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Effective and safe therapy with coenzyme Q10 for cardiomyopathy

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Summary

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is indispensable in mitochondrial bioenergetics and for human life to exist. 88/115 patients completed a trial of therapy with CoQ10 for cardiomyopathy. Patients were selected on the basis of clinical criteria,X-rays, electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and coronary angiography. Responses were monitored by ejection fractions, cardiac output, and improvements in functional classifications (NYHA). Of the 88 patients 75%–85% showed statistically significant increases in two monitored cardiac parameters. Patients with the lowest ejection fractions (approx. 10%–30%) showed the highest increases (115Δ%–210Δ%) and those with higher ejection fractions (50%–80%) showed increases of approx. 10Δ%–25Δ% on therapy. By functional classification, 17/21 in class IV, 52/62 in class III, and 4/5 in class II improved to lower classes. Clinical responses appeared over variable times, and are presumably based on mechanisms of DNA-RNA-protein synthesis of apoenzymes which restore levels of CoQ10 enzymes in a deficiency state. 10/21 (48%) of patients in class IV, 26/62 (42%) in class III, and 2/5 (40%) in class II had exceptionally low control blood levels of CoQ10. Clinical responses on therapy with CoQ10 appear maximal with blood levels of approx. 2.5 µg CoQ10/ml and higher during therapy.

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Abbreviations

CHF:

Congestive heart failure

CO:

Cardiac output

CoQ10 :

Coenzyme Q10

EF:

Ejection fraction

IC:

Impedance cardiography

NYHA:

New York Heart Association

STI:

Systolic time interval

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Scott and White Clinic, Temple, Texas

    P. H. Langsjoen & K. Muratsu

  2. The Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

    K. Folkers, K. Lyson & T. Lyson

  3. Department of Cardiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas

    P. Langsjoen

Authors
  1. P. H. Langsjoen
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  2. K. Folkers
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  3. K. Lyson
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  4. K. Muratsu
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  5. T. Lyson
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  6. P. Langsjoen
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Langsjoen, P.H., Folkers, K., Lyson, K. et al. Effective and safe therapy with coenzyme Q10 for cardiomyopathy. Klin Wochenschr 66, 583–590 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01720833

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01720833

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