The impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy on routine laboratory parameters

BACKGROUND: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in chronic heart failure has been shown to improve mortality and morbidity. However, comprehensive data are not available as concerns how circulating biomarkers reflecting different organ functions, such as serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin, cholesterol, or various liver enzymes, change over time as a consequence of CRT. The aim of this prospective study was to overview these possible changes. METHODS: A total of 20 routine laboratory parameters were measured in 122 control subjects and in 129 patients with chronic heart failure before CRT, 6 months, and 2 years later. RESULTS: The levels of serum uric acid [before: 432 (331–516) mmol/L, 6-month: 372 (304–452) mmol/L, 2-year: 340 (290–433) mmol/L; p < 0.001] and BUN [8.3 (6.4–11.5) mmol/L, 8.0 (6.3–11.1) mmol/L, 6.8 (5.0–9.7) mmol/L; p < 0.001) reduced statistically significant. Total bilirubin underwent reduction [16 (11–23) μmol/L, 11 (7–14) μmol/L, 8 (7–13) μmol/L; p < 0.001], while albumin increased [45 (43–48) g/L, 46 (44–48) g/L, 46 (43–48) g/L; p = 0.04]. Cholesterol concentrations elevated [4.3 (3.6–5.0) mmol/L, 4.5 (3.8–5.1) mmol/L, 4.6 (3.8–5.4) mmol/L; p < 0.001] and glucose decreased [6.2 (5.6–7.2) mmol/L, 5.9 (5.1–6.7) mmol/L, 5.7 (5.1–6.8) mmol/L; p < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: CRT influences the levels of routinely used biomarkers suggesting improvements in renal function, liver capacity, and metabolic changes. These changes could mirror the multiorgan improvement after CRT.