Search

Background: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent vasodilatory peptide discovered in human pheochromocytoma tissue. Proadrenomedullin N‐terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) processed from an AM precursor is also a novel hypotensive peptide which inhibits catecholamine secretion from sympathetic nerve endings. Hypothesis: The present study sought to examine the relationships between the two peptides and other clinical parameters by measuring the plasma AM and PAMP concentrations in 98 patients with heart failure. Methods: In all, 98 patients [65 men and 33 women, aged 58.2 ± 11.0 years, mean ± standard deviation (SD)] with heart failure and 26 healthy volunteers (12 men and 14 women, aged 54.1 ± 8.6 years) were examined in this study. Heart failure was secondary to previous myocardial infarction in 58 patients, valvular disease in 28, cardiomyopathy in 9, and congenital heart disease in 3. All patients were classified into two groups of class I or II (Group 1) and class III or IV (Group 2) according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification. Results: Both plasma AM and PAMP concentrations in the patients were significantly higher than those in healthy volunteers. In addition, plasma AM and PAMP concentrations in patients in class III or IV of New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification were significantly higher than those in NYHA class I or II. The elevated plasma concentrations of these peptides in patients in NYHA class III or IV significantly decreased in response to the treatment for 7 days. There was a significant correlation between plasma AM and PAMP, though the plasma concentration of PAMP was one‐fifth to one‐seventh of that of AM in patients and controls. The plasma AM concentration correlated significantly with the plasma concentrations of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides, epinephrine, and right atrial pressure, whereas such a relationship was not noted for the plasma PAMP concentration. Conclusions: Judging from the difference in not only the biological actions but also the hormonal profiles between AM and PAMP, they may differentially modulate the cardiovascular system in patients with heart failure, although they are processed from the same precursor.