group and the fosinopril group were significant only for VMR (p < 0.01) and NYHA class (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Both captopril and fosinopril have a comparable positive influence on postinfarction remodeling and on clinical status. Lipophilicity and tissue affinity do not seem to play a clinically important role in ACE-inhibitor therapy after infarction.
Konermann
M
M
Medical Department, Ruhr University of Bochum, Marienhospital Herne, Kasse, Germany.
Altmann
C
C
Laschewski
F
F
Josephs
W
W
Odenthal
H J
HJ
Horstmann
E
E
Sanner
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017328:Fosinopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009929:Organ Size; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002216:Captopril; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D017328:Fosinopril