Effect of Spironolactone on Plasma Apelin-12 Levels in Patients with Chronic Systolic Heart Failure

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether spironolactone therapy has an effect on serum apelin-12 levels in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients.＜BR＞Methods: Eighty outpatients previously diagnosed with HFrEFwere enrolled in the current study. Included patients were taking only standard heart failure therapy (ST) (angiotensin converting enzyme or angiotensin receptor blocker, beta-blockers, loop diuretics and anticoagulant or antiagregan agents) without a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) because of its side effects, and were designated the non-MRA group; those patients taking 25 mg/daily spironolactone in addition to the ST were deemed the MRA group. Patient blood samples were collected to measure serum apelin-12 levels.＜BR＞Results: After adjustment for all clinical and demographic factors, plasma apelin-12 levels were significantly higher and NT pro-BNP levels were significantly lower in the MRA group compared to the non-MRA group (p ＜ 0.001, p ＜ 0.001; r