Gln27→Gluβ2-Adrenergic Receptor Polymorphism in Heart Failure Patients: Differential Clinical and Oxidative Response to Carvedilol

We investigated the clinical response of chronic heart failure patients with beta(2)- adrenergic receptor Gln(27)-> Glu polymorphism treated for 6 months with carvedilol, a alpha/beta-antagonist with antioxidant properties. The 6-min. walk test, the left ventricular ejection fraction, heart rate, plasma norepinephrine and malondialdehyde, a stress oxidative marker, concentrations were evaluated at baseline and after treatment for 6 months with carvedilol in 33 stable chronic heart failure patients with the Gln(27)-> Glu beta(2)-adrenergic receptor polymorphism. Carvedilol significantly increased the left ventricular ejection fraction, while decreasing the heart rate and malondialdehyde plasma concentrations in chronic heart failure patients with the Glu(27)->beta(2)-adrenergic receptor allele. There were however, no significant changes in patients with the Gln(27)->beta(2)-adrenergic receptor variant.