Skip Navigation

Cardiovascular Research 1995 30(6):939-944; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(95)00149-2
© 1995 by European Society of Cardiology
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mahy, I. R.
Right arrow Articles by Tooke, J. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mahy, I. R.
Right arrow Articles by Tooke, J. E.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Copyright © 1995, European Society of Cardiology

Disturbance of peripheral microvascular function in congestive heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Ian R. Mahya, Angela C. Shorea, L.David Smithb and John E. Tookea

aDepartment of Vascular Medicine, University of Exeter, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5AX, UK
bDepartment of Cardiology, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK

Objectives: Previous studies of peripheral microvascular function in human heart failure have concentrated on changes in flow, and there is little information concerning the impact of heart failure on the principal determinants of transcapillary fluid exchange. This study investigated whether alterations in capillary pressure and microvascular fluid permeability can be detected in subjects with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods: Finger nailfold capillary pressure and calf capillary filtration coefficient (CFC) were measured in parallel studies of two overlapping groups of 12 non-oedematous subjects with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and mild to moderate heart failure and in age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Capillary pressure was measured by direct cannulation using an electronic resistance feedback servonulling technique, and CFC by mercury-in-silastic strain gauge plethysmography using a modification of the technique which avoids assumptions concerning isovolumetric venous pressure. Results: Following correction for differences in skin temperature, capillary pressure was lower in the subjects with heart failure (P = 0.02). Both CFC and isovolumetric venous pressure were greater in the subjects with heart failure than in controls (3.4 ± 0.9 vs. 2.6 ± 0.7 ml · min–1 · mmHg–1 · 100 ml–1, P = 0.03; 27.1 ± 8.4 vs. 17.2 ± 7.2 mmHg, P = 0.01). Conclusions: These data suggest that factors other than changes in arterial inflow and venous outflow pressures are likely to play an important role in the disruption of microvascular homeostasis which occurs in heart failure. Changes in capillary hydraulic conductance may contribute to the pathogenesis of oedema.

KEYWORDS Heart failure; Microcirculation; Peripheral circulation; Oedema


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.