title: Plasma Serotonin in Heart Failure: Possible Marker and Potential Treatment Target.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between heart failure (HF) and the serotonergic system has been established in animal studies. However, data on human plasma serotonin level in HF and its significance over the course of the disease is lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serotonin levels were measured in 173 patients (108 males, 65 females), 116 were stable HF and 40 were acute decompensated HF patients. The normal control group included 17 healthy volunteers with no known medical or psychiatric conditions. Patients receiving medications affecting serotonin receptors and those with pulmonary hypertension were excluded. All patients, except for those in the decompensated group, were on stable doses of HF medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma serotonin levels were significantly elevated in decompensated HF patients compared with stable patients (P=0.002). Higher plasma serotonin levels were associated with worse HF symptoms (NYHA class) and the presence of systolic dysfunction, and was borderline associated with low peak oxygen consumption during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (P=0.055). These results were independent of age, gender, race, hypertension, diabetes, renal failure, weight, coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation and medication use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serotonin is a marker for decompensation in patients with chronic heart failure. Higher serotonin levels were associated with worse HF symptoms and systolic dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Weiler Division, Bronx, NY, USA. Electronic address: ahmed.selim@unmc.edu.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Selim
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Weiler Division, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Nitasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sarswat
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Weiler Division, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Iosif
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kelesidis
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Weiler Division, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Weiler Division, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Weiler Division, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zolty
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012701:Serotonin
keywords: Decompensated heart failure; Heart failure; Marker; Serotonin