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CLINICAL RESEARCH: HEART FAILURE

Insulin Resistance Is Highly Prevalent and Is Associated With Reduced Exercise Tolerance in Nondiabetic Patients With Heart Failure

Division of Medicine & Therapeutics, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, United Kingdom

Manuscript received March 13, 2008; revised manuscript received August 14, 2008, accepted August 18, 2008.

^_* Reprint requests and correspondence: Prof. Chim C. Lang, Division of Medicine & Therapeutics, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, United Kingdom (Email: c.c.lang{at}dundee.ac.uk).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) among nondiabetic chronic heart failure (CHF) patients and to seek factors associated with IR in CHF, including the relationship of IR to functional class, exercise capacity, and disease severity in CHF.

Background: Several lines of evidence suggest that CHF is an IR state. The prevalence of IR in CHF and its relation to CHF have not been fully defined.

Methods: Fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI) was assessed in a cohort of 129 consecutive CHF patients (mean age 69.2 ± 10.4 years; 76% males; body mass index 27.4 ± 4.4 kg/m²). Patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and peripheral endothelial function testing by reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT).

Results: Prevalence of IR as defined by FIRI 2.7 was 61% in our cohort of CHF patients. There was a significant correlation between IR and waist circumference (r = 0.37; p < 0.01), serum triglycerides (r = 0.34; p < 0.01), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = –0.22; p = 0.02), and serum leptin (r = 0.39; p = 0.03). Insulin resistance increased significantly with worsening New York Heart Association functional class (p < 0.01). The CHF patients with IR had a significantly lower exercise capacity and peak oxygen consumption than patients with an FIRI <2.7. The RH-PAT ratio was significantly lower in CHF patients with IR compared with CHF patients with an FIRI <2.7 (1.6 ± 0.3 vs. 2.0 ± 0.5; p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Insulin resistance is highly prevalent among nondiabetic CHF patients and is associated with decreased exercise capacity in patients with CHF. (Insulin Resistance: Heart Failure; NCT00486967 [ClinicalTrials.gov] ).

Key Words: heart failure • insulin resistance • exercise capacity • endothelial dysfunction

Abbreviations and Acronyms   BMI = body mass index   CHF = chronic heart failure   CI = confidence interval   FIRI = fasting insulin resistance index   HDL = high-density lipoprotein   IR = insulin resistance/resistant   NYHA = New York Heart Association   OR = odds ratio   RH-PAT = reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry   VO2 = oxygen consumption

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