Abstract :Objective: To study the changes in the levels of blood troponin T (cTnT), Insulin-like Growth
Factor 1 (IGF-1), and the N-Terminal of the Prohormone Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP)
to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levosimendan on chronic heart failure.
Methods: Seventy four hospitalized ageing patients stages III-IV of cardiac function and a left
ventricular ejection fraction <40% was selected. Thirty eight were administered routine treatments;
the remaining 36 patients were administered routine treatments plus levosimendan. Vital signs,
clinical presentations, changes in hemodynamics, and levels of IGF-1, cTnT, and NT-proBNP were
monitored before and at 72 hours after treatment.
Results: The clinical effective rate was 83.3% (30/36, treatment) and 55.3% (21/38, control); the
difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). The IGF-1 levels increased, the cTnT levels decreased,
and the NT-ProBNP levels decreased in the treatment and control groups, respectively, at 72 hours
after treatment. Systolic blood pressure decreased, mean diastolic blood pressure decreased, and
heart rate decreased in the treatment and control groups, respectively, at 72 hours after treatment.
The incidence rate of adverse effects was not statistically significant between the 2 groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Levosimendan could be effective in treating chronic congestive heart failure; blood
levels of cTnT and IGF-1 could be used to accurately evaluate its efficacy and with better specificity
than with NT-proBNP.