title: Relation between connective tissue growth factor and cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in heart failure in DCM patients.
abstract: Cardiac fibrosis is an important process of myocardial remodeling. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a cytokine that plays a key role in the occurrence of progressive fibrosis and excessive scarring. CTGF levels are increased in the failing heart. In addition, sympathetic nerve activity is enhanced in the failing heart, and exacerbates heart failure. To clarify the relation between cardiac sympathetic nerve activity and CTGF, we studied 35 (M/F = 28/7 patients) aged 57 ± 15 years with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Cardiac sympathetic nerve activity was estimated from the total defect score (TDS) and from the H/M ratio and washout rate (WR) on I-123-MIBG imaging. Cardiac symptoms (NYHA class), exercise capacity (specific activity scale: SAS), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), hemodynamics, and CTGF were assessed. There was a significant correlation between the CTGF and WR on I-123-MIBG (r = 0.45, P = 0.008). Also, a higher plasma CTGF level was associated with a lower SAS score (r = 0.51, P = 0.002), but not the TDS, H/M ratio, or BNP concentration. Moreover, a higher NYHA class and pulmonary artery wedge pressure were associated with a higher plasma CTGF level. The plasma CTGF level can be strongly related with cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in heart failure in DCM patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Biological Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasama
authors.forename: Norimichi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koitabashi
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshizaki
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurabayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications*; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor