[Effects of trimetazidine on serum oxygen free radicals in congestive heart failure].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the level of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and maiondialdehyde (MDA) and left ventricular systolic function in congestive heart failure (CHF) and to evaluate the influence of trimetazidine on them.


METHODS
Serum SOD and MDA were measured in 50 patients with heart function from grade two to four and 15 normal subjects. All the persons underwent echocardiography to determine the left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). The patients with CHF were randomly treated with trimetazidine plus routine therapy (n = 25) or routine therapy only (n = 25) for 8 weeks with evaluations made before and after the treatment.


RESULTS
The SOD level and EF in the patients with CHF significantly decreased and the MDA level and LVESVI in those patients significantly increased compared with the normal subjects (P < 0.05); the severer the CHF, the greater the changes. After the treatment, the SOD level and EF increased significantly and MDA and LVESVI decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in both the trimetazidine and the conventional groups. And these changes were more obvious in the trimetazidine group than in the conventional group(P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Oxygen free radicals play an important role in the pathophysiologic changes of CHF. The level of serum SOD and MDA can indicate the degree of CHF. Trimetazidine not only increases the level of SOD and decreases the level of MDA, but also improves the left ventricular systolic function.
Ma
Qi-lin
QL
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Xie
Yong
Y
Zhang
Sai-dan
SD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D014292:Trimetazidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014292:Trimetazidine