title: Thyroid hormone is a critical determinant of myocardial performance in patients with heart failure: potential therapeutic implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous experimental studies have provided evidence showing that changes in thyroid hormone signaling correspond to alterations in myocardial function in animal models of heart failure. The present study further explores whether thyroid hormone alterations are correlated with the functional status of the myocardium in patients with heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 37 patients with mean ejection fraction (EF%) of 26.2 (8.2) were included. Myocardial performance was assessed by echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Total tri-iodothyronine (T3), thyroxine, and TSH levels were measured in plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total T3 was strongly correlated with VO2max (r = 0.78, P = 2 x 10(-8)). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that total T3 was an independent predictor of VO2max (P = 0.000 005). A weaker but significant correlation was also found between total T3 and EF% (r = 0.56, P = 0.0004), systolic (r = 0.43, P = 0.009) and diastolic (r = 0.46, P = 0.004) blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  changes in thyroid hormone were closely correlated to myocardial functional status in patients with heart failure. These data probably indicate a possible role of thyroid hormone in the pathophysiology of heart failure and confirm previous experimental reports.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Avenue, 11527 Goudi, Athens, Greece. cpantos@cc.uoa.gr
authors: Constantinos
authors: C
authors: Pantos
authors: Athanasios
authors: A
authors: Dritsas
authors: Iordanis
authors: I
authors: Mourouzis
authors: Antonios
authors: A
authors: Dimopoulos
authors: Georgios
authors: G
authors: Karatasakis
authors: Georgios
authors: G
authors: Athanassopoulos
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Mavrogeni
authors: Athanasios
authors: A
authors: Manginas
authors: Dennis V
authors: DV
authors: Cokkinos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D013972:Thyrotropin; D000638:Amiodarone