title: Microneurography and venous occlusion plethysmography in heart failure: correlation with prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microneurography and venous occlusion plethysmography can be considered methods of assessment of the sympathetic activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the intensity of the sympathetic activity through microneurography and venous occlusion plethysmography in patients with heart failure (HF) and correlate this intensity with prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  52 patients with HF (ejection fraction < 45% at the echocardiogram): 12 with FCII and 40 with FCIV. After compensation, the muscular sympathetic nervous activity (MSNA) in the peroneal nerve (microneurography) and the muscular blood flow (MBF) in the forearm were evaluated (venous occlusion plethysmography). After an 18-month follow-up, the patients were divided in 3 groups: 12 with FCII, 19 with FCIV that did not die and 21 with FCIV that died. The intensity of the sympathetic activity was compared in the three different groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with FCII presented lower MSNA (p=0.026) and higher MBF (p=0.045) than the ones with FCIV that did not die. The patients with FCIV that died presented higher MSNA (p<0.001) and lower MBF (p=0.002) than the patients with FCIV that did not die. ROC curve: cutoff >53.5 impulses/min for MSNA (S=90.55. E=73.68%) and < 1.81 ml/min/100gr for MBF (S=90.4%. E=73.7%). Kaplan-Meier curve: higher survival with MSNA < 53.5 impulses/min (p<0.001), and/or MBF >1.81 ml/min/100gr (P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis: the higher the MSNA and the lower the MBF, the higher is the probability of death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intensity of the MSNA and the MBF can be considered prognostic markers in advanced HF.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Robinson Tadeu
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Munhoz
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Negrão
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos Pereira
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Barretto
authors.forename: Marcelo Eidi
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Juliano Novaes
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Paulo Cesar
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Morgado
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Del Carlo
authors.forename: José Antonio Franchini
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ramires
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D010991:Plethysmography; D011379:Prognosis; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult