Insulin resistance in moderate chronic heart failure is related to hyperleptinaemia, but not to norepinephrine or TNF-alpha.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic heart failure (CHF) has emerged as an insulin-resistant state, independently of ischaemic aetiology. The underlying mechanisms of this finding are not known. Catecholamines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and leptin, the adipocyte specific hormone, have all been implicated as mediators of impaired insulin sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to examine in patients with CHF and in comparison to healthy controls subjects whether norepinephrine, TNFalpha or leptin relate to insulin sensitivity.


METHODS
41 patients with CHF (age 60+/-2 years, NYHA I/II/III/IV 4/12/22/3, peak oxygen consumption 17.6+/-1.0 ml/kg per min) and 21 healthy controls of similar age and total and regional fat distribution were studied in a cross-sectional study. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by intravenous glucose tolerance testing using the minimal model approach; catecholamines, TNFalpha and soluble TNF receptors 1 and 2 were also measured. Total and regional body fat mass was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.


RESULTS
Insulin sensitivity was reduced in CHF patients compared to controls by 31% (P<0.01) and fasting insulin was higher in patients than in controls (79.1+/-9.7 vs. 41.4+/-6.0 pmol/l, P<0.01). Patients had, compared to healthy controls, elevated serum leptin levels (8.28+/-0.84 vs. 4.83+/-0.68 ng/ml), norepinephrine (3.45+/-0.34 vs. 1.87+/-0.16 nmol/l, both P<0.01) and soluble TNF-receptors 1 (1280+/-141 vs. 639+/-52 pg/ml) and 2 (2605+/-184 vs. 1758+/-221 pg/ml, both P<0.01). Leptin levels corrected for total body fat mass were higher in CHF patients than in controls (41.3+/-3 vs. 24.3+/-2 pg/ml per 100 g, P<0.001). TNFalpha was not significantly different between the groups. In both groups there was an inverse correlation between insulin sensitivity and serum leptin (r=-0.65, P<0.0001 for pooled subjects); in contrast, no significant relation was found between insulin sensitivity and norepinephrine or TNFalpha. In multivariate regression analysis, leptin emerged as the only significant predictor of insulin sensitivity (standardised coefficient=-0.59, P<0.001), independent of body fat mass, age and peak VO2.


CONCLUSIONS
In moderate CHF, elevated leptin levels directly and independently predict insulin resistance. Elevated serum leptin levels could play a role in the impaired regulation of energy metabolism in CHF. In contrast to observations in other conditions, TNFalpha and norepinephrine are not related to insulin resistance in moderate CHF.
Doehner
Wolfram
W
Department of Clinical Cardiology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, Dovehouse St., London SW3 6LY, UK. w.doehner@ic.ac.uk
Rauchhaus
Mathias
M
Godsland
Ian F
IF
Egerer
Karl
K
Niebauer
Josef
J
Sharma
Rakesh
R
Cicoira
Mariantonietta
M
Florea
Viorel G
VG
Coats
Andrew J S
AJ
Anker
Stefan D
SD
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine; D009638:Norepinephrine