[Nicotinic acid metabolism in patients with non-coronarogenic heart diseases]

To study the supply with nicotinic acid, 74 patients with rheumatic fever of varying degree and circulatory disorders, 10 patients with infectious-allergic myocarditis, 15 with tonsilogenous myocardiodystrophy were examined. Seventy normal subjects served as control. The supply with vitamin PP was evaluated from the blood content of NAD, NADP and N'-methylnicotinamide and its excretion with urine. All the patients with myocarditis and rheumatic fever demonstrated a decrease in the nicotinic acid supply which became more marked as the degree of rheumatic fever rose and circulatory failure supervened. In patients with tonsilogenous myocardiodystrophy , the disturbance of the vitamin supply was less overt.