Assessment of plasma catecholamine and beta-endorphin contents in patients with silent myocardial ischemia and angina pectoris
Wu, L.
Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi 20(2): 90
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-3758 PMID: 1473488 Document Number: 392303
Thirteen patients with totally silent myocardial ischemia (group 1) and 15 patients with effort angina (group 2) were studied. The coronary angiography of both groups indicated coronary artery stenosis gtoreq 50%. In group 1, the beta-endorphin plasma level (beta-EPL) during rest was significantly higher than those in group 2 (15.639 +- 1.258 pg/ml and 8.920 +- 1.478 pg/ml, respectively, P lt 0.01). There were significant increases in beta-EPL in both groups after exercise as compared with that before exercise (beta-EPL is 33.801 +- 6.243 pg ml/in group 1, P lt 0.01; 18.169 +- 3.540 pg/ml in group 2, P lt 0.01). The difference between two groups after exercise was also significant (P lt 0.05). The plasma level of noradrenaline (NE) during rest was 0.267 +- 0.035 ng/ml, adrenaline (E) was 0.112 +- 0.018 ng/ml in group 1, and NE was 0.218 +- 0.032 ng/ml and E was 0.110 +- 0.015 ng/ml in group 2. After exercise, NE was 1.017 +- 0.160 ng/ml (P lt 0.001), E 0.276 +- 0.076 ng/ml (P lt 0.05) in group 1; NE was 0.884 +- 0.153 ng/ml (P lt 0.001), E 0.260 +- 0.043 ng/ml (P lt 0.01) in group 2. There was no difference between two groups both in rest and after exercise (P gt 0.05). This study indicates that the high plasma beta-endorphin level might play a major role in the occurrence of totally silent myocardial ischemia.