The activated immune system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in congestive heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate a possible relationship between plasma renin activity, angiotensin II, serum levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme, aldosterone and markers of immune activation in congestive heart failure (CHF).


METHODS
Fifty-three patients (50 male, three female, mean age 46 +/- 16 years) with congestive heart failure were studied. Twenty-eight patients had I or II NYHA class of CHF and 25 patients had III or IV NYHA class (NYHA class, mean +/- SD: 2.3 +/- 0.9). Serum neopterin concentration and hormones were measured by commercial radioimmunoassays. Serum soluble receptors of tumour necrosis factor and interleukin-2 were determined by ELISA.


RESULTS
All analytes significantly correlated with NYHA classes (P < 0.05). There existed correlations between neopterin and angiotensin-converting enzyme or aldosterone (rs = 0.35 and rs = 0.36, P < 0.05). The soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor concentrations correlated with plasma renin activity (rs = 0.38, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The result of our study suggest that there exists some relationship between the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and immune activation in severe congestive heart failure, however, the associations found are rather weak.
Samsonov
M
M
Cardiology Research Centre, Moscow, Russia.
Lopatin
J
J
Tilz
G P
GP
Artner-Dworzak
E
E
Nassonov
E
E
Mareev
V
V
Belenkov
J
J
Wachter
H
H
Fuchs
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000276:immunology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D000804:Angiotensin II; D000450:Aldosterone; D019798:Neopterin; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; D012083:Renin