D-Ribose improves diastolic function and quality of life in congestive heart failure patients: a prospective feasibility study

Patients with chronic coronary heart disease often suffer from congestive heart failure (CHF) despite multiple drug therapies. D‐Ribose has been shown in animal models to improve cardiac energy metabolism and function following ischaemia. This was a prospective, double blind, randomized, crossover design study, to assess the effect of oral D‐ribose supplementation on cardiac hemodynamics and quality of life in 15 patients with chronic coronary artery disease and CHF. The study consisted of two treatment periods of 3 weeks, during which either oral D‐ribose or placebo was administered followed by a 1‐week wash out period, and then administration of the other supplement. Assessment of myocardial functional parameters by echocardiography, quality of life using the SF‐36 questionnaire and functional capacity using cycle ergometer testing was performed. The administration of D‐ribose resulted in an enhancement of atrial contribution to left ventricular filling (40±11 vs. 45±9%, P=0.02), a smaller left atrial dimension (54±20 vs. 47±18 ml, P=0.02) and a shortened E wave deceleration (235±64 vs. 196±42, P=0.002) by echocardiography. Further, D‐ribose also demonstrated a significant improvement of the patient's quality of life (417±118 vs. 467±128, P≤0.01). In comparison, placebo did not result in any significant echocardiographic changes or in quality of life. This feasibility study in patients with coronary artery disease in CHF revealed the beneficial effects of D‐ribose by improving diastolic functional parameters and enhancing quality of life.