Skeletal muscle biopsy studies of cardiac patients

Eleven patients diagnosed and treated for congestive cardiomyopathy (COCM) of unknown aetiology, and another 10 patients, with congestive alcoholic heart muscle disease (ACOCM) were studied. Muscle biopsy samples were obtained from the vastus lateralis (VL) and the gastrocnemius (G) muscles. In part of the sample muscle the fibre pattern was classified by means of ATPase activity staining, a technique based on the pH lability of the fibres concerned. Fibre typing and area measurements were carried out by light microscope. The other part of the sample was used as muscle homogenate of which the Ca2+-activated ATPase activity as well as citrate synthetase (CS) and aldolase activities were measured. No significant difference was found in these enzyme activities between the two groups of patients. The proportion of the slow twitch (ST) fibres in the VL, mainly in the patients with ACOCM, was lower as compared to data for healthy subjects. A similar tendency was revealed for G. In both muscles tested, the area of ST fibres was smaller in the ACOCM group. The fast twitch (FT) fibre area proved to be slightly different in the two groups of subjects tested. Occurrence of degenerative signs in the histological tests was higher in the ACOCM than in the COCM group. It was concluded that differences in the skeletal muscles of patients with ACOCM and COCM may primarily account for the alcoholism. The disease of the heart muscle has little effect on the function of skeletal muscle. Even so, a low amount or lack of physical activity may have an unfavourable influence on the skeletal muscles of patients with heart muscle disease.