Effects of Hormonal Anabolic Deficiency and Neurovascular Alterations on Mortality in Male Patients With Heart Failure

One hundred and fifty six patients have been enrolled so far. Methods were as described below:

- Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was directly recorded from the peroneal nerve using the microneurography technique ;

- All patients underwent symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise test performed on a cycle ergometer, using a ramp protocol with workload increments of 5 or 10 Watts per minute;

- Body composition measurements were performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA);

- Muscle strength was assessed by handgrip dynamometer using the mean value of three attempts;

- Blood samples were drawn in the morning after 12h overnight fasting. The laboratory tests included B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP; pg/mL) plasma level, serum sodium (mEq/L), serum potassium (mEq/L), creatinine (mg/dL), haemoglobin level (g/dL), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP; mg/L), lipid profile (triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein; mg/dL), and fasting glucose (mg/dL). Blood sample to assess hormone plasma levels were also drawn at the same time: total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1).