Hormonal changes in patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure treated by ultrafiltration

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), antidiuretic hormone (ADH), plasma renin activity (PRA), and circulatory haemodynamics were studied in five patients with chronic congestive heart failure undergoing ultrafiltration on two consecutive days. The patients were in the New York Heart Association class IV, and were considered candidates for heart transplantation. A mean of 3.3 +/- 0.5 litres of fluid was removed during each ultrafiltration. Plasma ANP concentration remained unchanged during ultrafiltration: 369 +/- 151 pg/ml at start and 316 +/- 116 pg/ml at the end, while plasma ADH concentration and PRA increased from 5.1 +/- 2.1 to 7.5 +/- 3.4 pg/ml (P less than 0.02), and 5.9 +/- 3.0 to 7.7 +/- 3.2 ng/ml (P less than 0.03) respectively (n = 10). After treatment, plasma ADH and PRA declined to baseline values within 1 h. Pulmonary artery, pulmonary capillary wedge, and right atrial pressures decreased significantly, while blood pressure and heart rate remained constant during ultrafiltration. A volume of 3.3 +/- 0.5 litres of fluid was removed, and caused an increase in colloid osmotic pressure from 22.0 +/- 3.0 to 33.7 +/- 3.9 mmHg (P less than 0.02). It was unexpected that plasma ANP concentration did not decline. Due to long-standing severe heart failure the atrial wall may have lost some of its elastic properties, resulting in less ability to adapt to reduced filling pressures. Accordingly, atrial wall stretch remained unchanged, explaining the constant ANP levels. Ultrafiltration treatment caused an increased responsiveness to diuretic therapy, and four patients survived long enough to receive heart transplants.