The effects of enalapril-digoxin-diuretic combination therapy on nutritional and anthropometric indices in chronic congestive heart failure: preliminary findings in cardiac cachexia.

BACKGROUND

Body wasting is a clinical feature of a variety of chronic illnesses including congestive heart failure. The wasting associated with chronic congestive heart failure (cardiac cachexia) has recently been shown to portend a worse prognosis, and it is an independent predictor of mortality. The mechanisms underlying cardiac cachexia are multi-factorial, including metabolic, nutritional, neuroendocrine and immunological aberrations. There is, however, no direct evidence that current medical treatment reverses cachexia in chronic heart failure.

METHODS

The effect of enalapril, digoxin and frusemide combination on clinical, biochemical and anthropometric indices were determined in eight cachectic Nigerians with chronic congestive heart failure [body mass index (BMI) 20.80+/-2.7 kg/m(2), left ventricular ejection fraction 29+/-4% and LV mass index 161+37 g/m(2)] at baseline, and again after 3 and 6 months of therapy. Ten age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers whose anthropometric data were concurrently measured served as controls.

RESULTS

The anthropometric and clinical measurements were significantly (P<0.001) reduced in heart failure compared to the healthy controls. Congestive hepatomegaly significantly regressed from 161+/-20 mm to 123+/-13 mm after 6 months therapy (P<0.001 ANOVA). There was a significant increase in the sum of four skin fold thickness from 27.6+/-3.3 mm to 30.1+/-3.9 mm at 6 months (P<0.001 ANOVA) 95% confidence intervals for the difference being 1.42 to 3.4 mm. There was a significant increase in the mid-upper arm circumference (P<0.001 ANOVA) with a 95% confidence interval of 0.87-2.1 cm, and a similar trend for increased mid-thigh circumference (95% confidence limits 0.93-5.30 cm) was apparent. Plasma albumin and sodium increased significantly (P<0.05) from 30.1+/-3.8 g/l and 136+/-5.9 mmol/l to 32.9+/-2.5 g/l and 139+/-3.9 mmol/l, respectively. There was a positive and significant correlation between the treatment induced increases in plasma albumin and the increase in mid-upper arm circumference (y=0.25x+0.8, r=0.76, P=0.03 ANOVA) but not with the change in skin fold thickness.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary results demonstrate increased subcutaneous fat (increased skin fold thickness), greater muscle bulk (increased mid-upper arm and thigh circumferences) together with a significant elevation in plasma albumin and the hematocrit, which reflect the anabolic state in patients treated with ACE inhibitor-digoxin-diuretic with congestive heart failure.