CLINICAL RESEARCH
Protective Effects of Carvedilol Against Anthracycline-Induced Cardiomyopathy
Nihat Kalay, MD*,*,
Emrullah Basar, MD*,
Ibrahim Ozdogru, MD*,
Ozlem Er, MD ,
Yakup Cetinkaya, MD*,
Ali Dogan, MD*,
Tugrul Inanc, MD,
Abdurrahman Oguzhan, MD*,
Namik Kemal Eryol, MD*,
Ramazan Topsakal, MD* and
Ali Ergin, MD*
* Departments of Cardiology
Oncology, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
Manuscript received March 29, 2006;
revised manuscript received June 27, 2006,
accepted July 10, 2006.
* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Nihat Kalay, Erciyes Üniversitesi, Kardiyoloji A.B.D., 38039 Kayseri, Turkey. (Email: nihatkalay{at}hotmail.com).
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the protective effect of carvedilol in anthracycline (ANT)-induced cardiomyopathy (CMP).
BACKGROUND: Despite its broad effectiveness, ANT therapy is associated with ANT-induced CMP. Recent animal studies and experimental observations showed that carvedilol prevented development of CMP due to chemotherapeutics. However, there is no placebo-controlled clinical trial concerning prophylactic carvedilol use in preventing ANT-induced CMP.
METHODS: Patients in whom ANT therapy was planned were randomized to administration of carvedilol or placebo. We enrolled 25 patients in carvedilol and control groups. In the carvedilol group, 12.5 mg once-daily oral carvedilol was given during 6 months. The patients were evaluated with echocardiography before and after chemotherapy. Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and systolic and diastolic diameters were calculated.
RESULTS: At the end of 6 months of follow-up, 1 patient in the carvedilol group and 4 in the control group had died. Control EF was below 50% in 1 patient in the carvedilol group and in 5 in the control group. The mean EF of the carvedilol group was similar at baseline and control echocardiography (70.5 vs. 69.7, respectively; p = 0.3), but in the control group the mean EF at control echocardiography was significantly lower (68.9 vs. 52.3; p < 0.001). Both systolic and diastolic diameters were significantly increased compared with basal measures in the control group. In Doppler study, whereas E velocities in the carvedilol group decreased, E velocities and E/A ratios were significantly reduced in the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic use of carvedilol in patients receiving ANT may protect both systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricle.
|
Abbreviations and Acronyms
| | ANT = anthracycline | | CMP = cardiomyopathy | | CT = chemotherapy | | EF = ejection fraction | | LV = left ventricle/ventricular | | SERCA2 = sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase |
|
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. T.H. Yeh and C. L. Bickford
Cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy: incidence, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management.
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
June 16, 2009;
53(24):
2231 - 2247.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Riad, S. Bien, D. Westermann, P. M. Becher, K. Loya, U. Landmesser, H. K. Kroemer, H. P. Schultheiss, and C. Tschope
Pretreatment with Statin Attenuates the Cardiotoxicity of Doxorubicin in Mice
Cancer Res.,
January 15, 2009;
69(2):
695 - 699.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. J. Lenihan and F. J. Esteva
Multidisciplinary Strategy for Managing Cardiovascular Risks When Treating Patients with Early Breast Cancer
Oncologist,
December 1, 2008;
13(12):
1224 - 1234.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T.-J. Liu, Y.-C. Yeh, C.-T. Ting, W.-L. Lee, L.-C. Wang, H.-W. Lee, K.-Y. Wang, H.-C. Lai, and H.-C. Lai
Ginkgo biloba extract 761 reduces doxorubicin-induced apoptotic damage in rat hearts and neonatal cardiomyocytes
Cardiovasc Res,
November 1, 2008;
80(2):
227 - 235.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. L. Telli, R. M. Witteles, G. A. Fisher, and S. Srinivas
Cardiotoxicity associated with the cancer therapeutic agent sunitinib malate
Ann. Onc.,
September 1, 2008;
19(9):
1613 - 1618.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. Gianni, E. H. Herman, S. E. Lipshultz, G. Minotti, N. Sarvazyan, and D. B. Sawyer
Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity: From Bench to Bedside
J. Clin. Oncol.,
August 1, 2008;
26(22):
3777 - 3784.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. S. Ewer and D. J. Lenihan
Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Cardiotoxicity: Is Our Ear Really to the Ground?
J. Clin. Oncol.,
March 10, 2008;
26(8):
1201 - 1203.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Riad, S. Bien, M. Gratz, F. Escher, M. M. Heimesaat, S. Bereswill, T. Krieg, S. B. Felix, H. P. Schultheiss, H. K. Kroemer, et al.
Toll-like receptor-4 deficiency attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in mice
Eur J Heart Fail,
March 1, 2008;
10(3):
233 - 243.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. R.J. H. Bird and S. M. Swain
Cardiac Toxicity in Breast Cancer Survivors: Review of Potential Cardiac Problems
Clin. Cancer Res.,
January 1, 2008;
14(1):
14 - 24.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
W.H. W. Tang and G. S. Francis
The Year in Heart Failure
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
December 11, 2007;
50(24):
2344 - 2351.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Florenzano and P. Salman
Carvedilol for Anthracycline Cardiomyopathy Prevention
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
May 29, 2007;
49(21):
2142 - 2142.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. Kalay, I. Ozdogru, O. Er, and E. Basar
Reply
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
May 29, 2007;
49(21):
2142 - 2143.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity
Journal Watch Cardiology,
January 3, 2007;
2007(103):
1 - 1.
[Full Text]
|
 |
|
|