title: The Ca2+-sensitizer levosimendan improves oxidative damage, BNP and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with advanced decompensated heart failure in comparison to dobutamine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of a new inotropic drug, levosimendan compared with dobutamine on levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with severe decompensated heart failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine consecutive patients (22 males and 7 females), mean age 70.5+/-9.9 years, with decompensated heart failure on standard medical therapy, were randomised to receive either a 24 h infusion of levosimendan (n=15) or dobutamine (n=14). Blood samples were drawn at baseline, 48 h and 5 days post infusion. Levosimendan produced a significant reduction in BNP compared to baseline, at both 48 h (744.1+/-100 vs 1136.3+/-93.7 pg/ml, p=0.04) and 5 days (446+/-119.3 vs 1136.3+/-93.7 pg/ml, p=0.03), while IL-6 values decreased after 5 days (4.8+/-1.3 vs 8.6+/-1.5 pg/ml, p=0.01). MDA levels were significantly lower 5 days after levosimendan compared to baseline (2.3+/-0.2 vs 3+/-0.3 microM, p=0.01). TNF-alpha levels did not differ between the groups. The comparison of percentage alteration compared to baseline showed that BNP (-44.5+/-7.6% vs 4.8+/-18.7%, p=0.025), MDA (-21.8+/-5.1% vs 14.9+/-8.5%, p=0.001) and IL-6 (-38.8+/-12.5% vs 70.2+/-24%, p=0.001) levels were significantly lower in the levosimendan group 5 days after treatment compared to the dobutamine group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with levosimendan in advanced decompensated heart failure exerts a beneficial hemodynamic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. These findings may give an insight into the favourable impact on mortality that levosimendan appears to have in published multicenter trials.
authors.affiliation: State Cardiology Department, Hippokration Hospital , 114 Vassilissis Sophias, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avgeropoulou
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Andreadou
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markantonis-Kyroudis
authors.forename: Maritina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demopoulou
authors.forename: Platon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Missovoulos
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Androulakis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kallikazaros
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004280:Dobutamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077464:Simendan; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011724:Pyridazines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D000077464:Simendan; D004280:Dobutamine; D008315:Malondialdehyde