Taurin in therapy of chronic heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Effect on microcirculation and elastic properties of conduit blood vessels
<i>Background</i>. High incidence of CHF and type 2 DM, poor prognosis and low quality of life determine the need for optimum therapy. The most important part of therapy in this patient category is correction of metabolic disorders underlying development and progression of CHF and DM, i.e., lipid and glucose toxicity and insulin resistance. <i>Aim</i>. Studying effects of taurin as a part of combination therapy for CHF and type 2 DM in respect of the taurin effect of elasticity of large blood vessels and microcirculation. <i>Materials and methods</i>. The study included 60 patients in the early postinfarction period (weeks 3–4 of MI onset) with FC II–III CHF and concurrent type 2 DM. The patients were divided into two groups with 30 patients in each: group 1 (control group), patients receiving a basis therapy for HF in the postinfarction period and oral antihyperglycemic drugs, and group 2, (experimental group), patients receiving taurin (Dibicor, PIK-FARMA, Russia) 500 mg 2 times daily in addition to the basis therapy. Evaluation of patients included the 6‑min walk test and measurements of blood NT-proBNP, glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TG, and GFR, echoCG and microcirculation parameters. <i>Results</i>. The 16‑week taurin treatment provided improvement of microcirculation parameters, which was most pronounced in patients with the spastic type of microcirculation. The taurin therapy resulted in redistribution of microcirculation types towards normocirculation. Taurin exerted a beneficial effect on elastic properties of conduit blood vessels, improved the endothelial function, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and reduced insulin resistance. <i>Conclusion</i>. It is advisable to include taurin into the basis therapy for CHF and type 2 DM in the early postinfarction period.