Renal sympathetic nerve activity associated with the severity of heart failure in dogs with chronic heart failure

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between renal sympathetic nerve activity and the severity of heart failure in dogs with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods CHF were induced by abdominal aorta constriction. Plasma renin activity (PRA), adrenaline (E), and noradrenaline (NE) were determined in 9 dogs with CHF (CHF group) and 3 sham-operated dogs (control group). Results E, NE, PRA, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were significantly higher in CHF group than those in control group (all P<0.01). Compared to 10-week post-operation, PRA [(2.08±0.08)ng/(ml·h) vs (2.26±0.16)ng/(ml·h)], NE [(184.01± 11.76)pg/ml vs (202.99±16.54)pg/ml] and BNP [(85.87±11.41)μg/ml vs (100.41±9.24)μg/ml] were significantly increased in the 12-week post-operation (all P<0.01). PRA [10 weeks post-operation: (2.13±0.08)ng/(ml·h) vs (2.02±0.05)ng/(ml·h); 12 weeks post-operation: (2.38±0.09)ng/(ml·h) vs (2.11±0.07)ng/(ml·h)] and NE [10 weeks post-operation: (191.75±8.40)pg/ml vs (174.33±7.08)pg/ml; 12 weeks post-operation: (215.69±6.26)pg/ml vs (186.36±7.98)pg/ml] were higher in high BNP group than those in low BNP group both in 10 and 12 weeks post-operation (P=0.013, P=0.013, P=0.002, respectively). Conclusions PRA was increased in dogs with CHF and associated with the severity of CHF. Key words: Heart failure/PP; Sympathetic nervous system/PP; Kidney/IR