title: [Effects of phosphocreatine on plasma brain natriuretic peptide level in elderly patients with chronic congestive heart failure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the therapeutic effects of phosphocreatine in elderly patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) and its effects on plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty elderly patients with chronic CHF were randomly divided into two groups to receive basic treatment (control group) and additional phosphocreatine treatment (treatment group) with a treatment course of 8 weeks. The patients were evaluated for improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, symptoms, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the levels of BNP before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 8 weeks of treatment, the overall efficacy rate was significantly higher in treatment group than in the control group, and LVESD, LVEDD, LVEF and BNP level of the treatment group were significantly lowered in comparison with those of the control group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phosphocreatine in addition to the basic treatment can reduce the BNP level and improve the cardiac systolic and diastolic function in elderly patients with chronic CHF.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000, China. dxh@hosp1.ac.cn
authors.forename: Xiao-hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Fei-yu
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiao-wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain