Intra-cellular electrolyte changes and levels of endogenous digoxin-like substance within the plasma in patients with congestive heart failure

doi:10.1016/0167-5273(90)90190-G

International Journal of Cardiology

Volume 27, Issue 1, April 1990, Pages 47-53

https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-5273(90)90190-G Get rights and content

Abstract

In this study, the lymphocytes and erythrocytes from peripheral venous blood were used as the study model from which were measured the cellular contents of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium in 50 patients with chronic congestive heart failure and 39 control patients. Levels of endogenous digoxin-like substance in the plasma and activities of $Na K$ ATPase in red cell membrane were monitored simultaneously. In the patients with heart failure, the intracellular contents of potassium and magnesium were decreased while those of sodium and calcium were increased significantly. The levels of endogenous digoxin-like substance were much higher in the plasma than those either in healthy controls or in patients with heart disease but without congestive failure (273.7 ± 35.5 vs 23.3 ± 2.2 and vs 32.9 ± 3.6 pg/ml, respectively, P < 0.001 for both). The activities of $Na K-ATPase$ were much lower in the patients with heart failure than in the controls. Values for intracellular electrolytes were significantly correlated with the rising levels of digoxin-like substance in the plasma. Non-digitalis inotropic therapy was associated with the recovery of these alterations of heart function, with the levels of the digoxin-like substance decreasing and activity of $Na K-ATPase$ going up. We conclude that endogenous digoxin-like substance might play a role in the imbalance of intra-cellular electrolytes seen in patients with congestive heart failure. Digoxin may exacerbate the loss of intracellular potassium.

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^☆: Supported by grants from the National Nature Science of China (No. 3870757).

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Original studyIntra-cellular electrolyte changes and levels of endogenous digoxin-like substance within the plasma in patients with congestive heart failure☆

Abstract

Am J Med

J Am Coll Cardiol

Am Heart J

J Mol Cell Cardiol

Salt and water balance in congestive heart failure

Acta Med Scand

Neurohumoral mechanisms involved in congestive heart failure

Am J Cardiol

The role of the renin-angiotensin system in the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure

Correlation between the human auricle and intra-lymphocyte, intra-erythrocyte K+, Na+, Ca++ and Mg++ contents (abstract)

Chinese Circulation J

Isolation of mononuclear cells and granulocytes from blood. II Isolation of mononuclear cells by one centrifugation, and of granulocytes by combining centrifugate and sedimentation at Ig

Scand J Clin Lab Invest

Original study
Intra-cellular electrolyte changes and levels of endogenous digoxin-like substance within the plasma in patients with congestive heart failure☆

Correlation between the human auricle and intra-lymphocyte, intra-erythrocyte K⁺, Na⁺, Ca⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺ contents (abstract)