Author/Editor		Lainščak, Mitja; Keber, Irena; Anker, Stefan D
Title		Body composition changes in patients with systolic heart failure treated with beta blockers: a pilot study
Type		članek
Source		Int J Cardiol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 106, št. 3
Publication year		2006
Volume		str. 319-322
Language		eng
Abstract		Backgroud: Cachexia is an independent risk factor for mortality in chronic heart failure (CHF). Beta blockers can reduce body energy expenditure and improve efficiency of substrate utilization. Aim: To assess the changes in body composition in non-cachectic patients with CHF treated with beta blockers. Methods: We prospectively followed 41 non-cachectic ambulatory CHF patients (mean age 67 +- 10 years, ejection fraction 37 ± 4%) treated with beta blockers for at least 6 months. Body composition was measured by bioimpedance. Results: At baseline 16/41 patients were treated with beta blockers while at the end of follow-up all patients received beta blockers (31/41 at full recommended dose). During follow up of 263 +- 106 days body weight (83.1 +- 16.7 vs. 83.0 +- 16.9 kg), body mass index (29.3 +- 5.5 vs. 29.3 +- 5.6) and total body water did not change (51.2 +- 6.4% vs. 51.0 +- 6.4%), while total body fat mass (27.4 +- 9.6 to 28.3 +- 10.2 kg, median change +0.89 kg, p=0.01) and percent of total body fat increased (32.3 +- 7.4% to 33.4 +- 7.5%, median change +0.7, p <0.001). New York Heart Association class and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire improved from 2.9 +- 0.4 and 48 +- 15 to 2.3 +- 0.6 and 32+- 16, respectively (p<0.001 for both). Conclusion: In patients with CHF, treatment with beta blockers can increase total body fat mass and total body fat content.
Descriptors		HEART FAILURE, CONGESTIVE SYSTOLE ADRENERGIC BETA-AGONISTS BODY COMPOSITION STROKE VOLUME BODY WEIGHT BODY MASS INDEX ADIPOSE TISSUE ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE FOLLOW-UP STUDIES