[Effects of phosphocreatine on plasma brain natriuretic peptide level in elderly patients with chronic congestive heart failure].
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.
Du
Xiao-hong
XH
Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325000, China. dxh@hosp1.ac.cn
Liang
Fei-yu
FY
Zhao
Xiao-wei
XW
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
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain