Effects of xanthine oxidase inhibition with allopurinol on endothelial function and peripheral blood flow in hyperuricemic patients with chronic heart failure - Results from 2 placebo-controlled studies

Item Type:	Article
Title:	Effects of xanthine oxidase inhibition with allopurinol on endothelial function and peripheral blood flow in hyperuricemic patients with chronic heart failure - Results from 2 placebo-controlled studies
Creators Name:	Doehner, W. and Schoene, N. and Rauchhaus, M. and Leyva-Leon, F. and Pavitt, D.V. and Reaveley, D.A. and Schuler, G. and Coats, A.J.S. and Anker, S.D. and Hambrecht, R.
Abstract:	Background - In patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), hyperuricemia is a common finding and is associated with reduced vasodilator capacity and impaired peripheral blood flow. It has been suggested that the causal link of this association is increased xanthine oxidase (XO)-derived oxygen free radical production and endothelial dysfunction. We therefore studied the effects of XO inhibition with allopurinol on endothelial function and peripheral blood flow in CHF patients after intra-arterial infusion and after oral administration in 2 independent placebo-controlled studies. Methods and Results - In 10 CHF patients with normal serum uric acid (UA) levels (315±42 μmol/L) and 9 patients with elevated UA (535±54 μmol/L), endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine infusion) and endothelium-independent (nitroglycerin infusion) vasodilation of the radial artery was determined. Coinfusion of allopurinol (600 μg/min) improved endothelium-dependent but not endothelium-independent vasodilation in hyperuricemic patients (P<0.05). In a double-blind, crossover design, hyperuricemic CHF patients were randomly allocated to allopurinol 300 mg/d or placebo for 1 week. In 14 patients (UA 558±21 μmol/L, range 455 to 743 μmol/L), treatment reduced UA by >120 μmol/L in all patients (mean reduction 217±15 μmol/L, P<0.0001). Compared with placebo, allopurinol improved peak blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography) in arms (+24%, P=0.027) and legs (+23%, P=0.029). Flow-dependent flow improved by 58% in arms (P=0.011). Allantoin, a marker of oxygen free radical generation, decreased by 20% after allopurinol treatment (P<0.001). There was a direct relation between change of UA and improvement of flow-dependent flow after allopurinol treatment (r=0.63, P<0.05). Conclusions - In hyperuricemic CHF patients, XO inhibition with allopurinol improves peripheral vasodilator capacity and blood flow both locally and systemically.
Keywords:	Blood Flow, Endothelium, Heart Failure
Source:	Circulation
ISSN:	0009-7322
Publisher:	American Heart Association
Volume:	105
Number:	22
Page Range:	2619-2624
Date:	4 June 2002
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000017502.58595.ED
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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