[Persistence of oxidative stress after heart transplantation: a comparative study of patients with heart transplant versus chronic stable heart failure].
OBJECTIVE
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is associated with oxidative stress. Heart transplantation, an important therapeutic alternative in these patients, could reduce oxidative stress by improving cardiac function. Our aim was to evaluate post-heart transplantation oxidative stress.


METHODS
We studied three experimental groups: a) heart transplant recipients without evidence of rejection (n = 11); b) NYHA class III CHF patients (n = 19), and c) healthy control subjects (n = 14). Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring plasma malondialdehyde levels (MDA), and determining the enzymatic activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD).


RESULTS
The demographic characteristics of the three groups were similar. Mean time from transplantation was 20.0 4.8 months. Mean MDA plasma levels in heart transplantation and CHF patients were significantly higher than in normal subjects (3.35 0.8; 3.27 1.7 y 0.9 0.3 microM, respectively). GSH-Px activity increased after transplantation compared to control subjects (0.40 0.06 and 0.33 0.05 U/g Hb, respectively), but not the CHF group. A significant decrease in SOD activity was found in the heart transplant vs. CHF group (0.44 0.1 vs. 0.87 0.6 U/mg Hb). There were no differences in CAT values between heart transplant and CHF patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrated the presence of permanent oxidative stress in patients who have undergone heart transplantation, characterized by an increase in MDA and a decrease in SOD activity, despite an increase in GSH-Px activity.
Departamento de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares. Hospital Clínico. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Osvaldo
O
Pérez
Pablo
P
Castro
Guillermo
G
Díaz-Araya
Danniels
D
Nettle
Francisco
F
Moraga
Mario
M
Chiong
Jorge
J
Jalil
Ricardo
R
Zalaquett
Sergio
S
Morán
Pedro
P
Becker
Ramón
R
Corbalán
Sergio
S
Lavandero
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase