Beta-blockade does not alter plasma cytokine concentrations and ventricular function in young adults with right ventricular dysfunction secondary to operated congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Right heart failure is a major problem of young adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) that has been corrected by cardiac surgery. In left ventricular dysfunction (LVD), beta-blocker therapy improved cytokine concentrations and clinical status. Thus, the effect of bisoprolol on clinical status and plasma cytokine concentrations in ACHD patients with right heart failure after surgical correction for Tetralogy of Fallot was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study for a duration of 6 months was carried out. A total of 34 patients (30.9+/-9.5 years; New York Heart Association I or II) with brain natriuretic peptide plasma concentrations >100 pg/ml and peak oxygen uptake <25 ml . kg(-1) .min(-1) were recruited. Bisoprolol did not reduce plasma concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNF-R) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in ACHD patients (before/after: sTNF-R1: 750+/-131/802+/-130; sTNF-R2: 3,693+/-1,043/4,166+/-840; IL-6: 12.94+/-26.03/13.69+/-16.58 pg/ml). Likewise, peak oxygen uptake, right and left ventricular parameters (determined by magnetic resonance imaging) were not improved by bisoprolol treatment. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previously observed beneficial effect(s) of beta-blockade in patients with LVD, there were no beneficial therapeutic effects or cytokine reduction in asymptomatic or minimal symptomatic ACHD patients. These data point to a different pathophysiological role of cytokines in ACHD patients with right ventricular dysfunction, as compared to patients with LVD.

A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of beta-blockade in patients who have undergone surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot.

AIMS: Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of a treatment over six months with bisoprolol on the surrogate parameters of N-Terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide, subsequently to be described as brain natriuretic peptide, peak uptake of oxygen, and ventricular function assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in grown ups and adults who had undergone surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot. METHODS AND RESULTS: We designed a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. We enrolled 33 patients, aged 30.9 plus or minus 9.5 years in either class 1 or 2 of the grading of the New York Heart Association class with both levels of brain natriuretic peptide greater than 100 pg/ml and a reduced peak uptake of oxygen less than 25 ml/kg/min. During treatment with Bisoprolol, the levels of brain natriuretic peptide increased significantly from 206 plus or minus 95 to 341 plus or minus 250 pg/ml (p< 0.05), and those of atrial natriuretic peptide from 4117 plus or minus 1837 to 5340 plus or minus 2102 fmol/ml (p = 0.0005). These measures remained unchanged in the group of patients receiving the placebo. Peak uptake of oxygen did not differ significantly in either group, nor did treatment have any significant effect on right and left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions as determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The clinical state as judged within the grading system of the New York Heart Association was also unchanged by beta-blockade. CONCLUSION: Beta blockade with Bisoprolol seems to have no beneficial effect on asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with right ventricular dysfunction secondary to repaired tetralogy of Fallot with residual pulmonary regurgitation and/or stenosis.